Chapman Takes the Hard Road in Softball

Chapman’s top-seeded softball team, which begins play at 10 a.m. today in Salem, Va., in the NCAA Division III World Series against Tufts, Mass., has lived on the edge all season.

“It seems like it takes awhile for us to get going,” Coach Janet Lloyd said. “We don’t like to do things the easy way and I don’t doubt that it will be any different this time either.”

The Panthers (36-9), who have finished second three times at the World Series since winning the national title in 1995, aren’t expected to have too much trouble today with Tufts (25-10), the lowest-seeded team in the eight-team, double-elimination tournament.

And that’s what scares Lloyd the most. The Panthers have played that way all season, waiting as long as possible before they take a challenge seriously. The Jumbos start three freshmen and four sophomores, but Tufts has won 17 of its last 18 games.

“I’d like to say we’re going to win four games in a row and make this easy on me, [but] they give me gray hairs,” she said. “It just seems like we don’t make the adjustments we need to make early in the game. It takes a run from the other team for us to say, ‘OK, let’s make those adjustments and get going.’ ”

Pitcher Linsey Buendia, who won both games against Pacific Lutheran, is day-to-day for the World Series after complaining of soreness in her pitching arm, according to Lloyd. Either Katie Smithson or Tiffany Hoskins will start today.

Chrissy Lake came up with the clutch hit last weekend, hitting a two-run single to to break a 1-1 tie in the 3-1 victory in the second game against Pacific Lutheran.

Other teams in the series are Alma, Mich. (39-6), Roanoke, Va. (42-3), Eau Claire, Wis. (27-4), College of New Jersey (35-7-1), St. Mary’s, Minn. (36-6) and Ithaca, N.Y. (32-10-1).

Chapman almost didn’t get this far. The host Panthers fought back through the losers’ bracket at last week’s regional to get to the finals, where they swept a doubleheader from Pacific Lutheran, Wash., which had defeated Chapman in two meetings during the season.

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Softball

* What: NCAA Division III Championships

* Where: Salem, Va.

* When: Today-Sunday (Monday if necessary)

* Today’s schedule: Game 1, 10 a.m.--Chapman (36-9) vs. Tufts, Mass. (15-10); Game 2, noon--Roanoke, Va. (42-3) vs. Alma, Mich. (39-6); Game 3, 2:30 p.m.--Wisconsin Eau Claire (27-14) vs. College of New Jersey (35-7-1); Game 4, 4:30 p.m.--Ithaca, N.Y. (32-10-1) vs. St. Mary’s, Minn. (36-6).

* Friday’s schedule: Game 5, 10 a.m.--Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser; Game 6, noon--Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 loser; Game 7, 2:30 p.m.--Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner; Game 8, 4:30 p.m.--Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.

* Saturday’s schedule: Game 9, 8 a.m.--Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 loser; Game 10, 10 a.m.--Game 8 loser vs. Game 5 winner; Game 11, 2:30 p.m.--Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner; Game 12, 4:30 p.m.--Game 10 winner vs. Game 9 winner.

* Sunday’s schedule: Game 13, 9 a.m.--Game 12 winner vs. Game 11 loser; Game 14, noon--Game 11 winner vs. Game 13 winner.

* Monday’s schedule: Game 15, 11 a.m.--if necessary.