Sophomore pitcher Linsey Buendia gave up seven hits and a run in a complete-game season debut. In the second game, senior catcher Jenni Bankus provided all the offense Chapman needed, singling in a run in the third, tripling and scoring on a wild pitch in the fifth, and singling in another run in the sixth. Freshman Tiffany Hoskins was solid in her first collegiate pitching performance, giving up just four hits and walking none. One of the most prolific home-run hitters in Division III history showed that she's more than just a free swinger in the first game of her senior season. Stephanie Carew came up in the fourth inning with Chrissy Lake on third, one out.
Most coaches go into each game with a specific goal, unspoken or otherwise.
Sometimes it's just a win, sometimes a win by a certain margin, and sometimes it's just to keep it close against a top opponent. Of course, sometimes the goal gets altered during the game. So, given the circumstances, it's hard to understand being disappointed in a 14-point loss. Because the Panthers played with such heart and determination that they were in position to steal a game few would have thought they had a chance to win. But they were plagued by turnovers in the early going, and the tenacious Panthers refused to concede the game based on size or talent alone.