Seniors end with doubleheader split against Redlands in home finale

ORANGE, Calif. – In the final home games of the regular season, the Chapman University baseball team earned a doubleheader split against the University of Redlands on Saturday afternoon at Hart Park, winning game one 12-8 before losing the series finale 8-1.

Game 1: Chapman 12, Redlands 8

Less than 24 hours after scoring 28 runs against Redlands (29-11) – the most since scoring 24 against Occidental College last season – Chapman’s offense got going again by scoring three first-inning runs on a three-run homer by senior C Joe Lehman.

Chapman (30-9) starter Jordan Sigman kept the Bulldogs off of the scoreboard until the top of the fourth inning when they tied the game 3-3 with an RBI groundout from senior C Jefre Johnson and run-scoring singles by senior OF Michael Lessig and senior IF Zack Braband. Sigman pitched his second complete game of the year, allowing eight runs, but just three were earned with five strikeouts.

The Panthers answered back with six runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 9-3 lead, highlighted by a two-run double to left by senior IF Ryan Prechtl and a three-run single to left-center field by junior DH Adam Kordich. He finished the game 2-for-4 with four RBI. Bulldogs’ freshman starter Kyle Hart pitched five innings while allowing nine runs on 11 hits.

Down six, Redlands once again came back, scoring two runs in the fifth and three in sixth, narrowing Chapman’s lead to 9-8. Over the course of those two innings, the Panthers committed four fielding errors which accounted for three of the five runs being unearned.

Clinging to a 9-8 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, Chapman put the game out of reach with three runs off of Redlands’ senior reliever Jack Winters. With the bases loaded, Kordich walked making the score 10-9 followed by a two-run single from sophomore OF Chuck Piro giving the Panthers their final runs.

Game 2: Redlands 8, Chapman 1

Chapman’s offense which had scored 40 runs in the previous two games was shut down in the second game against Redlands’ ace Derek Johnson as he pitched a complete game. With the win, Johnson’s 12th of the year, he tied the Redlands single-season wins mark set in 2008. Johnson kept Chapman hitters off balance with a quick pace as he struck out six, walked one and faced just five batters over the minimum.

In the third inning, Redlands took a 2-0 lead off of Chapman freshman starter Travis McGee as he struggled with his control. After walking two batters, McGee gave up a two-run double down the right field line to junior OF Nate Carlson for the first runs of the game. With those two RBI, Carlson became the Redlands single-season RBI leader and now has 55 on the season, breaking the previous mark of 53 set back in 1998.

The lone Chapman run off of Johnson came in the bottom of the third when sophomore IF Tyler Hadzinsky singled up the middle bring home senior OF Ryan Hall who reached with a double. Hadzinsky went 10-for-15 with five RBI in the three-game series vs. Redlands boosting his batting average to .331.

Redlands then added a pair of runs in the fifth, eighth and ninth innings for the 8-1 win.

Before the game, seniors Matt Luzar, Matt Gomez, Lehman, Prechtl and Hall were recognized for their contributions to the Chapman baseball program over the last four seasons.

by Chris Watts
Sports Information Assistant

Boxscore Game 1: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/bsb/2009-10/stats/ur-cu1.htm

Boxscore Game 2: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/bsb/2009-10/stats/ur-cu2.htm