Chapman Wins; Cancilla Streak Ends

Chapman’s Lisa Cancilla shrugged and smiled after she went hitless against Hope (Mich.) College, ending her NCAA Division III record 32-game hitting streak.

“Oh no, I don’t have any disappointments,” Cancilla said, after Chapman’s 1-0 victory Friday night in the Central Region semifinal at Hope. “We won and that’s the only thing I care about.”

The defending national champion Panthers (36-7) advanced to today’s regional championship. Hope (21-15) will play Calvin (Mich.) College (29-7) today in the losers’ bracket championship in the double-elimination tournament.

“We hit the ball against Hope, but we didn’t have many base hits,” Chapman co-Coach Janet Lloyd said. “We hit the ball right at them.”

Chapman manufactured a run when Jessamine Maiben opened the sixth inning with a double, went to third on Lacee Rashi’s sacrifice bunt and scored on a wild pitch by freshman Lisa Larzelere.

“It’s just a shame that a wild pitch was how they scored,” Hope Coach Karla Wolters said. “I thought we played real tough defense. We are confident we can beat Chapman.”

Chapman pitcher Christy Guidorizzi (23-3) struck out 10 and gave up only one hit. “It was just a normal game for Christy,” Lloyd said.

Wolters said Guidorizzi is the best pitcher that Hope has faced all season. In their first game of the tournament earlier Friday, the Panthers beat Illinois Wesleyan, 3-0. Maiben (12-3) gave up eight hits and earned the victory.

The regional champion will advance to next week’s national championship tournament in Salem, Va.