REDLANDS, Calif. – The Chapman University softball team advanced to the SCIAC Tournament Championship Game for the fourth year in a row with a 9-0 win over Cal Lutheran. Earlier in the day, Chapman fell 6-3 to Redlands in the winner's bracket game.

GAME 1 – L, 6-5

Miranda Murphy was on base all three trips to the plate but Redlands used a four-run third to advance through the winner's bracket. The Bulldogs scored four in the third and two in the fifth to take the victory.

Brianna Garcia picked up the win in the circle but gave way to Katelyn Gandara in the seventh as the Panthers rallied. The Panthers loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh to chase Garcia. Ilianna Serna knocked in a run with a grounder to second as she beat out a double play attempt.

Jordan Westerfield also beat out a double play attempt to drive in another run before a pop up to right ended the game.

Four hits and an error led to the Bulldogs' four runs in the third. Two singles, a pair of stolen bases and another error plated two insurance runs in the fifth.
Westerfield and Grace Fosselman each had a pair of hits in the game.

GAME 2 – W, 9-0

The Panthers rebounded with another 9-0 victory over Cal Lutheran to advance to Sunday for the fourth year in a row. The offense wasted no time in rebounding for a slow start with three runs in each of the first three innings.

Rose Malen pitched her second shutout of the SCIAC Tournament, striking out a pair and surrendering just five singles. She allowed just one runner into scoring position after back-to-back singles in the fifth. Malen gloved a line drive and fired back to second to double off the runner at second to end the game.

Serna went 3-for-3 with three RBIs to lead the charge at the plate but it was Fosselman who opened the scoring with a two-RBI double in the first. After moving to fifth in the lineup, Fosselman made the move pay off when she hit Chapman's only extra base hit of the game to score two runs.

Mo Lynch followed with an RBI-single and the Panthers offense continued to pour it on over the first three innings. Westerfield had a pair of RBIs and a pair of hits.
As a team, the Panthers peppered the Cal Lutheran pitchers with 15 hits to plate the nine runs with only the one going for extra bases. Every Chapman starter reached first at least once.

The Panthers will face Redlands for the SCIAC Tourament Championship tomorrow. The first game begins at noon. The Panthers will need to win twice to win the title.