COLLEGE SOFTBALL / NCAA DIVISION III CHAMPIONSHIPS : No Records, but Chapman Reaches Final

Christy Guidorizzi didn’t break any strikeout records Saturday, but she did throw her second shutout in as many days, leading Chapman into today’s NCAA Division III championship game with a 2-0 victory over Central (Iowa) Saturday in Storm Lake, Iowa.

The final will be a rematch of Saturday’s game. Central advanced by eliminating defending champion Trenton (N.J.) State, 10-2, later Saturday.

Chapman (42-5) needs only one victory to win the championship. Central must defeat Chapman twice to win the title.

Guidorizzi, a freshman pitcher who struck out a Division III-record 20 batters Friday, had 12 Saturday. She gave up two hits and one walk in improving her record to 26-4.

Chapman took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when catcher Kathy Donovan led off with a single, took second on a sacrifice by Lacee Rashi and moved to third on a wild pitch. Donovan scored on a passed ball.

The Panthers added a second run in the fourth inning when Donovan doubled and scored on a single by Katie Shankle-Chriss.

Central threatened to score in the bottom of the fourth, putting runners on second and third with one out, but Guidorizzi got Shannon Merkle to pop up while attempting to bunt and then struck out Laura Hollingsworth to end the inning.

Donovan finished the game two for two with two runs scored.