Panthers' bats finally cooled by Linfield

ORANGE, Calif. – The Panthers’ recent hot-hitting came to a screeching halt on Monday afternoon as the Chapman University softball team was shutout for the first time this season – on just four hits – by Linfield College (Ore.) 5-0 at the Sun West Tournament at Hart Park. Chapman’s offense exploded in its first game of the day with a 10-0 win over Williams College (Mass.).

Game 1: Chapman 10, Williams 0 (5 inn.)
Chapman matched its season-high with 13 hits in just four innings and cruised to the 'run-rule' victory. It was the Panthers’ sixth win in their past eight games and they raised their team batting average 45 points in that eight-game span from .257 to .303.

The Panthers scored five runs in the second inning to break the game wide open. Sophomore C Michelle Pitts drove in a pair with a single and three batters later sophomore IF Courtney James had a two-run single to make it 7-0. Senior IF Dani Brown blasted a two-run homer as part of a three-run fourth inning, sealing the victory for Chapman.

Pitts and sophomore OF C.C. Daly each went 3-for-3 for the Panthers. Meanwhile, Brown and James combined to go 4-for-6 with five RBI.

All of the offense did not overshadow a brilliant performance by senior RHP Vanessa Goncalves in the circle. The veteran right-hander tossed a complete-game one-hitter and faced just one batter over the minimum. After a first-inning single, Goncalves retired the final 13 batters in a row including three strikeouts and improved to 3-1 overall.

Game 2: Linfield 5, Chapman 0
A battle between familiar West Region foes was a pitchers’ duel until the sixth inning. Division III’s No. 11-ranked Linfield (14-4) snapped a scoreless tie with a solo home run by Emily Keagbine to leadoff the sixth. The Wildcats would score twice more in the inning and added a pair of insurance runs on a home run by Karleigh Prestianni in the seventh.

The Panthers’ offense was held in check with just four hits and only two runners reached second base. Linfield LHP Claire Valaski got the final 10 Chapman batters in order after a fourth-inning single by James. James had two of the Panthers’ four hits.

Freshman RHP Sarah Solis suffered the loss for Chapman (11-9), falling to 4-5 this season. The rookie had scattered six hits through the first five shutout innings before the Wildcats struck for five runs and five hits in the last two innings.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

Boxscores:
Game 1: http://chapmanathletics.com/sports/sball/2009-10/stats/wil-cu.htm
Game 2: http://chapmanathletics.com/sports/sball/2009-10/stats/lin-cu.htm