FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHAPMAN ‘SQUEEZES’ OUT FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN

ORANGE, Calif. –  The Chapman University softball team pushed home the game winning run on a suicide squeeze bunt in the bottom of the seventh to defeat visiting Thomas More College (Ky.) 3-2 on Wednesday afternoon at Hart Park. The win gave the Panthers their first five-game winning streak of the season, having beat Greensboro College (N.C.) 9-0 earlier in the day in Sun West Tournament action.

Game 1: Chapman 9, Greensboro 0
Senior RHP Jennifer Winford pitched her second straight shutout and fourth of the season, allowing just five hits in five innings of work. Winford (6-1) has allowed just one earned run in her last 28 2/3 innings pitched and lowered her team-leading ERA to 0.63.

Sophomore OF Vanessa Goncalves had a two-out, two-run double in the top of the first to cap a five-run inning for the Panthers, who never looked back. Sophomore IF SheaLynn Slover doubled in a pair of runs in the second inning and led Chapman with three RBI.

Junior OF Erin Dudzinski and senior IF Catherine Hall each reached base three times and scored a pair of runs.

Game 2: Chapman 3, Thomas More 2
Slover was the difference maker for Chapman (10-4), hitting a 215-foot solo home run in the third inning and then an 8-foot suicide squeeze bunt in the seventh to plate Hall with the game-winner. The Panthers’ rally was set up by Hall, who singled and stole second to leadoff the inning, then moved to third on a ground ball.

The Panthers made a winner out of sophomore RHP Katie Finley, who struck out a career-high 12 batters and allowed just one earned run for her fourth complete game of the season. Finley improved to 2-3 this season.

Sophomore IF Dani Brown led the Chapman offense going 3-for-3 with an RBI single in the second inning. Dudzinski and Winford each had two hits, including a double.

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Game stats available online:
/athletics/07-08/softball/cu-gre.htm
/athletics/07-08/softball/tho-cu.htm