Shaking off ‘cobwebs’: Softball sweeps doubleheader

Chapman softball won two out of three games over California Lutheran University in its first series in conference play of the season, including both games in Saturday’s doubleheader. Above, junior Tracie Okumura steps into the batter’s box at El Camino Real Park April 2.

There were “cobwebs,” Zela Chahbazian said, that Chapman’s softball team had to shake off. 

After a rough start to their 2021 season, the Panthers saw themselves with a record of 0-3 to begin their season. But while “disappointed” with the team’s most recent loss April 2, a 5-1 defeat at the hands of California Lutheran University, Chahbazian, a senior first baseman, knew the team had to “shake off” some offseason rust.

On April 3, their luck turned around. Behind effective pitching and strong offense, the Panthers swept a doubleheader by scores of 9-7 and 13-0 to finish out a three-game series against California Lutheran. 

“It felt pretty good,” Chahbazian said of finally earning the team’s first win. “Our mentality going into (the game) was to have passion and to work together as a team. It was a team effort. We would have loved to win all three games, but walking away with the series win feels just as good.”

The team was lifted by strong performances from freshman Simi Lauwers and junior Tracie Okumura, who both took home Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Player of the Week awards after the series. Lauwers also was named Chapman’s Athlete of the Week.

Lauwers began the season with a rough start against Vanguard University March 26, allowing seven runs over 2 ⅔ innings. However, in two games against California Lutheran, Lauwers allowed just three earned runs over 11 innings pitched.

She credits both her sister Rani — a catcher on the team — and her father for her turnaround. 

“(In) my first game, my mechanics weren’t super great,” Lauwers said. “(My dad) understands a lot about my mechanics. We would discuss things, and that was really helpful.” 

Additionally, with Rani starting behind the plate in all three games of the California Lutheran series, she said the connection with her sister gave her a boost. 

“She really understands how I pitch,” Lauwers said. “She called a great game.”

Chahbazian went 4-for-8 at the plate over the course of the series. Additionally, Okumura added six hits in 11 at-bats.

The Panthers will play nine more SCIAC games during the rest of the season — three against California Lutheran and six against the University of Redlands. Despite the team building positive momentum heading into the rest of the season, Chahbazian emphasized the importance of approaching each contest as a separate challenge. 

“We still need to execute and go about the season like we would any other,” Chahbazian said. “I don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. I just want to take it one game at a time, one team at a time, one series at a time. We’re going to go all in, and we’re going to do our best.”