Softball Roundup : Chapman Gets Perfect Game for Title

The Chapman College softball team won five games Saturday, including a 1-0 victory over three-time defending Division II national champion Cal State Northridge, to win the Early Bird Conference Tournament at Chico State.

Casey Tacason threw a perfect game against Northridge for the title, as the Panthers (10-4) scored the game’s only run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Lori Tschetter, who had the only two hits off the Matadors’ three-time All-America pitcher Kathy Slaton, singled in the seventh and was replaced by pinch-runner Alison Jackson.

Claudia Moose bunted back to the pitcher, but Slaton threw wildly to first baseman Kelly Wynn. Jackson headed for third on the error and when Wynn’s throw was dropped by the Northridge third baseman, Jackson scored.

Chapman beat Sacramento State, 3-2, in the semifinals and also defeated San Francisco State, 6-0; Cal State Hayward, 6-0; and Chico State, 5-2, earlier Saturday. Tacason threw a no-hitter and struck out seven against Hayward in the second game and combined with Diane Blankenship to no-hit Chico State in the third game.

Tschetter had two RBIs and Jeanette McArdle drove in the winning run with a single in the sixth inning against Chico State, and Tacason added a two-run home run in the seventh inning. Moose had two doubles and two RBIs against San Francisco State, and Karen Yamaguchi had a triple and an RBI against Hayward.

In Community College softball:

Fullerton 3, Rancho Santiago 2--Rosie Muckenthaler’s pinch-single in the 11th inning drove in Carla Williams to give the Hornets the win in the Bakersfield Tournament of Champions at the Empire Sports Complex.

The win propelled Fullerton to the final and put Rancho Santiago in the losers’ bracket.

But the Dons rebounded by defeating Sierra, 9-1. Winning pitcher Kim Martin (4-0) gave up her first run of the season, but still won easily. Kristi Kalehuahe went 2 for 4 with a triple, an RBI and two runs scored.

Rancho Santiago plays San Diego Mesa this morning, the winner will play Fullerton in the tournament final this afternoon.