Extra bases, 13 hits help Panthers snap losing streak
ORANGE, Calif. – The weather was the only thing cold in the Panthers' dugout on Sunday evening as their bats showed signs of warming up. The Chapman University baseball team collected 13 hits, including six extra-base hits, while defeating visiting University of La Verne 6-4 at Hart Park.
The win snapped the Panthers' three-game losing streak and helped junior RHP Brian Rauh earn his first victory since Feb. 11.
The Chapman offense stepped up to support Rauh (3-1) who allowed just four hits and two earned runs in seven innings while striking out six. The Panthers' 13 hits marked their second-highest single game total of the season and six runs is the most at home since defeating Whittier 10-4 in the season-opener on Feb. 2.
Senior OF James Parr led the offensive charge for Chapman (8-10) going 3-for-4 with two RBI and was a home run shy of the cycle.
La Verne (13-7) jumped out on top in the first inning on an RBI single to right field from junior OF Cody Hazel to take a 1-0 lead.
Chapman junior 3B Tyler Surnbrock led off the bottom of the second with a single up the middle followed by double off the bat of sophomore OF Connor Battaglia. An infield single by Parr scored Surnbrock and sophomore SS Troy Newman brought home Battaglia with a single to put the Panthers up 2-1.
The Leopards scored once in the third inning to tie the game 2-2 and a two-run single in the fourth from 2B Zach Canfield gave them a 4-3 advantage going into the bottom of the fourth. Hazel had two of La Verne's four hits and drove in a pair.
The Panthers' battled back with two of their own in the fourth. Parr started the rally with a double to left center and scored on an RBI double by Newman. Senior 1B Steve Greenberg followed with the third double of the inning to drive in Newman and gave the Panthers a 5-4 advantage.
More extra-base hits in the fifth inning gave Chapman its sixth run as sophomore C Charlie James doubled and then scored on a line-drive triple to right by Parr.
The Panthers and Leopards will finish the three-game series on Monday with a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. at Hart Park.
Box Score: http://chapmanathletics.com/sports/bsb/2011-12/boxscores/20120318_usor.xml
by Jessica Mitchell & Doug Aiken
Sports Information Intern and Sports Information Director
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