No. 1 baseball opens SCIAC with 4-2 win over La Verne

ORANGE, Calif. – Junior Nick Garcia threw six dominant innings and the Chapman University baseball team stayed undefeated with a 4-2 win over La Verne. The No. 1-ranked Panthers (8-0) are off to their longest season-opening winning streak since 1999.

Garcia was dominant through six. He allowed just two hits and walked one while striking out five. He retired the fist 11 batters he faced before giving up a double into the left field corner in the fourth. A lead off chopper down the third base line in the fifth was perfectly place for an infield hit but that was all the Leopards' bats could muster.

The Panthers struck for three runs in the sixth to supports Garcia's gem. After an infield single and a double from junior Henry Zeisler to start the inning, junior Kyle Joye followed with a sacrifice fly and senior Aaron Wong doubled in another run.

Sophomore Brad Shimabuku's grounder up the middle was knocked down as it tried to escape the infield but Wong hustled around third and scored as the diving infielder collected the ball. Shimabuku also hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning to make it a 4-0 lead.

The Leopards picked up a pair of runs in the seventh and threatened in the eighth but couldn't push any across. Senior Mitchell Briggs came in to toss the ninth and struck out two to secure his first save of the season.

The series moves to La Verne on Saturday for a doubleheader. The Panthers return home on Feb. 29 to host Cal Lutheran in a SCIAC series-concluding doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m.

By Steven Olveda
Sports Information Director

Become a fan of Chapman Athletics on Facebook
Follow Chapman Athletics on Twitter @ChapmanSports
Post your #PantherPic to Instagram @ChapmanSports