ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University softball team made the SCIAC standings a lot more interesting and improved its winning streak to eight games with a doubleheader sweep over visiting Cal Lutheran University on Tuesday afternoon at El Camino Real Park. The Panthers rallied for two runs in the sixth inning of Game 1 to win 4-3 and then 'run ruled' the second place Regals in Game 2, 8-0.

Chapman's eight-game winning streak is its longest since 2006; team that finished 28-10 and reached the NCAA West Regionals. The Panthers have had several seven-game streaks since, including three in the past two seasons.

Game 1: Chapman 4, Cal Lutheran 3

Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning, sophomore OF Natalie Both doubled just inside the left field foul pole to drive in the tying and go ahead runs with two outs and give Chapman (12-10 overall, 9-7 SCIAC) the come-from-behind victory. Both cashed in a walk and hit batter with the double to make the most of just four Panther hits in the game.

The comeback made a winner out of junior RHP Cassie Oregel who scattered 10 hits, but allowed just one earned run in a complete game effort. The Panther righty earned four strikeouts and improved to 7-4 this season with the win.

Chapman never led until Both's double, falling behind 2-0 in the first and then plating single runs in the bottom of the first and second innings to knot the score at 2-2. Junior IF Taylor Cartwright tripled in sophomore OF Amy Serven with the Panthers' first run of the game. Serven finished 2-for-3 and junior IF Lindsay Holt scored a pair of runs for Chapman.

Boxscore: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/sball/2013-14/boxscores/20140318_rf6i.xml

Game 2: Chapman 8, Cal Lutheran 0 (6 inn.)

For the second time in three games, the Panthers 'walked off' with a run-rule winner in the sixth inning. Cartwright drove home the game-winner with two outs on a base hit to center scoring junior OF Karina Muniz. Chapman built up a big lead early with three runs in the second and three more in the third. Muniz delivered the big hit, a two-run single in the second inning followed by an RBI single by sophomore IF Larissa Rinauro. Freshman OF Severina Worthington brought home two with a single in the third.

Even just the three-run lead must have felt insurmountable with Both in the circle for Chapman. The sophomore extended her scoreless inning streak to 26, tossing her fourth shutout and ninth complete game while striking out eight. She allowed just a leadoff single to Cal Lutheran (12-8 overall, 8-4 SCIAC) in the fourth inning and improved her record to 5-6 overall. She was also 2-for-3 at the plate with a pair of runs scored and an RBI.

Boxscore: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/sball/2013-14/boxscores/20140318_zyk3.xml

Chapman made up some ground in the SCIAC standings with the sweep, picking up a game on fourth-place Whittier as it appears to be a five-team race down the stretch. Cal Lutheran dropped into third place with the losses, just two games ahead of the Panthers in fifth place and a game ahead of Whittier. The Panthers will travel to the Tucson Invitational Games this weekend where they will play six games beginning on Friday, including a showdown with No. 4-ranked Central College (Iowa).

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

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