Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Softball team hammered five homeruns Friday afternoon lifting them to a sweep over Chapman University at Palmer Field.

Whittier has now won three of their last four and improve back to .500 at 17-17, 9-13 SCIAC and remain strong in the four spot in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) standings. 

Game 1 (W, 8-4)

Lisa Perez hit a solo shot to deep center that got the ball rolling in game one putting CU in front 1-0.  Sophomore Marialena Ahern (Fremont, Calif.) continues to add to her conference lead in homeruns in the bottom half of the frame though as she porched one to right center that put WC on top 2-1. 

Freshman Kacey Whitney (Cypress, Calif.) then added the Poets third run in the second doubling to right field that scored Lauren Gandi (Costa Mesa, Calif.).  This moved the score to 3-1 but it would be short-lived as the Panthers would battle back to add two themselves that leveled the game.

But Whitney wasn't done there as she came up in the bottom half of the fourth crushing one to straight away center that brought around three putting Whittier on top 6-3 and they didn't look back.

After a Sydney Engelhardt single that brought around Perez cutting the deficit to two, Whittier would add another two insurance runs in the fifth on a single by Megan Troutman (Covina, Calif.) and a sacrifice fly from Ally Fonseca (Pico Rivera, Calif.), which proved enough to send the Purple & Gold to the game one victory.

Samantha Blum (San Jose, Calif.) threw a complete game picking up her ninth win of the season giving up two runs on four hits, while striking out seven.

Whitney led the offense with a 2-3 effort with a run scored and four runs batted in.  Natalia Sanchez (Chino Hills, Calif.) was 2-4 and Troutman was 2-3 with a run scored and an RBI.           

Game 2 (W, 11-4)

It was all Whittier in game two as they got off to a hot start adding five runs in the first three innings.  Kaitlyn Garza (Chino, Calif.) joined the long ball club with a solo shot to center in the first inning.

Gandi doubled down the left field line and Whitney grounded out to the second baseman that plated another two in the second and Troutman and Gandi would combo with back-to-back singles in the third that brought around another two.

Chapman tried to keep the game close with four runs in the third an fourth innings that pulled them within one 5-4 but a big six inning where six runs came around would secure the lopsided victory for the Purple & Gold. 

The inning was sparked with five hits, which included back to back home runs from Ahern that plated three and freshman Sarah Crawford (San Diego, Calif.) that added a solo shot to dead center.

Rachel Alhanati (Lake Forest, Calif.) got the start but went 2.1 innings giving up three unearned runs on six hits but left with the no decision.  Blum came in relief and picked up the win going the final 4.2 giving up just one run on three hits as she improves to 10-7. 

Troutman was a perfect 3-3 on the day with two runs scored and an RBI.  Gandi followed that going 3-3 with a run scored and two runs batted in and Ahern, Crawford, and Sanchez each finished 2-4.

Garza was 2-5 with two runs scored and two RBI's and Whitney was limited to just 1-4 but managed to score and drive in a run.                  

Whittier travels to Claremont-M-S today, Saturday, April 23 for a doubleheader with game times set for 12:00pm and 2:00pm.