ORANGE, Calif. – A near no-hitter extended the win streak to 11 games but it snapped in the nightcap as the Chapman University softball team split a doubleheaders with Pacific Lutheran, winning 6-1 and falling 5-2. Rose Malen nearly threw were second no-hitter of the week.
Game 1 – W, 6-1
Malen threw a five inning no-hitter on Monday and tossed six no-hit innings to start off Sunday's doubleheader. The Panthers scored twice in the first, twice in the fourth and twice in the sixth to open up a 6-0 lead.
Malen shut down the Lutes through six innings. She walked a pair and struck out just one but needed just 80 pitches to capture the win in the circle and run Chapman's winning streak to 11 games. She was helped along by a diving grab from Milal Fukuda in the fifth as she ranged into all the way into foul territory to make the highlight play.
She improved to 9-2 with the win while maintaining a 0.73 ERA as the Panthers near the halfway point of the season.
Zoe Smithson broke up the no-no in the top of the seventh with a leadoff home run to right.
The hits from Mia Reyes at the top of the lineup led the Panthers offensively. She knocked in one RBI for the Panthers' final run. Kloe Lobato and Emily Tome each drew bases loaded walks in the first to open the scoring. Jordyn Balingit knocked in a run and scored on a wild pitch.
Game 2 – L, 5-2
The Panthers' lengthy winning streak was snapped and Anabell Hinojosa suffered her first loss in the circle as the Lutes jumped on top early and rode a dominant pitching performance to the win.
Maiya Anderson struck out 13 for PLU and limited the Panthers to just a pair of runs. After the first 10 batters went down in order for the Panthers, a comebacker from Shea Higa deflected off Anderson's outstretched glove for an infield single. Four of the next five Chapman hitters singled as Ava Fagin and Tome each singled in a run.
The Panthers also rallied in the fifth with two outs but left both aboard.
Hinojosa settled in after two tough innings to start the game. PLU knocked in five runs on six hits to build the early lead. She allowed just two more hits over her final three innings as she settled in before giving way to Cameron Burroughs. Burroughs tossed two perfect innings in relief to keep Chapman in the game.
The Panthers head to Redlands on Tuesday for a non-conference matchup between two ranked SCIAC teams. They return home on Friday to face Oneonta in a Friday doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.
