Chapman Continues to Impress

The Chapman softball team is ranked second in the nation, continuing its climb in the National Fastpitch Coaches Assn. poll.

The Panthers (27-6) are averaging nearly 6 1/2 runs and are hitting .354. First baseman Stephanie Carew is hitting .505 and has 10 home runs and 36 runs batted in, and Jessamine Maiben, a three-time All-American, is hitting .393 with two home runs and 26 RBIs.

Chapman, which has four games remaining, is ranked No. 1 in the NCAA Division III West Region and will play a doubleheader with second-ranked Claremont next Wednesday at Hart Park.

The Panthers finish the season at UC San Diego, May 2, and should have an NCAA at-large berth for the NCAA playoffs secured. The Panthers’ chances of hosting the NCAA West Regional will improve should they remain No. 1 in the region.

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Baseball: Chapman’s baseball team fell out of the top 30 in NCAA Division III, but should still have a good shot at a playoff spot.

Junior right-hander Jeff Blitstein beat Redlands last week, 4-1. Blitstein (9-3) is second in the nation in victories and has a 1.97 earned-run average, leading a staff with a 3.22 ERA.

Chapman (22-10) also is scoring in bunches, averaging 8.1 runs per game. Esteban Enriquez hit a grand slam to highlight a 23-3 victory over Occidental Monday. Freshman Aaron Rifkin leads the Panthers in hitting (.409), home runs (10), RBIs (43) and runs scored (41).

The Panthers postseason hopes could hinge on a two-game series with fifth-ranked Cal Lutheran (21-6). The teams play at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Hart Park and at Cal Lutheran Wednesday.

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Highs and lows: Concordia clinched a baseball playoff spot, its first since 1992, despite losing to Southern California College last Tuesday, 6-3.

Concordia’s softball team has not been as fortunate. Injuries have sidelined five players and forced the Eagles, who started with only 11 players on their roster, to forfeit or cancel their last six games.

Concordia canceled nonconference doubleheaders with Sonoma State (April 15) and San Diego (April 21). The Eagles forfeited two games to Point Loma Nazarene, and might have to forfeit a doubleheader Saturday with SCC.

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Missed opportunity: SCC, ranked eighth in the NAIA, dropped a doubleheader to 19th-ranked Azusa Pacific on Tuesday, squandering a chance to take a commanding lead in the GSAC.

SCC (29-9, 9-3) has a one-game lead over Azusa Pacific (29-10, 8-4) with six remaining. SCC will finish the season at Point Loma Nazarene (29-10, 8-4). SCC and Point Loma split a doubleheader this season.