Walk-off win highlights Panthers' softball split with No. 8 Linfield

ORANGE, Calif.- A memorable seventh inning rally by the Chapman University softball team led to a doubleheader split with perennial powerhouse No. 8 Linfield at El Camino Real Park on Friday. The Panthers' walk-off win in the first game snapped an eight-game losing streak versus the Wildcats.

Game 1: Chapman 3, Linfield 2

Freshman Amy Serven delivered the biggest hit of her young collegiate career, driving in Jenny Richards with a two-out, walk-off single to cap a thrilling comeback for the Panthers. Despite trailing the entire game, Chapman overcame a 2-0 lead for the important win over the Wildcats.

The Panthers' rally began an inning earlier when first baseman Stephanie Engle got to Linfield starter Karina Paavola, cutting the Wildcats' lead in half with an RBI-double. The next inning, Chapman was down to its final out when Richards clubbed an RBI-triple to left field that scored Karina Muniz and set up Serven's clutch hit.

Starting pitcher Cassie Oregel limited the Wildcats' high-powered offense to just two runs in a complete game effort, earning her ninth win on the season (9-2). After holding the Wildcats to just three hits over the first five innings, Oregel encountered trouble in the sixth inning. The sophomore put runners on first and third with no outs, but worked effectively and escaped the inning allowing just one run. Once her team put a run on the board, Oregel sat down the Wildcats in order to set the table for the comeback.

Box score: http://chapmanathletics.com/sports/sball/2012-13/boxscores/20130322_c1ot.xml

Game 2: Linfield 12, Chapman 1

The Wildcats put together two big innings en route to a six-inning, run-rule victory in the second game. Starting pitcher Natalie Both took just her second loss of the season, allowing a career-high eight earned runs in the effort.

The Wildcats broke the scoreless game wide open in the third inning off Both. Lisa Yamamoto and Erin Carson drove in two runs each as Linfield jumped out to a 5-0 lead.

The Panthers scored their sole run of the contest in the fourth inning on a Kyla Javier single that scored Engle. The RBI-single would be the last Chapman hit on the day as starting pitcher Shelby Vandebergh and reliever Montana McNealy shut down the Panthers over the final two innings.

Leading 5-1, Linfield put an exclamation point on its victory, posting a seven-run sixth inning highlighted by a triple off the bat of centerfielder Grace Middlestadt that scored three Wildcats. Both exited the game in the middle of the inning having given up 10 runs, eight earned, on nine hits in 5.1 innings.

Box score: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/sball/2012-13/boxscores/20130322_gcih.xml

The Panthers are back in action on Saturday as they travel to Claremont for a doubleheader against the No. 17 ranked Bulldogs. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.

by Ryan Cavinder
Sports Information Assistant

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