FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TOP-SEEDED SOFTBALL MAKES EARLY EXIT AT REGIONALS

REDLANDS, Calif. – The Chapman University women’s softball team’s bid for a third consecutive regional title came to a early end when the Panthers were eliminated in three games at the NCAA Division III West Region championships hosted by the University of Redlands last weekend. The Panthers, seeded No. 1 in the tournament, narrowly escaped a two-and-out fate with a thrilling 4-3 win over Whitworth College (Wash.) in their last at-bat, in an elimination game on Friday. Chapman was knocked out of the tournament later in the day by eventual regional champion Linfield College (Ore.) 9-0.

Game 1: La Verne 4, Chapman 1 (8 inn.)
The Panthers got out to an early lead with a run in the first inning thanks to a pair of hits and a pair of hit batters, but after that the offense struggled against La Verne freshman Kelly Ince. Chapman clung to the 1-0 lead until the sixth inning when the Leopards pushed across a two-out unearned run off sophomore right-hander Jennifer Winford. The game went to extra-innings where La Verne belted a pair of home runs and sent the Panthers into the loser’s bracket with a 4-1 loss.

Seniors Katherine Searing, Kailee Roeser (double), Meredith Cipolla and Jill Jeranko each accounted for Chapman’s four base hits in the game. The last time the Panthers suffered an opening game loss in the regional playoffs was in 2003 to Cal Lutheran, also in extra-innings.

Game 2: Chapman 4, Whitworth 3
Down to their final strike of the season, the Panthers prolonged their ill fate for at least one game. Cipolla hit a two-out, two strike single up the middle to score the tying run in the seventh inning and Roeser followed with an RBI single to give Chapman a 4-3 come-from-behind win over Whitworth in an elimination game. It was a fitting conclusion to a game that went back and forth for seven innings.

Whitworth struck first with a solo home run in the first inning off junior right-hander Maggie Wilder. The Panthers rallied for single runs in the third and fourth innings to take the lead. Senior infielder Kim Sanders doubled in a run and freshman designated player Kathleen Ramseyer had an RBI single for Chapman. Wilder settled down to retire 13 of the next 15 batters she faced, but a leadoff walk and three singles put the Pirates back on top in the sixth inning, 3-2, setting up Chapman’s game-winning rally. Senior right-hander Marissa Becerra pitched the final three outs for the Panthers to earn her third save of the year. Wilder improved to 8-2 with the victory.

Freshman outfielder Erin Dudzinski was 3-for-4 with two runs in the win. Sanders and Roeser each had a pair of hits and an RBI for the Panthers.

Game 3: Linfield 9, Chapman 0
This game will end up being just a footnote for Linfield’s incredible romp through the loser’s bracket en route to its first West Region championship. After losing their first game, the Wildcats won six in a row in the loser’s bracket, including this six-inning ‘run-rule’ win over Chapman, which ended the Panthers’ run for a third straight trip to the Division III World Series. Linfield collected 14 hits, Chapman made three costly errors and was shutout on just six hits. Sanders had two hits, including a double, and freshman catcher Kandy Francis was 2-for-2.

Dudzinski, who finished the weekend 4-for-11 (.364) with a double, was named to the All-Tournament team.

Chapman, which reached the NCAA playoffs for the fourth straight year, finished the season 28-10 and will have a completely different look in 2007 with eight seniors graduating. Head coach Janet Lloyd fell two victories shy of 400 for her career and will enter next season with a 398-131 record.

###

Game and season stats available online:
http://www1.chapman.edu/athletics/05-06/softball/teamstat.htm
NEXT CU SOFTBALL GAME: