ORANGE, CA. (APR. 10, 2024)- The Whittier College softball team hit the road Wednesday, to makeup 2 games delayed early in the year due to the rain. In this conference matchup, the Poets could not get their bats going and dropped both the games in the day. The first game ended in a 7-2 Chapman victory, while the second one's final would be 4-1 Panthers.
GAME 1:
The Poets got off to a good start in this game, with Emily Adkison (Laguna Niguel, Calif., Mater Dei) and Lindsey Perry (Corona, Calif., Santiago HS) beginning with back-to-back singles. However, Whittier could not score in this first inning. Chapman was not able to get anything going in the bottom of the first, but in the second they went on a run. The Panthers would score 4 runs in the second and were in control of this game.
Whittier got things going in the top of the third, thanks to a big double from Adkison. After the double, Kelly Nutter (Carlsbad, Calif., La Costa Canyon HS, Cal State San Marcos | Palomar College) drew a walk to put runners at first and second. Then Maya Palos (Monterey Park, Calif., Schurr HS) came up and laced a single to left field that brought Adkison in to score. Heaven Wolf (Montebello, Calif., Schurr HS) then stepped to the plate and did what she has been doing all season, coming up with a clutch single up the middle that brought the Poets second run into score. Whittier was back in this game, only trailing 4-2.
While the Panthers were able to keep their offense going, scoring 3 more runs through the remainder of the game. The Whittier bats could not get into rhythm and the final score of this game would be 7-2.
Adkison and Palos paced the lineup this first game, with both earning 2 hits including a double for each.
Game 2:
The second game did not prove to be much better for the Poets unfortunately. The team only managed 2 hits, but did score in the later part of the game to avoid the shutout.
In the second inning Marissa Flynn (Covina, Calif., South Hills) singled to center field for Whittier's first hit. Then in the fifth inning, Flynn was able to reach again on an error by the Panthers. Later in the inning, Adkison singled up the middle to bring home the Poets only run of the game. The final score of this game would be 4-1.
The Purple and Gold will look to turn the page quickly, as they have another SCIAC series coming up this weekend. The Poets will host the Cal Lutheran Regals on Friday at 3:00, before taking them on in a double-header Saturday in Thousand Oaks.
Follow and show support for your Whittier Poets on Twitter (@WCPoets), YouTube and Instagram (@PoetAthletics)!
