REDLANDS, Calif. – A four-run third and a dominant effort from Anabell Hinojosa propelled the Chapman University softball team to a 6-1win in the SCIAC Tournament opener on Friday. The Panthers will face Redlands or Whittier in the winner's bracket game on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
Hinojosa held La Verne to just one unearned run on three hits while striking out three. She retired 10 batters in a row after La Verne scored the first run of the game and allowed just one baserunner after the second inning.
The Chapman offense took advantage of a couple of errors in the third to bring four runs home. The tying run came home on an error in the third and Sam Mather followed with the go-ahead single. With two outs, Brooke Wiegand delivered a two-RBI single to make it 4-1. Wiegand went 3-for-3 with the two RBIs and a run scored.
Shea Higa's sixth inning double brought two insurance runs home to complete to complete a standout day for the senior shortstop. She mad a couple of ket defensive plays up the middle and went 2-for-4 at the plate with a triple and a double.
The Panthers move into Saturday's winner bracket game at 1:30 p.m. A win send Chapman into the championship round for the sixth year in a row while a loss will put them in the elimination game immediately after.
