By: Ryan Lackey

WHITTIER, Ca. --- The Bruins split their doubleheader with Whittier on Monday afternoon. Abbie Bergerson went a strong four innings for the Bruins, but Whittier took the first game of Monday's doubleheader, 5-2, on the strength of three unearned runs. In the second, the Bruins left nothing to chance, blasting two homers and breaking out for an 8-1 victory in six innings.

Recap:

Game One
After yesterday's sweep, the Bruins were taken aback in the first inning on Monday, as Whittier's Marialena Ahern, batting with two outs, homered off of Bergerson. Playing from behind early on, the Bruins settled down well, and they drew even in the third. Like Ahern, the Bruins's Kimi Ito, with two outs and no one on, picked out a delivery from Samantha Blum and deposited it over the center field fence.

Ito's homer tied the game at 1-1, but Whitter posted three in the fourth after some slipshod defense. With one out, a walk and a single loaded the bases for Whittier's Cat Manalo, who singled. Then, an error by catcher Courtney Howard and a wild pitch from Bergerson allowed all three Whittier runners to score in something of a circus. Bergerson did well to retire the last two batters, but the Bruins were down, 4-1.

Whittier added another in the fifth on a solo homer from Megan Heal, and the Bruins fell further behind. Still, they seemed ready to stage a remarkable comeback in the seventh. With two outs and two on, Tia Uyehara reached on an error and Kassia Brown walked. With the bases loaded, Tawny Becker walked to force in one run. Now down 5-2 and with the bases still full, Kayla Anderson fouled out to end the game.

Game Two
After the early loss, the Bruins responded well in the nightcap. Alyssa Parra and Madison Sorensen split the pitching duties, each going three innings, and excelled, holding Whittier to one run. The Bruins were even more successful offensively. Courtney Howard recorded her first home run of the season in the second to begin the scoring, drilling a ball over the center field fence.

Whittier scored on a fielder's choice in the bottom of the second to level the score at 1-1, but the Bruins racked up four in the third. With Kat Hylton and Rebecca Pridmore on third and second, Kassia Brown sprung a single to left to score both. After Kayla Anderson's ringing single, Amanda Woods hit a shot into the gap, and her double scored Brown and Anderson.

Up 5-1, the Bruins tacked on two more in the fourth. Annie Veatch homered to start the inning, and then Anderson singled in Pridmore. Kat Hylton claimed an RBI, too, in the fifth, slapping a single to right to bring in Alex Parker.

The 8-1 lead was more than enough for Sorensen, who saw the game out for the Bruins.

Top Performers:

Game One
Bergerson went four innings and coughed up just one earned run, her single mistake to Ahern. Kimi Ito hit her first home run of the season and finished 1-2.

Game Two
Both pitchers were stellar for the Bruins, and each were duly rewarded: Parra took the win, and Sorensen claimed a save. Kayla Anderson finished 3-4 with a run and two RBI. Rebecca Pridmore was 2-2 with two runs, and Kassia Brown knocked in two and scored one as part of her 1-4 day. Amanda Woods logged two RBI.

What It Means:
The Bruins complete their truncated preseason run with a 3-1 record.

What Comes Next:
Next Saturday, the Bruins open their Northwest Conference schedule with a four-game weekend series at home against Linfield.