Panthers come up short at home against Vanguard

ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University softball team dropped a pair of games to cross-county rival Vanguard University on Thursday afternoon. The visiting Lions used an eight-run seventh inning to turn an otherwise close game into a 12-2 win in the first game, then rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Panthers 4-3 in Game 2. Chapman (14-14) has lost three straight for just the second time this season and five of its past six games.

Game 1: Vanguard 12, Chapman 2
A 4-2 Vanguard lead entering the seventh inning quickly got out of hand in the top half of the frame. The Lions struck for eight runs on ten hits and built a 12-2 cushion. In all, Vanguard knocked around Chapman’s pitching to the tune of 18 hits – a season-high for a Chapman opponent.

The Panthers managed to keep the game close through the first six innings, however. Trailing 3-0 in the second inning, Chapman loaded the bases and got a two-run single up the middle from senior RHP Vanessa Goncalves, helping her own cause and cutting the Vanguard lead to 3-2.

That was all the offense the Panthers could muster as they did not get a baserunner after the third inning and were held to just four hits in the game. Vanguard RHP Stacie Salazar tossed the complete-game four-hitter with six strikeouts.

Goncalves suffered the loss for Chapman, falling to 3-3 this season.

Game 2: Vanguard 4, Chapman 3
A two-out RBI triple by Vanguard leadoff batter Amanda Omahen snapped a 3-3 tie in the seventh inning and gave the Lions the winning differential to earn the doubleheader sweep. Vanguard (25-19) had rallied from a 3-1 deficit with two runs in the fifth to tie the game.

The Panthers got on the scoreboard first with two runs in the third thanks to a two-run single by senior IF Melanie Villarroel. Chapman then added a run in the fourth on an RBI single by sophomore OF C.C. Daly, giving the Panthers a 3-1 advantage. Villarroel went 2-for-3 with two RBI in the game. Daly also reached base twice.

Omahen finished 3-for-3 with a walk and run scored as Vanguard out-hit the Panthers (9-7) for the second straight game.

Sophomore C Michelle Pitts and senior IF Dani Brown each had a pair of hits in the doubleheader.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

Boxscores:
Game 1: http://chapmanathletics.com/sports/sball/2009-10/stats/vu-cu1.htm
Game 2: http://chapmanathletics.com/sports/sball/2009-10/stats/vu-cu2.htm