Ithaca hands Chapman another low-scoring defeat

ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University baseball team suffered another gut-wrenching defeat, a 3-2 pitcher's duel to visiting Ithaca College (N.Y.) at Hart Park on Saturday night. The Panthers have now lost four of their past five games and three in a row at home. The loss also snaps Chapman's nine-game winning streak against Ithaca dating back to 2004.

Just as on Saturday against Rutgers-Newark, Hart Park saw another pitcher's duel between Chapman and Ithaca (3-1) on Sunday night in the cool, thick air. Bombers' RHP Pat Lemmo scattered seven hits and allowed just one earned run to pick up his second win of the year, while striking out seven. RHP Tucker Healy retired Chapman in order in the ninth for his first save.

Chapman junior RHP Travis McGee (2-2) was the tough-luck loser, fanning 11 Bombers in seven innings of work and holding Ithaca to just four base hits.

With the game tied at 2-2 in the seventh, Ithaca SS Tim LoCastro drew a one-out walk and then went all the way to third on an errant pickoff throw. Bombers' OF Mike Rosenbaum followed with an RBI single to right-center, giving Ithaca the lead for good.

Chapman (7-9) never led, rallying from a 1-0 deficit in the second inning on an RBI double by sophomore OF Connor Battaglia. The Panthers again trailed by a run in the sixth inning when junior IF Tyler Surnbrock drove in senior DH Steve Greenberg with a one-out single, knotting the score at 2-2. Greenberg scored both of Chapman's runs in the game.

The same two teams will conclude the two-game series on Monday afternoon at Hart Park with a 3 p.m. first pitch.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

Boxscore: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/bsb/2011-12/boxscores/20120311_uyzf.xml

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