Panthers get even in home debut

ORANGE, Calif. -  The Chapman University softball team didn't have a ton of hits, but when they came, they bunches and it was enough to sweep visiting Pomona-Pitzer Colleges in a home-opening doubleheader at Hart Park on Sunday afternoon. The Panthers used a three-run second inning to propel them to a 3-1 victory in Game 1 and came from behind with four runs in the fifth to win Game 2, 5-3.

Game 1: Chapman 3, Pomona-Pitzer 1

The Panthers plated three runs in the second inning and freshman RHP Lindsey Delamater made the lead standup. The rookie earned her first collegiate victory with a complete game, six-hitter. Junior IF SheaLynn Slover led off the second with a single and scored three batters later on an RBI single by junior IF Dani Brown. Two more runs came around on a two-out error off the bat of freshman OF Jojo Wakabayashi to give Chapman a 3-0 lead.

For Pomona-Pitzer, IF Brianna Marcantoni had an RBI double in the fourth for the only run. The Sagehens out-hit the Panthers 6-5 in the game.

Game 2: Chapman 5, Pomona-Pitzer 3

Trailing 3-1 with two outs in the fifth, Chapman (3-3) rallied for four runs to pull its record even at .500 for the season. Junior IF Erin DeRycke came to the plate with two runners on and doubled down the third-base line driving in both runs and tying the game at 3-3. DeRycke later scored on a wild pitch to give the Panthers the lead for good. After fouling off several pitches with two strikes, then working the count full, Brown then sent her first home run of the season over the fence in left-center to give Chapman a four-run inning.

The big inning made a winner out of junior RHP Katie Finley (2-1), who allowed just two hits in five innings, but walked six and struck out four. Junior RHP Ally Waffle pitched a pair of hitless innings in relief for her first career save.

Chapman again had just five hits and is hitting .162 in the first six games of the season. Slover led the Panthers, going 2-for-3 and driving in the first run of the game.