Chapman Advances With Ease

For the second game in a row, Chapman University’s softball team scored eight runs as the Panthers crushed Muskingum (Ohio) College, 8-1, in the second round of the NCAA Division III tournament.

In the first round Thursday, Chapman beat Cortland, 8-0, in a five-inning, mercy-rule game.

Chapman (37-7) is one of two remaining unbeaten teams in the double-elimination tournament, and that number will be down to one today, when the Panthers face Wisconsin Stevens Point.

Stevens Point (41-14) advanced with a 10-1 second-round win over Salisbury State of Maryland.

Chapman was led by center-fielder Jessamine Maiben, whose three hits brought her tournament batting average to .714 (five for seven). Amie Barnes and Jenni Bankus each had two hits for Chapman and first baseman Stephanie Carew hit her 13th home run of the season in the sixth inning.

Maiben, the team’s cleanup hitter, had an RBI single in the fifth inning after Muskingum intentionally walked Carew.

“That’s not the first time that’s happened,” Maiben said.

A three-time All-American, Maiben has come to the plate five times this season after Carew was intentionally walked. Four times, Maiben has produced a hit.

The Panthers manufactured five runs in the third, two of which were unearned. Chapman demonstrated some opportunistic baserunning, executing a suicide squeeze (Bankus bunting), and a double steal (Bankus and Barnes). The Muskies (37-13) never recovered.

“When you get a few runs, it allows you to play a bit with your offense,” Chapman Coach Janet Lloyd said.

“We made mental errors and physical errors,” Muskingum Coach Donna Newbury said. “For whatever reason, we didn’t seem ready to play.”

Chapman pitchers Catie Lacy and Linsey Buendia limited the Muskies to just two infield hits. Lacy, who pitched a shutout in Thursday’s opener, did not give up a hit in three innings Friday, but was not as sharp as she was the first day.

Lacy gave up four walks and hit a batter before Buendia relieved her.