Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Softball team needed all 14-innings Saturday to hold off Chapman University in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play.
The Purple & Gold edged the Panthers 6-5 and 5-4 to move to 2-3, 2-2 SCIAC. Chapman on the other end remains winless at 0-6, 0-4 SCIAC.
Game 1 (W, 6-5)
Whittier struck for two runs early. Hayley Wishner (Chino, Calif.) doubled to left center in the bottom half of the 1st scoring Brianna MaGee (Torrance, Calif.) and Jannelle Ha (Arcadia, Calif.) plated Yolanda Oregel (Anaheim, Calif.) with a sacrifice fly in the 2nd, capitalizing on an error by the shortstop. CU got one back in the 3rd and then took a 3-2 lead in the top half of the 4th. But that would be the only lead they would hold as Hannah Angileri (San Jose, Calif.) would hammer a two-run blast in the bottom half of the frame giving WC a 4-3 advantage.
The very next inning, Brittany Attaway (Claremont, Calif.) went yard with a solo shot extending the advantage to two and would then add the crucial game-winner in the 6th with a base knock up the middle that scored Ha.
Chapman mounted a comeback in the 7th with two runs on four hits, but a lineout double play to Ha at shortstop ended the threat.
Senior Sam Casanas (La Habra, Calif.) got the start and went 3.1 innings giving up three runs (all unearned) with a strikeout but she did not pick up the win. Sophomore Amanda Melodia (Placentia, Calif.) came in relief and threw the final 3.1 innings giving up two runs on four hits to pick up her first win of the season.
Attaway was a perfect 3-for-3 with a run scored and two runs batted in. Wishner was 2-for-3 with an RBI and Angileri was 1-3 with a run scored and two RBI's.
Game 2 (W, 5-4)
In game two, Whittier was forced to play catch-up late creating fireworks. Chapman put up two runs in the first on two hits, while using a Poet error. WC got one back in the bottom half of the inning with Wishner doubling down the left field line scoring Attaway, who reached earlier with a walk. In the 2nd, the Panthers added to their lead with another two runs this time off the bat of Tong who doubled to center. But these would be the only runs brought across the rest of the game for CU as Whittier stormed back with two runs in the 4th and then in the 7th.
Jade Sanchez (Whittier, Calif.) and Megan Heal (San Jose, Calif.) came up clutch in the 4th with two doubles that made it a one run game. Then in the 7th, with their backs against the wall, the Poets fought back. Attaway led off the inning with a walk and then scored the game-tying run thanks to Wishner who doubled down the left field line. Freshman Sofia Paniagua (Glendora, Calif.) then pinch-ran at second for Wishner and moved up to third following a wild pitch before coming in on a two-out Sanchez single up the middle.
Alexis Vargas (Pomona, Calif.) started the game and went 5.0 innings giving up four runs (one earned) on five hits with three strikeouts. She gave way to Melodia who came in relief and threw the final 2.0 innings giving up just one hit, en route to picking up her second victory on the day.
Wishner led the offense in game two with a 3-for-4 effort with two RBI's. Sanchez was 3-for-4 scoring once and driving in two and Ha and Emily Facio (Chino, Calif.) were each 1-for-3 with a run scored.
Whittier returns to the diamond in March on the road against the University of Redlands on Saturday, March 2. Game times set for 12:00pm and 2:00pm.
