ORANGE, CA — The University of La Verne softball team traveled to Orange to finish a three-game series. The Leopards played the day prior against the Panthers suffering a loss at home. La Verne couldn't hold on in the final inning in game two and split the doubleheader Saturday afternoon.
Game One: Chapman 6, La Verne 2
La Verne fell into a 5-0 deficit at the top of the second inning after the Panthers rallied for four runs to take a comfortable lead. Sydney Diaz hit a single up the middle for the first hit by the Leopards in the third inning. Angelina Alderete drew a walk, putting runners on first and second base. The duo stole second and third then and Diaz capitalized off a Chapman throwing error and raced home.
The Panthers hit a home run in the fifth to stymie the Leopards' attempt at a comeback.
The Leopards rallied for four hits in the sixth. Freshman Aleiah Kupihea singled to centerfield to bring in graduate student Taylor Gray. But the Leopards left three runners stranded on base and could get no closer.
Game Two: La Verne 2, Chapman 1
La Verne took a two-run lead in the first and that was enough to earn a win in Saturday's opener.
Sophomore Cassandra Zapata hit a sacrifice fly to score Sydney Diaz and move Gray to third for an early 1-0 lead.
Gray took advantage of a passed ball and raced home to double the Leopards' lead
Chapman hit a single bringing in a run for a score in the third.
Eastvale native Jada Coria earned the win, pitching seven innings for the Leopards. Coria faced 28 batters giving up only five hits with one strikeout, and no walks.
Game Three: Chapman 7, La Verne 6
La Verne dominated the opening innings and took a 6-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth but couldn't hold off a late Panthers' comeback.
Taylor Gray added two hits, two RBIs, and a stolen base. She capped La Verne's second-inning rally with a single that brought in Mia Pintado and Alderete.
Cassandra Zapata finished with two RBIs.
Angelina Alderete went 3-3 at the plate with two runs, a stolen base, and a walk. With the bases juiced in the second, she singled in Marissa Acosta to put La Verne up 2-0.
After scoring once in the fourth, the Panthers rallied in the fifth, scoring four runs off five hits to cut La Verne's lead to one.
The Panthers loaded the bases in the seventh, tied the game on a sacrifice fly to left, and walked it off three batters later with an infield single.
Next Game
La Verne will host Whittier College, on Friday, May 3 at 5 p.m
