ORANGE, Calif. – Jillian Kelly cruised and the Chapman University softball team opened up its series against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps with a 5-1 win on Friday. Kelly picked up her 11th win of the season and recorded her 100th strikeout of the season.

Kelly returned to dominant form in the circle. She struck out eight batters to surpass 100 for the season and allowed just three hits. A triple and single in the third brought home the only run in the only threat the Athenas posed in the series opener.

After a leadoff triple in the third, Kelly struck out the next two batters. A walk and a single cashed in the run. After the run-scoring single, Kelly did not allow another baserunner. She retired the final 13 batters she faced in a row while the Panthers added to their lead.

A squeeze bunt from Tracie Okumura and an RBI-single from Ilianna Serna brought in two runs for Chapman in the first. They answered CMS in the third when Allie Tajii scored on an error to go up 3-1. Julia Muniz doubled in a run in the sixth to make it 4-1. Mo Lynch added the fifth run with a sky-scraping RBI-double that missed being a pinch hit homer by inches.

The Panthers improved to 22-6 and reclaimed sole possession of first place at 10-3 after La Verne lost 10-0 to Redlands. The series move to Claremont, Calif. tomorrow for a noon doubleheader.

By Steven Olveda
Sports Information Director

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