Softball splits with WPI

ORANGE, Calif. – A 14-game win streak came to an end but the Chapman University softball team rebounded for a doubleheader split with visiting WPI o Saturday. The Panthers suffered a 5-2 loss in the first game – their first loss of the season – but salvaged the split with an 8-6 comeback win in game two.

Iliana Serna led the Panthers, going 5-for-6 in the doubleheader with three doubles.

Game 1 – L, 5-2

The Engineers went up in the top of the first and never relinquished the lead on the way to Chapman's first and only loss of the season. Chapman left five runners on base in the first two innings. Kelly McCarty had a solid 4.1 innings out of the bullpen, giving up just two runs on three hits with three strikeouts.

After scoring once in the first WPI added two more in the third when Sydney Russell scored on a sacrifice fly and Alicia Salvalzo doubled in another run. Chapman got both runs back with a one-out rally in the third.

Serna led off Chapman's half of the third with a double and scored on Allie Tajii's triple. Tajii scored on Okumura's sacrifice fly to left.

WPI responded with a run in the fourth and another insurance run in the sixth. The Panther hitters couldn't get going against Katie Martin, who scattered seven hits and struck out six, as they fell into the loss column for the first time.

Serna ended the game 3-for-3 with two doubles.

Game 2 – W, 8-6

Chapman rallied from behind twice to take the second game of the doubleheader and get back in the win column. Jillian Kelly tossed a complete game to improve to 9-0 on the season.

Serna, who also made multiple dazzling defensive plays, delivered the big hit in the fifth. With Chapman trailing 6-3, the Panthers put together an error-aided two-out rally to tie the game. With runners on the corners, the potential third out was dropped at second base to allow Tajii to score. Hayes followed by beating out an infield and pinch runner Summer Lake scored from second when the throw to first went up the line.

With the tying run on third, Serna laced a double into the left field corner, scoring the tying run. The Engineers used a perfect relay to cut down the go-ahead run at the plate and enter the sixth inning tied 6-6.

Despite allowing a two-out single, Kelly worked through a quick sixth to keep momentum on Chapman's side. An error and a single put two runners on with one out. WPI went to the bullpen but a wild pitch during Tajii's at bat and another with Bella Leach at the plate allowed two runs to come home.

A leadoff single brought the tying run to the plate for WPI but two pop ups and a strikeout ended the game.

Chapman fell behind 2-0 in the first but answered with three in the bottom half of the inning. WPI reclaimed the lead in the third and added to it with two more runs in the fifth.

By Steven Olveda
Sports Information Director

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