ORANGE, Calif. - After a season-opening whitewashing of Lake Erie, reality set in on the Wittenberg Tigers in the second game of the young 2005 season, an 8-3 loss to powerhouse Chapman, the host team of the Sunwest Tournament in Orange, Calif.

Still, the Tigers have to be encouraged by their showing against a warm-weather team with all the advantages this early in the 2005 season. Chapman improved to 13-3 overall, while the Tigers were seeing varsity action for the first day of the season. Remove a disastrous five-run Chapman third inning and the two teams played a very even game, one that went the distance.

Sophomore Grace Wigton started on the mound for the Tigers and she yielded four earned runs - of six overall - in 2.1 innings. Chapman collected eight hits off Wigton, who was replaced by freshman Taryn Hensel in the third inning. Hensel, in her first collegiate appearance, allowed two earned runs on six hits in 3.1 innings. Neither pitcher struck out a batter, but each only walked one.

Offensively, the Tigers were unable to capitalize on two Chapman errors, the same number of Wittenberg miscues. They collected eight hits, including two apiece from senior Norah Gillam, senior Ashley Lands and sophomore Erin Collinsworth. Both teams left 10 runners on base.