Chapman rallies to earn split with Denison

ORANGE, Calif. –  The Chapman University softball team split a doubleheader with Denison at home on Saturday at El Camino Real Park. The Panthers fell to Big Red 5-3 in game one, but rallied in game two with a 7-1 victory.

GAME 1: Denison 5, Panthers 3

In game one, Big Red scored five runs in the fourth inning and held Chapman to three through the last three innings in order to earn the victory. Denison's five run effort was sparked by Lauren Secaras who singled to center and would make her way around the bases following two walks and a Chapman error. Another error for Chapman and a hit by Lindsey Clemson lifted Big Red to the 5-0 lead.

Responding to Big Red's five run inning, Chapman took advantage of a Denison error to put the Panthers on the board 5-1. In the fifth, senior Amber Perez hit an RBI sacrifice fly to left to move the score to 5-2. With two outs in the sixth, sophomore Analisa Ruff doubled to deep left center to score junior Rhiannon Geving and tighten the score 5-3.

Sarah Harold tossed all seven innings for Big Red collecting five strikeouts to earn her first win of the 2017 softball season.

GAME 2: Chapman 7, Dennison 1

The tables turned in game two when freshman Michaela Foisy stole third and advanced home on a wild throw from the catcher to put the Panthers on the board in the first to take the lead 1-0. The Panthers then extended their lead to 7-0 when freshman Vanessa Gilles started a hit parade for Chapman in the fifth. The Panthers posted six runs off two hits, one walk and an error.

On the mound, sophomore Samantha Whalen pitched all seven for the Panthers, giving up just four hits and one run to earn her fifth win of the season.

Gillis finished the day 3-for-6 for the Panthers while Ruff and freshman Samantha Tong picked a pair of RBIs for Chapman.

Up next, the Panthers host Ithaca on Thursday, March 16 for a 3 p.m. non-conference doubleheader at El Camino Real Park. Chapman will return to conference play on Saturday, March 18 for a noon doubleheader against La Verne at home.

by Raquel Rinauro
Sports Information Assistant

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