Softball swept by No. 3 Ithaca

ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University softball team fell 4-1 and 6-2 in a non-conference doubleheader against No. 3 Ithaca College. The Panthers saw their four-game winning streak come to an end with the first loss.

Game 1 – L, 4-1

The Panthers were held to just three singles in the first game. Junior Christine LoVerde  had an infield single and drove in the Panthers' run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning.

Junior Sarah Hartmann took the game one start in the circle and scattered nine hits over four innings. The Bombers put their first run on the board in the second and added another in the third – both on RBI-singles. Both RBI-singles ended up with inning-ending plays as Chapman alertly threw out runners trying to advance after the run scored.

In the fifth, Ithaca smack another RBI-single to make it 3-0. Junior Kyra Gallego drew a leadoff walk and senior Elizabeth Runge stood in front of an 0-2 changeup as it came inside and caught her leg. After a wild pitch move both runner up, LoVerde sent a fly ball to deep left field to easily score the Panthers' lon run.

Hartmann took the loss after giving up three runs through the four innings. Freshman Ayanna Sanchez tossed the final three frames, allowing just a run on two hits while also striking out a pair.

Game 2 – L, 6-2

The Bombers needed just seven hits to score six runs and the pitching once again kept Chapman's bats quiet to finish off the twinbill sweep. Freshman Mykala Tokunaga had two of Chapman's five hits, going 2-for-2 with a pair of singles.

Ithaca was on the board first with a run coming home on Hayley Anderson's double. Gallego tied the game up when her looper into short left kicked away from a diving outfielder for a double, scoring senior Hope Ballard.

Senior Emily Claudy worked a scoreless third before the Bombers put up two more runs in the fourth to retake the lead. She left briefly in the fifth inning but reentered to toss a total of six an a third innings, striking out four while giving up four  run on six hits.

Down 6-1, the Panthers rallied with two outs in the seventh. Runge cashed in a run after back-to-back infield singles with a sharp liner into left. Ithaca's Beth Fleming went the distance to get the win in the circle. She allowed both runs on five hits but struck out 11.

The Panthers are back at home on Tuesday against another top-10 team as No. 7 Berry visits for a 2 p.m. doubleheader.

By Steven Olveda
Sports Information Director

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