Calderon's Walk-off Homerun Leads Sagehen Comeback

Trailing 10-2 in the third inning, the Pomona-Pitzer softball team proved Saturday that they are not a team that will ever give up. In what turned out to be an epic three-hour game, the Sagehens took the Regals into extra innings and ultimately won 12-11 in the bottom of the ninth on a walk-off homerun by Christine Calderon (PO ’09).

The Regals put themselves on the board early taking advantage of Sagehen errors to score three runs in the first inning. Pomona-Pitzer however came within one run of tying the game in the second inning when Leanna Guillermo (PI ’09) doubled to score Arianna Roach (PI ’12) and Emily Aamodt (PO ’09). In the third inning, it looked like Cal Lutheran had put the game out of reach when they scored seven runs, forcing Pomona-Pitzer to make a pitching change and putting the Regals comfortably up 10-2. Pomona-Pitzer responded by putting four runs on the board in the third.

The Regals scored one run in the fifth inning, but thanks to a strong defense effort and stellar pitching from Melanie Gularte (PI ’10) that would be the Regals last run. The Sagehens scored twice more in the fifth and three more in the sixth inning to tie the game at 11. Neither team could pull ahead in the seventh and the game went to extra innings, where it would be Calderon’s turn to shine. With one out in the bottom of ninth Calderon hit a solo homerun to center field to win the game for the Sagehens, 12-11.

In the second game of the double header Cal Lutheran and Pomona-Pitzer once again battled, remaining evenly matched throughout the game. At the end of nine innings the Sagehens remained tied with the Regals, but the umpires were forced to call the game due to darkness. The Sagehens and the Regals will play out the conclusion of the game starting in the top of the tenth inning at Cal Lutheran on Saturday April 11 before the start of their next double header against the Regals.