Softball eliminated from SCIAC Tournament after pair of losses

REDLANDS, Calif. - The new kids on the block were bullied right out of the SCIAC Softball Tournament on Friday as Chapman University lost a pair of games to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges 3-0 and host and top-seeded University of Redlands 5-2 at the Field of Dreams in Redlands. The Panthers were eliminated from the conference postseason tournament. It was No. 3 seed Chapman's first berth in the tournament in its first year of eligibility.

Following the early exit from the SCIAC Tournament and the Panthers' eighth straight loss, their NCAA playoff fate now lies in the hands of the Division III selection committee. Chapman (24-16) is currently ranked No. 6 in the West Region and will find out if its season will be extended on Monday, May 6.

Game 1: Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 3, Chapman 0

The Athenas had Chapman's number all season, sweeping four games from the Panthers during the regular season and continued that into the postseason with the shutout win. In fact, Chapman didn't get a baserunner or hit the ball out of the infield until the fifth inning when senior 1B Stephanie Engle singled to left-center with one out.

An inning later the Panthers strung together three singles and loaded the bases with two outs off Claremont RHP Hayley Schultz, but couldn't force across a run.

Ranked No. 15 in Division III, Claremont (30-11) was also held scoreless until the fifth inning when it struck for two runs off Chapman sophomore RHP Cassie Oregel. The Athenas capitalized on a Panther error to score their first run which prolonged the inning for a second run to score with two outs.

Claremont added an unearned insurance run in the sixth inning, which was more than enough for Schultz who went the distance with a four-hit shutout to advance the Athenas into the winner's bracket of the double-elimination tournament.

Boxscore: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/sball/2012-13/boxscores/20130426_5n0d.xml

Game 2: Redlands 5, Chapman 2

The Panthers didn't expect to meet top-seeded Redlands in the loser's bracket on the first day, but the Bulldogs were there after a Friday morning loss to No. 4 seed La Verne.

Redlands (33-9) collected four hits and a pair of walks in the first three innings off Chapman freshman RHP Natalie Both, but the rookie escape artist got out of jams in all three situations, keeping the game scoreless heading into the Chapman half of the third.

Chapman broke up the scoreless game with a run in the third thanks to a long double by senior OF Jenny Richards that plated freshman IF Larissa Rinauro. That run snapped a streak of 23 1/3 consecutive innings without scoring a run off Redlands' senior RHP Kayla Uphold.

With Both on the ropes once again in the fourth with a pair of runners on, Division III's No. 8-ranked Bulldogs finally broke through with a clutch hit driving in a pair with two outs. Redlands added another run in the fifth and two in the sixth to build a 5-1 lead.

The Panthers attempt at a comeback in the seventh was thwarted after they loaded the bases with one out to bring the tying run to the plate thanks to consecutive singles from seniors Rhianna Stepler-Camp, Tatiana Mahshi and Richards. Senior IF Brittany Furlong was hit by a pitch to force in a run, but with two outs Engle hit a sinking line drive to center just within the reach of Bulldogs' OF Sarah Beeman to end the threat.

Boxscore: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/sball/2012-13/boxscores/20130426_7upg.xml

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

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