Panthers strike early in doubleheader sweep of Whittier
ORANGE, Calif.- A decisive run-rule victory in the second game highlighted the Chapman University softball team's doubleheader sweep of the Whittier Poets on Friday at El Camino Real Park. Each of the Panthers 12 total runs on the day came in the first four innings as they completed the season series sweep of the Poets to improve their conference record to 17-5 with six games remaining in the regular season.
Game 1: Chapman 3, Whittier 1
Centerfielder Jenny Richards scored all three Chapman runs despite not recording a hit as the Panthers took the first game by a score of 3-1.
Catcher Lisa Perez put the Panthers on the board first with a two out, bases loaded RBI-single scoring. The Poets responded with their only run of the contest, an RBI single off the bat of Courtney Grana in the top half of the second.
Chapman jumped right back out in front as a Brittany Furlong single drove in Richards to put the Panthers ahead 2-1. Chapman starter Cassie Oregel found her groove in the third inning as she went on to allow just three hits over the last five innings en route to her 10th complete game of the season, improving her record to 11-3.
Jojo Wakabayashi added an insurance run in the fourth, driving in Richards with an RBI double, her third extra base hit of the season.
Box score: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/sball/2012-13/boxscores/20130412_t5di.xml
Game 2: Chapman 9, Whittier 1
The Panthers offense broke out early in the second game, sending 12 players to the plate and scoring six times. Whittier starter Jessica Rosnack lasted just one-third of an inning as six different Panthers collected RBI, including run-producing singles from Richards, Rhianna Stepler-Camp and Amy Serven.
The Poets got on the board first as Alexandra Flores scored after being hit in the helmet by an errant throw from Perez. Left fielder Kerry Peterson came through with a diving catch to end the inning and set the table for the Panthers' offensive eruption in the bottom half of the inning.
Leading 6-1 in the second, the Panthers tacked on three more, highlighted by a two-run triple off the bat of Larissa Rinauro, bumping the Panthers' lead to 9-1.
Chapman starter Natalie Both was lifted from the game after three innings in which she allowed one run on three hits while walking three and striking out two. Reliever Katie Terry came in and faced the minimum six batter over the final two innings to secure the 9-1 run-rule victory.
Box score: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/sball/2012-13/boxscores/20130412_81db.xml
The Panthers will be back on the diamond Saturday for an important matchup with visiting Redlands. The two teams split a doubleheader on March 16 at Redlands.
by Ryan Cavinder
Sports Information Assistant
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