Foisy swipes 100th stolen base in doubleheader split

ORANGE, Calif. – Senior Michaela Foisy reached the century mark for stolen bases as the Chapman University softball team split a doubleheader with Whittier, losing 5-0 and winning 8-5. Foisy has already far surpassed the previous school record and became the first Panther with 100 stolen bases in her 132nd career game.

She is just the second active Division III player to reach the 100-stolen base mark this year and ranks in the top-15 of active players in all divisions of the NCAA.

Game 1 – L, 5-0

The Poets scored three times in the first two innings to build an early lead that proved to be enough against a Chapman offense that was held scoreless. Whittier added two more insurance runs in the fourth to push the score 5-0, where it would stay for the rest of the game.

Sophomore Tracie Okumura led the way offensively for the Panthers going 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles. However, the rest of the lineup managed just a pair of singles against Whittier's Sam Casanas, who threw 5.2 scoreless innings. Foisy was 1-for-4 and stole second base.

Chapman junior, Mykala Tokunaga pitched well giving up three earned runs over four innings, but the three runs proved to be more than enough for the Poets. In relief, Sarah Hartmann threw three scoreless innings

Game 2 – W, 8-5

Foisy stole four bases, including a swipe of home, to lead the Panthers to the victory in the series finale. She went 3-for-4 with a triple but was on base all four times and scored four of the Panthers' first five runs.

Whittier was looking for the series sweep and scored in the top of the first. The lead didn't last long as Foisy tripled into the right field corner to start the bottom half of the inning and scored on ground ball off the ball of senior Christine LoVerde.

Down 3-1 in the third, Foisy led off with a seeing-eye single, stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice. She broke for home on a squeeze attempt but was caught in the middle when the bunt didn't go down. The Panthers' speedster drew a throw back to third and sprinted for home. Sliding in well ahead of the tag for her third stolen base of the afternoon.

The Poets put another run on the board in the fifth but Foisy reached on an error to lead off the bottom half and proceeded to steal second. LoVerde doubled into the gap in right center to bring Foisy home and later scored the game-tying run on junior Mykala Tokunaga's single into left.

Sophomore Jessica Kim started the game in the circle and kept the Panthers in the game, scattering 10 hits over five and two-thirds and limiting the Poets to four runs. When the Poets threatened in the sixth, the Panthers turned to sophomore Kelly McCarty. McCarty quickly ended the sixth with a pop up and survived the seventh after walking a pair and giving up on run on one hit.

With four stolen bases on the day, Foisy entered the sixth with 99 in her career. She beat out an infield single with score tied 4-4 to start the game-winning rally. She took off on a 2-2 pitch to LoVerde and beat the throw down to second for her 100th career stolen base.

A walk and hit by pitch loaded the bases for Tokunaga. A bouncer to third made for a play at the plate but Foisy beat the throw to give Chapman a 5-4 lead – its first lead of the series. The Panthers weren't done as senior Samantha Tong smacked a two-RBI single back up the middle an sophomore Allie Tajii scored on a double steal to make it 8-4.

Whittier scored a run and brought the tying run to the plate but McCarty slammed the door on the rally with a weak line drive to third to end the game.

The Panthers concluded their fourth SCIAC series and avoided the sweep with the win in the late game of the doubleheader. They head into a month of non-conference play, starting with a doubleheader against Rochester. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Wednesday but forecasted rain may cause changes to the day and time.

By Steven Olveda.
Sports Information Director

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