Softball splits with Whitworth
LA VERNE, Calif. – After splitting a doubleheader with Puget Sound yesterday, the Chapman University softball team played to another split with Whitworth today. The Panthers (2-2) fell 8-0 in the first game but broke out for a 10-3 win in game two.
Game 1 – L, 8-0 (5 innings)
The Panthers managed just two hits in a run-rule loss to start the Sunday matinee from the bats of freshman Vanessa Gilles and sophomore Elizabeth Runge. Junior Sarah Taketa took the loss in the circle, tossing three innings. Freshman Sarah Hartmann did not allow a run while throwing the final two innings.
Whitworth did all its damage in two innings, hanging up five runs in the second and four more in the fourth. Chapman aided the rallies with five errors in the game.
Game 2 – W, 10-3
Chapman's offense broke out and sophomore Samantha Whalen threw a complete game to keep the Panthers at .500 for the weekend. Gilles had two more hits and scored twice while freshman Sarah Sumida went 3-for-4 in the 10-3 win.
Freshmen Kyra Gallego and Heaven Wong also had two hits apiece to lead the Chapman offense. Six different Panthers drove in a run and the Panthers took advantage of four Pirate errors.
Whitworth opened the scoring with all three of their runs in the top of the fourth. Tessa Matthews triple drove in two runs and she scored on a single later in the inning. Wong's single in the bottom half of the inning brought in Chapman's first run of the day and broke open the floodgates for the fifth and sixth.
Three more runs scored in the fifth thanks to a Whitworth miscue and Runge's deep sacrifice fly that gave Chapman a 4-3 lead. The Panthers put up six in the sixth to pad the lead. The Panthers hit around in the inning, sending 10 batters to the plate.
Chapman smacked eight hits in the inning, including three doubles, to keep the basepaths busy. Whalen slammed the door in the seventh to close out the big win.
Chapman was displaced from its home field due to the recent rains and hopes to play its first true home game on Feb. 19 against George Fox. The Panthers will take on Pomona-Pitzer in their SCIAC-opener on Saturday on the road.