ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University softball team split with No. 5-ranked Linfield College on Tuesday afternoon breaking the Panthers four-game losing streak. The Panthers took game one 10-9, but fell to Linfield 3-2 in game two of the doubleheader at El Camino Real Park.

Game 1: Chapman 10, Linfield 9  

In game one the Panthers took an early lead posting six runs in the second inning to take the lead 6-0 and hold onto it through the fourth. After being held scoreless through four the Linfield bats got hot to score six runs and tie the game up 6-6 in the fifth. Chapman battled back to post a pair in the fifth, but the Wildcats countered with three in the sixth.  

Trailing 9-8 in the sixth, freshman Elizabeth Runge came up clutch with a sacrifice fly to score seniors Gabrielle Leveratto and Amy Serven and give Chapman back its lead and the 10-9 win. Runge finished the game 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI.

Chapman senior Natalie Both earned the win after tossing 6.1 innings for the Panthers, giving up just six hits while stringing together eight strikeouts.  

Game 2: Linfield 3, Chapman 2

In game two Linfield was the first on the board scoring on a triple to right center by Cheyenne Fletcher to edge the Panthers 1-0 in the first. The Wildcats tacked on a pair of runs in the third with a string of singles to pad their lead 3-0.

In the third, Serven singled on a surprise bunt and scored on a single up the middle by freshman Sydney Engelhardt to put the Panthers in reach of the Wildcat's 3-1 lead. Runge then singled to right field to score sophomore Kristen Weiser from second in the fifth to tighten the score 3-2 in the fifth.

The Panthers finished game two matching the Wildcats with seven hits. Junior Amber Perez finished the game 2-for-3. Perez also hit a home-run to left in game one of the doubleheader.

Chapman (3-5 overall, 0-4 SCIAC) will travel to Occidental Saturday, February 27 for a doubleheader beginning at noon.

by Raquel Rinauro
Sports Information Assistant

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