Hartmann deals, softball splits doubleheader

ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University softball team split a doubleheader with visiting Hope International on Tuesday. The Panthers took the first game 7-6 but fell 5-1 in the nightcap.

Game 1 – W, 7-6

Senior Michaela Foisy went 4-for-4 with a double, triple and two singles to lead the Panthers (2-7) to the 7-6 win over the Royals (11-6). She was at the center of rallies in the third and the fourth that gave the Panthers the lead.

The back-and-forth game saw HIU take the first lead in the third but Chapman answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half. Foisy tripled in classmate Kyra Gallego and scored on senior Christine LoVerde's double.

A Panther error in the fourth helped things along in a three-run rally for HIU. The Royals regained the 4-2 lead after the big rally. Chapman answered back, scoring on four consecutive plays for a four-run fourth. With runners on first and second and two outs, sophomore Allie Tajii singled in a run. Foisy doubled in the game-tying run and Tajii scored a few pitches later on a wild pitch. With the lead in hand, an HIU error let Foisy cross home for a 6-4 lead.

Head coach Janet Lloyd employed a pitching tactic that saw senior Sarah Hartmann start the game in the circle but she switched positions with junior first baseman Mykala Tokunaga every time the lineup flipped over. Hartmann pitched into the third before the lineup flipped and Tokunaga came in to pitch while Hartmann went to first. They switched back with two outs in the fourth.

The two switched again to start the seventh but flipped back after Tokunaga gave up a leadoff hit with the two-run lead. Hartmann earned the win with five-plus strong innings. She scattered five hits and allowed just one of the HIU runs to score. Hartmann and Tokunaga combined with HIU's Olivia Candelas to not allow a single walk in the game. In fact, every batter put the ball in play until the final two of the game.

None of the three pitchers had a strikeout or walk going into the seventh. Hartmann changed that when she took over in the seventh and struck out the last two batters she faced to secure the win.

Hope International picked up a run in the fifth but LoVerde singled in Foisy in the sixth to push the lead back to two. HIU turned the leadoff single in the seventh to a run before Hartmann slammed the door.

Sophomore Julia Muniz also went 2-for-3 to join LoVerde and Foisy with multi-hit games.

Game 2 – L, 5-1

It wasn't until the seventh when the bats really got going for the Panthers in game two. Three of the Panthers' eight hits came in that inning and led to their only run – a hard single to left by Tajii plated senior Samantha Tong.

Hope International scored two in the first, one in the second and two more in the fourth, picking up all five runs and seven hits in the first four frames. With Chapman's pitchers struggling, Lloyd went back to Hartmann with two outs in the fourth.

Hartmann gave a flawless performance out of the bullpen, retiring the first seven batters she faced in order. The Royals managed to get just one base runner on against Hartmann due to an error in the infield. Three straight ground balls followed the error to retire the side.

The Panthers have a small gap in the schedule but will pick back up on Feb. 28 to take on Occidental and open another three-game SCIAC series.

By Steven Olveda
Sports Information Director

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