Redding, CA:

The Lady Oaks leave Redding winless, after Simpson completed the three-game series sweep on Tuesday.  Menlo lost the opening tilt 12-3, but showed some resiliency in the second affair before ultimately going down by a final of 6-5.  With the two defeats the Oaks' losing streak has now reached 11 as they remain winless in conference, now at 0-8.    

The afternoon had an ominous start to it after the Red Hawks raced out to a 5-0 1^st inning lead in the opener.  Simpson saw their first six hitters reach in the inning, behind three hits, two walks, and a Menlo error.  The big blow in the frame was a two-run double by Chelsea Dunn to plate Morgan Davis and Aleisha Brown, giving the Red Hawks their first two runs of the tilt. 

The Lady Oaks were able to get on the board in the top of the 3^rd inning, scoring an unearned run off starting pitcher Whitney McCain, but Simpson came right back with one in the bottom of the inning and two more in the 4^th to extend their lead to 9-1. 

Menlo batted in the top of the 5^th still hitless on the afternoon, but put a quick end to that with a single off the bat of Ululani Reyes and a two-run home run from Nicole Larson to cut the deficit to 9-3.  The round tripper was Larson's second of the year. 

In the bottom of the inning, Simpson put things on ice with a three-run game ending home run by Shaley Madruga, as the Red Hawks now led by more than the eight-run mercy rule. 

Menlo's Mikayela Viramontes went the distance in the circle, suffering the loss, while the aforementioned Whitney McCain earned the win with a complete game of her own. 

The Lady Oaks were able to bounce right back in the second game, jumping out to a 2-0 1^st inning lead.  Menlo scored the first run of the inning on a Red Hawks' defensive miscue and Stephanie Gilbert knocked in the second one with an RBI single to center, plating Nicole Larson.  Coming off of a home run in the first game, Larson put together an equally impressive showing in the second one with a 3-for-4 performance.    

Despite the fast start, the Oaks were unable to hold their advantage as Simpson struck for one in the bottom of the 1^st and four more in the 2^nd to take a 5-2 lead. 

It was evident that the back and forth affair was just getting started as Menlo quickly came back with one in the 3^rd and two in the 4^th to deadlock the score at 5-5.  A sacrifice fly by Rachel Hammack scored Larson for the Lady Oaks' run in the 3^rd, and a Simpson error that scored Ululani Reyes, followed by an RBI single from Jessica Soliai to plate Emmeline Wang, served as the equalizer in the 4^th. 

The game stayed knotted up at 5-5 until Simpson broke the tie in the bottom of the 6^th.  Chelsea Dunn doubled with one out and consecutive pass balls from Racehl Hammack brought the Sacramento native around home with the go-ahead and eventual winning run. 

Menlo did put together a rally in the 7^th inning, loading the bases with two out, but Hayley Rodriguez induced Soliai on a pop up to first to end the heated affair.  Rodriguez went the contest's final 2.1 innings to earn the win, while Tricia Davidson was saddled with the loss, going the distance for the Oaks. 

Menlo will look to put their first Cal Pac win on the board this weekend as the team travels up to Rocklin for a three-game weekend series at William Jessup.  A doubleheader for Friday, April 13^th is first on tap, with game one set to get underway at 2:00pm.