Softball stumbles in SCIAC Tournament opener

ORANGE, Calif. –The Chapman University softball team opened the SCIAC Postseason Tournament with a 10-4 loss to third-seeded Redlands on Friday. The Panthers take on the host, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, in an elimination game tomorrow at 10 a.m.

The Bulldogs scored 10 runs on 14 hits with the help of three Panther errors. Redlands also made three errors in the game while the Panthers scored four runs on six hits.

The teams traded runs in the first but Redlands pulled ahead with a pair of runs in the third and broke it open when Kassidy Long's single was misplayed and allowed all three runners aboard to come home.

Rose Malen allowed a season-high seven runs over 5.2 innings pitched before Izzy Epstein took over and allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits over the final 1,1 inning.

Ilianna Serna had half of the Panthers' hits, going 3-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. Morgan Lastinger and Ella Milante each drove in a run as well.

The Panthers now face top-seeded CMS, who swept Chapman just three weeks ago, at 10 a.m. on Saturday in the first elimination game of the tournament. A loss will end Chapman's season while a win will move them into the Saturday afternoon elimination game at 4 p.m.

By Steven Olveda
Sports Information Director