Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
ORANGE, Calif. – The Whittier College Softball team took care of their first Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) series Saturday splitting with Chapman University 5-0 and 8-5.
The Purple & Gold carried momentum from Friday's 9-1 victory over the Panthers into the weekend taking their first conference series on the year. They improve to 6-8, 3-3 SCIAC and have now won three of their last four.
Game 1 (W, 5-0)
It was a defensive clinic for the Poets in Game 1 shutting down the Chapman bats, limiting them to just four hits. Brianna MaGee (Torrance, Calif.) brought in the first run of the game doubling to left center that plated Jannelle Ha (Arcadia, Calif.). Then in the 2nd, WC tacked on another two capitalizing on a CU error. After an Emily Facio (Chino, Calif.) single down the left field line Ashlei Sanchez (San Dimas, Calif.) reached on a throwing error by the shortstop that allowed the first run to come in. After that Ha made the Panthers pay with a double to right that moved the score to 3-0.
Then in the 4th, Whittier added insurance with another two runs coming on four hits. Facio and Sierra Rodriguez (Whittier, Calif.) went back to back with singles and would both later come in following base hits from Ha and MaGee.
This moved the score to 5-0, which proved enough as Sam Casanas (La Habra, Calif.) was too much to handle going 5.2 Innings giving up just three hits with a pair of strikeouts. She picked up the win improving to 2-1.
Facio finished 2-for-2 with a pair of runs. Ha was 2-for-3 with a run scored and two runs batted in and MaGee was 2-for-4 also driving in a pair.
Game 2 (L, 8-5)
Whittier got the scoring started in the 1st Inning of Game 2 as Hayley Wishner (Chino, Calif.) would drive in MaGee with a single up the middle. CU would tie things up in the bottom half as Foisy would add a triple before coming in on a LoVerde groundout. But again the Poets would go out in front this time in the 3rd as MaGee would triple to center followed by a pair of doubles from Yolanda Oregel (Anaheim, Calif.) and Sammy Corona (San Dimas, Calif.).
In the bottom half Foisy came up big again for the Panthers this time stealing home that got CU within one. The lead for the Poets stretched to 4-2 in the 5th again with MaGee tripling to left center and coming in on a CU miscue at shortstop. But this advantage wouldn't hold as Chapman would put up two in the bottom half of the 5th and then another four in the 6th that swung the momentum.
Trailing by four in the 7th the Poets mounted a final comeback. Wishner started things off with a triple down the right field line. Hannah Angileri (San Jose, Calif.) followed with a walk and Facio would reach on a fielder's choice. Then due to a wild pitch Angileri would score that cut the lead down to three, but that's all WC could get as CU would hold on for the victory.
Amanda Melodia (Placentia, Calif.) got the start and went 4.1 Innings giving up four runs on six hits. She left with the no decision. Her relief was Riley Garcia (Fullerton, Calif.) who went the final 1.2 Innings picking up the loss after giving up four runs on three hits.
MaGee was perfect at 3-for-3 with three runs scored and a walk. Wishner was 3-for-4 with an RBI and Oregel was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI's.
Whittier returns to their non-conference schedule this Friday, March 13 when they host WPI for a doubleheader. Game times set for 1:00pm and 3:00pm.
