REDLANDS, Calif. – Showing why they are ranked 14th in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association NCAA Division III softball poll, the University of Redlands Bulldogs handed the visiting George Fox University Bruins a pair of defeats, 8-2 and 12-6, in non-conference softball action Wednesday here at Redlands' “Field of Dreams”.

Game 1 – Redlands 8, George Fox 2

The Bulldogs banged out 12 hits and used a trio of multi-run innings to pull away from the Bruins in the opener.  The home team took a 3-0 lead in the 3rd on an RBI single by Amanda Clark and a two-run safety by Sarah Beeman, but the Bruins got one back in the 4th when Kayla Anderson singled, stole second, and scored on a two-out singled through the right side.

Clark and Beeman were at it again for Redlands in the 5th, each producing run-scoring singles to boost the Bulldogs' lead to 5-1.  The Bruins answered in the 6th with a solo home run by Anderson, her third of the season, but the 'Dogs salted the game away with three in the home half.  Kayla Uphold singled in the first run, A.J. Carraso hit an RBI double, and Grace Rose capped the outburst with a run-scoring single.

Erin Hento (3-4) went the distance in the circle for the Bruins, surrendering 12 hits with two strikeouts and a walk.  Uphold (11-5) threw seven innings for the Bulldogs, allowing five hits with nine whiffs and no free passes.

Anderson and Kirk had two hits apiece for George Fox, while Clark and Uphold had three hits each for Redlands, with Rose, Beeman, and Carrasco getting two apiece.

Game 2 – Redlands 12, George Fox 6

It was George Fox taking the early lead in the second game, jumping ahead 4-0 before Redlands rallied behind a pair of six-run innings. 

The Bruins score twice in the 1st. Kirk singled with one away and was safe at second on a bad throw for a force attempt on Anderson's grounder to short.  Bethany Chriss was hit by a pitch to fill the bases, and Naomi Lee delivered a two-run single down the left-field line.  They made it 4-0 in the 3rd when Kirk singled and Anderson drilled her second home run of the day and fourth of the season. 

Redlands rallied with six runs in the bottom of the 3rd, collecting six hits but taking advantage of three George Fox errors in the inning that made five of the six unearned.  The big hit of the inning was a two-run single by Nikoli Sharp, and Linda Park also had an RBI single.

The Bruins bounced back to tie it with single runs in the 4th and 5th innings.  Rachel Sundquist singled up the middle, moved up on two ground outs, and scored on Kirk's single to left in the 4th, then tied it the next inning when Chriss walked, stole second, advanced to third on a double to center by Woods (having had to hold up to make sure the ball was not caught), and scored on a wild pitch.

The Bulldogs pulled away with six in the last of the 5th, however.  The first run scored on a passed ball, Park stroked an RBI single, Clark hit a bases-loaded triple, and Rose singled in the final run.

Sharp (5-0) got the win for the 'Dogs with five innings in relief of starter Kaitlyn Hooper, who had given up six hits and four runs in two inning despite striking out four with no walks. Sharp allowed seven hits with three strikeouts and three walks.  Rachel Fielder (3-4) suffered the setback for the Bruins, allowing all the Redlands runs (six earned) and 13 hits with one strikeout in 4.1 innings before Woods finished up the final 1.2 innings.

Kirk led the Bruins' 13-hit attack with a 4-for-4 game, while Sundquist had three hits and Woods two.  Redlands had 16 hits, with Park getting three and Clark, Rose, Sharp, Carrasco, and Vicki King two apiece.

The Bruins finished their southern California spring break trip 0-6 and are now 13-15 on the season.  The Bulldogs stretched their winning streak to four in a row and are now 19-7.

NEXT: George Fox returns to Northwest Conference play Friday with a doubleheader at 12:00 noon against Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore. ... Redlands hosts Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges for a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference twinbill Friday at 2:00 p.m.