Wildcats outlast Chapman to split doubleheader and series
ORANGE, Calif. – A two-run home run by Wildcats' OF Kramer Lindell in the top of the 13th inning gave visiting Linfield College (Ore.) a 4-2 win over Chapman University, earning a doubleheader split on Sunday at Hart Park. The Panthers had captured the first game on Sunday 6-1 behind an outstanding pitching performance by junior RHP Kevin Osaki and the two teams split the four-game weekend series in Orange.
Game 1: Chapman 6, Linfield 1
Osaki tossed a complete-game eight-hitter, while striking out a career-high 12 batters to lead Chapman (13-19) past the No. 19 ranked Wildcats. Osaki (2-1) became the third Panthers' pitcher in the series to throw a complete game, walking just one batter. The lone blemish against the junior was a solo homer by Lindell in the sixth inning which, at the time, tied the game at 1-1.
The Panthers struck for three runs in the seventh despite getting just one hit out of the infield. Infield singles by sophomores Mark Saatzer and Connor Battaglia set up an RBI fielder's choice by junior IF Tyler Surnbrock to put Chapman up 2-1. Senior DH Steve Greenberg then drove in a run with a bases loaded single to center and sophomore IF Adam Coggan dropped a perfect suicide squeeze bunt to give the Panthers and Osaki a three-run cushion.
In the eighth, Chapman sent eight more batters to the plate and added two runs, thanks to RBIs from Saatzer and Greenberg. Saatzer finished the game 3-for-5 with a pair of runs batted in.
Boxscore: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/bsb/2011-12/boxscores/20120415_r8pq.xml
Game 2: Linfield 4, Chapman 2 (13 inn.)
Not only did Lindell come up with his second homer of the day to win the game in the 13th, but his diving catch in right field in the bottom of the 12th with two outs and the Panthers' winning run on third saved the game for Linfield (21-10).
Lindell's was not the only defensive gem in a pitcher's duel that saw eight scoreless innings from both sides between the fifth and 12 innings. For Chapman, Battaglia had three outfield assists in center, including throwing two runners out at the plate – one in the top of the 10th to preserve a 2-2 tie.
Chapman rallied from a run down in both the third and fourth innings to tie the score each time. First, Saatzer delivered an RBI single in the third, scoring junior OF James Parr who had doubled. Coggan then doubled in Surnbrock in the fourth inning to even the score at 2-2.
From there the two teams were scoreless into the 13th inning until Lindell came up with the two-run blast to put the Wildcats up for good. Chapman's best chance to win it came in the 12th when Greenberg hit a one-out triple, but was stranded at third on Lindell's diving catch on a fly ball off the bat of Parr.
Both starting pitchers were outstanding as Linfield RHP Chris Haddeland went eight strong innings, striking out eight. Wildcats' RHP Justin Huckins (1-0) allowed only the Greenberg triple over the final five innings to earn the win. Meanwhile, Chapman junior RHP Christian Maietta tossed 10 innings of six-hit ball, striking out four in the no-decision.
Chapman pitchers held Linfield to just seven runs in the four-game series and tallied 45 strikeouts. The Panthers fell to 7-14 at home this season and are now 0-6 in extra-inning games in 2012.
Boxscore: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/bsb/2011-12/boxscores/20120415_8hte.xml
by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director
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