Rauh tosses shutout, Chapman tops Redlands in home finale

ORANGE, Calif. – A stellar pitching performance by sophomore RHP Brian Rauh lifted the Chapman University baseball team to a 2-0 victory over visiting University of Redlands at Hart Park on Friday afternoon. The Panthers took the first of a crucial three-game series between the Nos. 2- (Redlands) and 3-ranked teams in the West Region with the series shifting to Redlands on Saturday for a season-ending doubleheader.

Both No. 14 Chapman (28-10) and No. 17 Redlands (28-10) are also currently ranked in the D3Baseball.com top-25 poll.

A pitcher's duel between two of the top arms in the West Region saw Chapman ace Rauh toss a six-hit shutout – the first of his career – while striking out eight Bulldogs and retiring 20 of the final 22 batters he faced. Rauh improved to 10-0 this season and 21-0 in his career. Meanwhile, Redlands ace RHP Derek Johnson (12-2) allowed five hits and two unearned runs to suffer just his second loss of the year.

The Panthers scratched across their runs in the second and eighth innings, both thanks to Bulldogs errors. After Chapman senior C Adam Kordich battled Johnson in a 16-pitch at-bat, he legged out an infield single and took second on a throwing error. Two batters later, sophomore OF Charlie Piro drove him in with an RBI groundout. Kordich went 2-for-3 with a double on 'Senior Day', Chapman's last home game of the season.

Chapman (28-10) rallied for its second run when freshman DH Adam Coggin doubled to lead off the eighth inning and scored on another errant throw – Redlands' third error of the game – to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead.

Rauh retired the side in order in the ninth for his fourth complete game of the year.

The win was Chapman's 20th consecutive home victory.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

Boxscore: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/bsb/2010-11/boxscores/20110506_10w9.xml