FULLERTON, CA – Menlo Softball showed a hard fight as they took on Hope International on the road for their final doubleheader of the weekend. Game one went to the Royals by a score of 1-3 with a Bella Cortez Oaks run. Game two was just as close but Hope International found a way to pull off a 1-2 victory. The Oaks will return to the bay area for some home field action next week! 

Game 1: Menlo 1 - 3 Hope International

It was a competitive matchup between the Oaks and the Royals with only 7 runs scored between the two teams across 14 innings. Each team was only able to earn 3 hits which meant fielding needed to be on point. Menlo took the lead in the 4th inning after Alexia Lozano singled to bring in Bella Cortez and advance Maya Bivens-Sommerville. The Royals would go-ahead in the 4th with a 3 RBI homer for their only scoring play of the day. Menlo never stopped pushing for more runs, but the Royals were able to contain the runners and pull off the win. 

Brianna Gonzalez started in the circle and went 3.1 innings pitched with 3 strikeouts. After giving up the home run, Shelby White pitched the remaining 2.2 innings and also earn a strikeout.      

Game 2 : Menlo 1 - 2 Hope International 

The pressure was high going into the second game of the doubleheader after a nail-biter in game one. Bella Cortez earned 2 of the Oaks 5 hits in game two, including the game-scoring RBI that scored Lara Edeker in the top of the 3rd. Lara and Aliya Lubrin each stole a base in an effort to get more on the board, however Hope International would not allow anymore runs across for Menlo. Shelby White continued her run in the circle and completed the game with 2 strikeouts, 2 walks, and 2 earned runs across 25 batters.     

Up Next…..

Softball will return to Wunderlich Field in Atherton to host the Arizona's on Friday and Saturday March 22-23. First a doubleheader against OUAZ on Friday at 11am followed by a Saturday faceoff with the Arizona Christian Firestorm on Saturday at 12pm!