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Morgan Lastinger stands on base.
Morgan Lastinger (Photo by Larry Newman)
Posted: May 11, 2023

Softball seeks second straight SCIAC championship

Video Recap Box Score

Pitching

Win: Katlyn Gandara (14-6)
Loss: Rose Malen (8-7)
Batting
Redlands
2B: Alexis Campos; Kalyn Kershner; Avery Duran
3B: none
HR: none
Chapman
2B: none
3B: Ella Milante
HR: none
Full stats

ORANGE, Calif. — Softball gears up for another trip to the SCIAC tournament, traveling to Claremont for a first round matchup against the Redlands Bulldogs, a rematch of last year's SCIAC championship game. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. Friday afternoon.

The Panthers return to the SCIAC tournament for the fourth consecutive season, not counting the 2020 season. And look to earn a bid to the NCAA tournament for the second straight year. 

Here are some things to know about the upcoming tournament.

The Field

1. CMS

2. Chapman

3. Redlands

4. Pomona-Pitzer

Photo Finish

At the start of last weekend's series, the Panthers were favorites to host, a game up from CMS, Redlands and Pomona-Pitzer. It looked even better when Chapman won the series opener with La Verne on Friday and CMS, who was the only team with a tiebreaker over the Panthers, lost to P-P.

The Panthers, however, dropped Saturday's doubleheader, and CMS swept the twin bill from the Sagehens. The teams ended with a 14-7 record on the season, but CMS's sweep of Chapman three weeks ago netted them the tiebreaker.

Redlands, also 14-7, loses the tiebreaker with the Panthers coming in third, and Pomona-Pitzer, just one game back at 13-8, is in fourth. 

For reference, last season a 13-8 record would have notched a two-seed. 

These evenly matched teams looked poised for a competitive weekend, with one AQ to the NCAA tournament available.

The Matchup

The Panthers will take on the Bulldogs for the fourth time this season. The two teams met in the beginning of April, and the Panthers took two-out-of-three. 

Chapman posted one of its strongest offensive showings, scoring nine runs in the opener, winning 9-5. In Redlands the next day they took game one 4-2 then lost on a walkoff in game three, 3-2. 

Rose Malen, a First Team All-SCIAC selection in her freshman campaign, will likely get the start and take on Katlyn Gandara, the SCIAC Pitcher of the Year. Malen posted a better ERA at 1.40 to Gandara's 1.75 and had 30 more strikeouts than Gandara in 32 fewer innings.

Chapman Softball Game Notes

  • The Panthers are hitting .272 as a team.

  • Their team ERA is 1.86. In SCIAC play, Simi Lauwers has an ERA sub-1 of 0.97 through 43 innings pitched, the best in the conference, and Rose Malen has a conference ERA of 1.12, second best.

  • Ilianna Serna leads the team in batting average at .346 in 104 at-bats and has only eight strikeouts.

  • Chapman swept its way through the SCIAC tournament last season, beating La Verne on a walkoff, then Pomona-Pitzer on another walkoff and Redlands in the championship. 

  • Miranda Murphy has the clutch gene notching two walk-off hits in her career, and a game winner in the top of the eighth in last year's tourney.

  • The Panthers are looking to make a second straight trip to the NCAA tournament. Last year they lost three straight to Texas Lutheran, who eventually made it to the world series.

  • Chapman's five All-SCIAC selections. Rose Malen, Ilianna Serna and Miranda Murphy (first team). Sam Kennedy and Simi Lauwers (second team)

  • Janet Lloyd is in her 29th season as the head coach of the Panthers. Her record at the school is 718-433 (.624).

 

By Joe Perrino

Assistant SID / Recreation Sports Manager

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