Triples help Chapman upset No. 2 Kean behind Rauh's complete game
ORANGE, Calif. – Days after the Chapman University baseball team dropped to No. 20 in the D3Baseball.com top-25 poll, the Panthers made their protest on the diamond. Chapman defeated No. 2-ranked Kean University (N.J.) 4-3 at Hart Park on Friday night for its 10th consecutive victory behind a complete-game effort from All-American sophomore RHP Brian Rauh.
Chapman (11-4) rallied from a 2-0 deficit with single runs in the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings to take a 4-2 lead into the ninth. The first two Kean batters reached base in the ninth off Rauh and the Cougars capitalized on a pair of Chapman errors to plate an unearned run and move the tying run to third base with two outs. However, the reigning Division III Pitcher of the Year got his eighth strikeout of the night to finish the game and give the Panthers the 4-3 upset win.
Rauh was not his sharpest, allowing a career-high five walks and scattering seven base hits – the biggest blow coming on a two-run double to Cougars' OF Ken Gregory in the third inning. However, Rauh was at his best when he needed it most stranding 13 Kean runners on base. The sophomore right-hander improved to 5-0 and remains undefeated at 16-0 in his career.
The Panthers big offensive highlights came via the triple. Trailing 2-1 in the sixth, sophomore OF Charlie Piro tripled to right-centerfield to drive home senior C Adam Kordich and even the score. An inning later, sophomore OF James Parr hit a three-bagger to center, bringing home pinch runner Eric Robbins with the go-ahead run and giving Chapman a 3-2 lead. The Panthers added a much-needed insurance run in the eighth thanks to two Kean errors and Rauh did the rest.
Parr went 3-for-3 with a single, double, triple, two RBI and reached base four times. Piro also had a pair of hits for Chapman.
Chapman owns a 9-5 series lead in this East-West rivalry of two of the top programs in Division III baseball over the past eight years.
by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director
Boxscore: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/bsb/2010-11/boxscores/20110311_vn88.xml