Eighth-inning rally keeps streaks in tact
ORANGE, Calif. – A three-run eighth inning by the Chapman University baseball team turned a one-run deficit into a 4-2 win over visiting Cal Lutheran University at Hart Park on Wednesday evening. The Panthers extended their home winning streak to 15 games and kept sophomore RHP Brian Rauh (7-0) unbeaten this season.
Not only was the Panthers' ace in line for his first career loss trailing 2-1 in the eighth, but the Kingsmen had Rauh on the ropes with the bases loaded and none out in the top of the inning. Rauh then induced a harmless comebacker to the mound for the first out, a strikeout and then a grounder to shortstop to get out of the jam.
The sophomore's escape act inspired the Chapman offense which had been held to just four hits in the first seven innings against Cal Lutheran starter RHP Peter Ciaramitaro.
Chapman sophomore OF James Parr led off the eighth with his fifth triple of the season – tying a Chapman record – and scored the game-tying run on an RBI single by freshman IF Mark Saatzer past the drawn-in infield. Senior C Adam Kordich then singled in Saatzer to give the Panthers the lead and freshman IF Troy Newman drew a bases loaded walk to give the Panthers some added insurance.
Rauh handled the rest, striking out the final two batters of the game with the tying runs aboard and improved to 18-0 in his career. The reigning Division III Pitcher of the Year scattered seven hits and allowed just one earned run while matching a season-high with 13 strikeouts.
Cal Lutheran (17-13) fell to 1-7 in its past eight games despite jumping out to 1-0 and 2-1 leads against Rauh. The Kingsmen scored an unearned run in the first and then took a 2-1 lead in the fourth on an RBI single by IF Nicholas DellaValle.
Chapman (21-5) scored its first run of the game in the second inning to tie the game at 1-1 on an RBI single up the middle by junior DH Steve Greenberg. Following Greenberg's single, Ciaramitaro retired 16 of the next 18 Chapman batters and allowed just one hit over that span until Parr's eighth inning triple knocked him from the game.
The No. 8-ranked Panthers ran their current winning streak to seven and have now won 20 of their past 21 games.
by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director
Boxscore: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/bsb/2010-11/boxscores/20110406_rkvq.xml