Fourth-seeded Whittier College came out on top over the University of La Verne in a back-and-forth affair to remain alive in the 2026 SCIAC Softball Tournament.
The Poets again jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead to open the game but the Leopards equalized in the bottom of the second and went ahead by one in the third. Whittier flipped the margin in the fourth and added on another in the fifth, but again the Leopards matched and pulled ahead with a three-run sixth inning. The Poets responded instantly with two runs in the seventh but could not close it out as La Verne scored to send it to extra innings, where Whittier got a two-RBI double from
Leah Vasquez and held on for the win.
Lana Escarcega went 4-for-4 with a walk from the seven-spot for the Poets while
Mia Gonzales notched three hits and
Kelly Nutter went 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs and two RBI.
Bella Peinado earned the win and came back in after being relieved to close out the game.
The Poets will await the non-winner of the middle game today between the University of Redlands and Chapman University.
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