Early offense keys both teams in softball split with Berry

ORANGE, Calif. – Strong starts by each club powered the Chapman University and Berry College (Ga.) softball teams to a doubleheader split at El Camino Real Park on Saturday afternoon in non-conference play. The host Panthers used a five-run third inning to win the first game 6-0, while the Vikings scored four first inning runs in the second game to win 7-2.

Game 1: Chapman 6, Berry 0

Behind seven innings of six-hit, shutout pitching from sophomore RHP Cassie Oregel, the Panthers cruised to a 6-0 win. Oregel (4-1) allowed just one walk while striking out three batters en route to her first shutout of the season.

Chapman got on the board right away with a run in the bottom of the first on an RBI single from senior IF Brittany Furlong, which plated senior OF Jenny Richards for a 1-0 lead.

The Panthers then exploded for five runs in the third inning with the big blow coming from senior IF Kyla Javier who drove in three runs on a bases-loaded triple to centerfield to give the Panthers the 5-0 advantage. Senior IF Rhianna Stepler- Camp followed with a double, bringing in Javier for the sixth and final run.

Chapman collected nine hits in the game with all nine starters in the lineup earning a hit apiece.

Boxscore: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/sball/2012-13/boxscores/20130302_fz6z.xml

Game 2: Berry 7, Chapman 2

In Game 2, it was the Vikings who jumped out to a big lead and held on, striking for four runs before Chapman could get the second out of the first inning. Berry (7-3) scored four runs on four hits and sent 10 batters to the plate in the frame, chasing Chapman senior RHP Katie Terry (1-1) from the circle without getting out of the inning.

Trailing 5-0, Chapman (9-2) scored its only two runs of the game in the fourth inning on a two-run single to left by Richards who finished the game 2-for-4. Senior OF Kerry Peterson also had two hits including a double and scored a run.

Berry tacked on two more runs in the sixth inning against Panther RHP Natalie Both to seal the win. Both allowed just six hits and three runs in 6.2 relief innings while striking out nine.

Boxscore: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/sball/2012-13/boxscores/20130302_cm5p.xml

by Doug Aiken & Jordan Esparza
Sports Information Director & Sports Information Intern

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