THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Three times letting three-run leads slip away, twice in the first game, the George Fox University Bruins  dropped a pair of one-run heartbreakers to the California Lutheran University Regals, 11-10 in 10 innings and 4-3, in non-conference women's softball Sunday afternoon here at Hutton Field.

After spotting the Regals three runs, two of them unearned, in the bottom of the first in the opening game, the Bruins tied it with three in the top of the third.  Bethany Chriss tripled to score Nicole Renteria, who had reached on an error, Shelby Briske doubled in Chriss, and Becka Doyle singled to plate Briske.

A three-run fifth put the Bruins on top.  Kayla Ward singled in Kerrianne Davidson, who had doubled, and Hilary Broadus delivered a two-out, two-run single to score Chriss and pinch-runner Felicia Chavez.  Cal Lutheran responded with three runs in the home half on an RBI single by Danika Green and a two-run double by Courtney Minton, but the Bruins regained the lead with a run in the top of the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Davidson to score Kris Trindle. 

A Lizzie Novak home run tied it for the Regals in the last of the sixth, and the game went into extra innings knotted 7-7.  George Fox broke loose with three in the eighth on a bases-loaded walk to Briske and a two-run single by Doyle, but they could not hold the lead as Cal Lutheran again tied it with another three-spot on a bases-clearing double by Green.

The Regals finally punched across the winning run in the last of the 10th as Geri Jensen singled in Kayla Sakamoto with the bases loaded.

The Bruins had 15 hits in the game, Ward and Broadus collecting three apiece while Trindle, Davidson, Chriss and Doyle had two each, with Doyle driving in three runs and Chriss scoring three times.  The Regals piled up 17 hits, led by Green, Minton and Jensen with three each.  Green drove in four runs, while Sakamoto and Novak scored three times each.

Erin Hento went the first six innings for the Bruins, spacing nine hits while allowing six runs, only two earned, with two strikeouts and a walk.  Allyssa DenDekker (0-3) took the loss, surrendering eight hits in 4.1 innings and five runs, three earned, while walking five. Allyson Salas (1-2) went the distance for the Regals, allowing six earned runs with five strikeouts and four walks.

Pitching held sway in the nightcap.  Taylor Whitmore (0-2) went 5.0 innings for the Bruins before Hento finished up, scattering six hits with four runs allowed while fanning three and walking one.  The winner was Katelyn Downing (1-0), who allowed nine hits and three runs with a strikeout and two walks.

George Fox scored all its runs in the third.  Chriss doubled in Trindle, who had reached on a force out, and Ward singled to score Davidson and Chriss.

Cal Lutheran got two back in the fifth on a two-run single by Novak, then went ahead in the sixth on a two-run single by Sara Litchtsinn.  The Bruins got the tying run to second in the seventh when Chriss singled and Ward was hit by a pitch, but Downing got Doyle on a liner to third for the final out.

Chriss had three hits and Davidson two for the Bruins, while the Regals had no multi-hit players.

NEXT: George Fox (1-5) plays its home opener Saturday against Eastern Oregon University, a twinbill starting at 12:00 noon ... California Lutheran (2-2) visits the University of La Verne Saturday for a noon doubleheader.