Softball drops pair of one-run games
ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University softball team faced its first SCIAC opponent of the season at home Saturday, falling in a pair of one-run game to La Verne, 3-2 and 10-9. The Panthers (1-3, 0-2 SCIAC) couldn't close the gap in the last inning against the visiting Leopards (7-3, 3-1 SCIAC) in two tightly contested ball games.
Game 1 - L, 3-2 (9 inns.)
The Leopards struck first in the second inning when left fielder Rachel Ogata doubled down the left field line sending Justice Borden home for the first run of the game. The Panthers offense stayed quiet as the Leopards scored again in the top of the seventh off a sacrifice bunt by second baseman Michelle Deguzman.
The Panthers scored when it counted in the bottom of the seventh after sophomore shortstop Michaela Foisy capitalized on an error by La Verne to score for the Panthers' first run of the ball game. This score fueled the team as they went on to score another run after junior pitcher Samantha Whalen knocked in an RBI single to tie up the game.
The Panthers then gave up a run in ninth and weren't able to counter it in the bottom of the inning, giving the La Verne Leopards a 3-2 victory in the first game of the doubleheader.
Whalen pitched the first seven innings of the game giving up only two runs while striking out four batters. She also went 1-for-3 at the plate with an RBI. Foisy and sophomore second baseman Sarah Sumida both went 2-for-4 with and each scored a run for the Panthers.
Game 2 – L, 10-9
Unlike the first, this game was filled with offense as the Panthers scored first in the bottom of the third after an error by Leopard's third baseman allowing the Panthers to take a 2-0 lead. The next at-bat was followed by an RBI single from junior right fielder Elizabeth Runge to give the Panthers their third run of the game. Runge finished the game going 2-for-4 with a run and a RBI.
After some big hits from Foisy and Sumida the Panthers took a 9-5 lead after capping off a five-run fifth inning. The Leopards then came from behind to rally in sixth scoring five runs to match the Panthers huge inning. Leopard Justice Borden doubled to left center scoring two runs to finish off La Verne's big inning giving the Leopards a 10-9 lead which ended up being the final score.
Foisy had another big game for the Panthers as she went 3-for-5 while knocking in two RBIs. Between both games she was 5-for-9 at the plate. After not appearing in the first game of the day, sophomore left fielder Nina Nooteboom went 2-for-4 and scored a run for Chapman.
After falling to 0-2 in the SCIAC, Chapman looks to redeem themselves next Saturday as they take on Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at home in a doubleheader at noon.