ORANGE, Calif. — Chapman softball dropped a tough one, 7-2, to open the series against Cal Lutheran on Friday, April 26 at El Camino Real Park.

The game was tied through the first five innings, and the Panthers looked poised to breakout offensively, scoring two runs after the first three plate appearances. A Miranda Murphy single led off the game, and Grace Fosselman followed it up with an RBI triple. Ilianna Serna bunted her home shortly after.

That was all the Panthers would get, as Ashlyn Flinchum was stellar in the circle for the Regals.

Cal Lutheran's offense tied up the game in the third then took the lead in the sixth. With a 3-2 score in the seventh inning, Jillian Kelly – who replaced starting pitcher Simi Lauwers to get the final out in the sixth – surrendered a four-spot. 

Morgan Lastinger was the only other Panther to record a hit in the game. Lauwers finished with a line of 5.2 innings, three earned runs, and seven strikeouts.

The Panthers, now 20-11 and 11-5, travel to Thousand Oaks tomorrow in hopes to win the series.