Redlands News | May 14, 2026
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Bulldogs sweep conference tournament at home and head to Iowa regional after dominant 38-win season
University of Redlands’ softball team continued its 2026 winning binge with a three-game sweep and championship of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament on Sunday (May 10).
The Lady Bulldogs, hosting the tournament on their campus “Field of Dreams,” watched the dream continue to unfold by beating Whittier 15-4, Chapman 8-0 and downing Whittier again, 11-2, to improve to 38-4 on the season (20-1 in the SCIAC).
It was Redlands’ fourth conference tournament title in seven years. All three games ended in the fifth inning under the NCAA’s eight-run mercy rule.
As a result, Redlands will head to Waverly, Iowa, to open play in the NCAA Division III regional, facing Dominican University of Illinois (29-16) at 10 a.m. Thursday (May 14). Wartburg College (31-10) meets Wesleyan University (28-13) in the other game Thursday.
Bulldogs senior Katlyn Gandara not only set a new program record for career wins by a pitcher (66), she was also voted the SCIAC’s athlete of the year for her dual role as Redlands’ top pitcher and hitter.
She is 18-1 in the circle this season and leads the Bulldogs in batting at .460 with 16 doubles, three homers, 51 runs batted in and a .535 on-base percentage.
Gandara was also the athlete of the year in softball for the second time (2024). She has been named conference pitcher of the year three times and is a four-time all-SCIAC first-team choice.
Coach Jose Ortega and his staff were selected the SCIAC coaching staff of the year.
Caitlynn Griffith, a freshman from Rancho Christian High School in Temecula, was voted SCIAC newcomer of the year.
She is unbeaten at 11-0 in 22 appearances (one start) covering 55 innings, allowing only seven earned runs with 55 strikeouts and just nine walks. Her earned run average is a microscopic 0.89. Opponents batted just .153 against her.
Other Bulldogs named to the 2026 all-SCIAC first team were:
Senior catcher Natalie Lowthers of Wrightwood and sophomore second baseman Avery Provenzano earned second-team all-SCIAC honors.
In Sunday’s title game victory over Whittier, the Bulldogs batted around in the fifth inning, scoring six runs to reach an 11-2 lead, and the Poets went quietly in their half of the inning against Griffith, who pitched 2.2 innings in relief of Briana Garcia with no hits and three strikeouts.
Gandara was 1-for-3 at the plate with a run-scoring sacrifice fly and three RBI.
Provenzano was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI.
Mya Holshoe, a Redlands High graduate, was 1-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI.
The two teams met in the tournament opener with Redlands opening up a 12-4 advantage after three innings.
Gandara was 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and three RBI.
Scott, Holshoe, Kim and Avery Duran each drove in two runs for Redlands.
Gandara pitched four innings, yielding four runs on six hits, but picked up her 18th win of the season.
Griffith and Briana Garcia combined on the five-hit shutout of Chapman in the semifinals.
Whittier then beat Chapman to reach the title game against Redlands.
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