REDDING, Calif. - The Red Hawks softball squad dropped its doubleheader today against the University of British Columbia 2-0 and 13-5 to conclude its four-game home stand. 

A classic pitchers' duel took place in game one of the day between Simpson's Jacquelyn Lujan and UBC's Carleen Murray. Lujan and Murray battled it out in the circle as they each hung zeros for six straight innings, holding each other's offense in check. 

The Thunderbirds broke through in the top of the seventh inning as Kennedy Laird drilled a two-run blast to left field to give UBC the late lead. 

Murray earned the complete game shutout victory as she retired the Red Hawks in order in the bottom of the seventh inning to preserve the 2-0 victory. 

Lujan suffered the loss as she scattered six hits over 7.0 innings of work while allowing two runs. Murray picked up the win as she surrendered two hits while striking out 10 Red Hawks. 

Brianna Lopez-Cortez registered the lone extra base hit of the game for Simpson on a ringing double into centerfield. Laird provided the big swing of the game with a two-run home run as she went two-for-three on the game.

Game 2:

The script reversed in game two as both teams combined for 18 runs on 21 hits as the Thunderbirds ended the contest in run-rule fashion in the fifth inning. 

UBC broke through in the first inning with a five-spot as Marin Jorgenson had the big swing of the inning on a bases-clearing double into right field. 

The Thunderbirds offense kept rolling as they plated four runs in the second and third innings, as Mattea Burrill stroked a three-run blast that bounced off the top of the left center field fence, and Jillian Matsubara posted an RBI double. 

The Simpson offense chipped away as they plated three runs in the bottom of the second inning on RBI knocks by Olivia Bicondova, Kahiwa Ili, and Angela Taylor Ortiz. The Red Hawks added a pair of runs the following inning on a sacrifice fly by Mariah Rosales and an RBI single by Alyssa Valdez. 

The Thunderbirds turned to Murray to secure the mercy-rule victory as she tossed the final 1.2 innings to earn her second win of the day, as she kept the Red Hawks off the board to secure the 13-5 victory. 

Simpson's Katelyne Robinett took the loss as she allowed five runs over 1.0 inning of work before handing the ball to the Red Hawks bullpen. 

Brielle Donoghue, Tegan Harnett, Matsubara, and Laird led the UBC offense with two hit performances as Jorgenson, Matsubara, and Burrill each drove in three runs. 

Alyssa Blanco, Guzman, and Ili led the Simpson nine-hit performance with each posting two hits.  

The Red Hawks are back in action this week as they travel to Salem to begin a four-game series with Corban, beginning Thursday at 2 pm. 
 

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