Softball falls in Regional action

photo by Adam Omernik

The University of La Verne’s Elaine Martinez is safe after shredding Jennifer King’s sock with her cleats with her slide into third during the top of the fourth inning in ULV’s game against Hayward, last Friday. Hayward ended the Leopard’s season as CSUH advanced in the NCAA West Regional competition. King got her revenge later in the sixth inning when she hit a grandslam to take the game out of reach for the Leopards, 5-0.

by Sara Lupu
Staff Writer

The University of La Verne softball team’s season ended last weekend when it was eliminated from the NCAA West Regional Tournament held at Hart Park in Orange. The Leopards were defeated Friday by Linfield College and Cal State Hayward.

After losing to Linfield, 5-2, the Leopards moved into the consolation bracket where they faced Hayward in an elimination game and lost, 5-0.

The game went five scoreless innings with the teams trading hits until the bottom of the sixth when CSUH catcher Heidi Weil singled to center, scoring designated hitter Dana Kuwahara. The Pioneers did not stop there as Hayward shortstop Jennifer King hit a grand slam off of La Verne pitcher Mary Olson.

The Leopards had one more chance in the top of the seventh to come back, but fell short on a controversial third-out call on junior catcher Amber Guerra at first base that was questionable whether she beat out the throw.

“The pitchers, Amanda and Mary, did a great job for us but we weren’t scoring runs,” head coach Robin Haaker said. “Our bats weren’t going like they usually do, and our balls didn’t have eyes, because even when we were hitting the ball, nothing was dropping for us.”

In their first playoff game, the Leopards met with Linfield from Oregon, whom they had defeated twice this season.

In the fourth inning, the Wildcats went up 2-0 after a couple of hits, that were quickly answered by Leopard Kelley Silagyi’s two-run home run, her 13th homerun of the season.

But the Wildcats were not finished as they had two previous loses to avenge. In the fifth, Leopard fielding errors allowed two runners on the bases and Linfield’s Amy Hammons took advantage with a three-run home run.

“We didn’t hit as well as we have been hitting this season, I guess we just weren’t on Friday,” Guerra said. “Hopefully this will drive us and give us something to work towards for next season.”

The Leopards lose only one senior, returning a strong core to defend their conference title and go deeper into playoffs.

“I definitely think that these losses in regionals will give us more of an incentive to get back here next year and go even further,” Haaker said. “Only two of the girls had been to regionals before, so now that the rest of the girls have had a taste of it, they know what it feels like and want to come back to get it done next year.”

Although next season seems a long way off, the Leopards will start preparing this summer for next year’s goals.

“We can see how much we grew together in three months, and we want to keep playing together because it will just make us stronger for next year,” junior A.J. Taggart said. “Winning conference was great this season, but we have more goals to take care of next year.”

The team is looking into summer leagues so they can continue playing and working out together to keep some of the momentum that they accumulated this season.

“This was a transitional year for us, competing as a young team, but I felt good about the things that we accomplished and with the results of this season,” Guerra said.

“Overall we had a great season and the girls did wonders for this program,” Haaker said. “They were underestimated by a lot of people because of our small squad, and so the girls came out with a nothing-to-lose attitude that ended up proving a lot of people wrong.”