Panthers drop 12-inning home-opener to Oxy
ORANGE, Calif. – Playing extra baseball in its first home game of the season, the Chapman University baseball team dropped a 3-1 decision to the Occidental Tigers at Hart Park on Friday. The 12-inning loss marks the second straight game the Panthers' offense has scored just one run as their slow start continues into conference play.
Senior RHP Kevin Osaki pitched effectively, earning the no-decision in just his second start since missing all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery. The senior tossed six innings, allowing one unearned run on three hits while walking one batter and striking out two. Over two starts, he has allowed just one earned run in 10 innings while fanning 10 batters.
Meanwhile, Tigers starter Joseph Kling worked his way through the Panthers' lineup with ease, allowing just four hits over the first eight innings while clinging to a 1-0 lead. With just three outs remaining, senior 1B Mark Saatzer put Chapman on the board, clubbing a solo home run over the right field wall to send the game into extra innings.
The solo shot did more than extend the ballgame, it took the complete game shutout as well as the victory away from Kling, who was relieved by David Feasler in the top of the 10th. Feasler limited Chapman to just two hits over the final three innings.
After tossing five scoreless innings, senior RHP Taber Watson was unable to hold the Tigers bats at bay any longer. Oxy mounted a two-run rally, highlighted by a Walker Marks RBI-double to right field that scored Devon Deraad with the go-ahead run. Following an error that extended the inning, the Tigers tacked on an insurance run with two outs to put the game away for good.
Despite receiving the loss, Watson allowed just one hit and one unearned run over 5.1 innings while walking three and striking out seven. The senior is currently tied with Osaki for the team lead in strikeouts with each player recording 10 punch outs in 10 innings of work.
The Panthers will have a chance to avenge Friday's loss when they head north for a doubleheader against the Tigers on Saturday. The club will make another attempt at recording career win number 300 for their head coach, Scott Laverty in the doubleheader scheduled for 11 a.m.
Box score: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/bsb/2013-14/boxscores/20140214_dkis.xml
by Ryan Cavinder
Sports Information Assistant
Become a fan of Chapman Athletics on Facebook
Follow Chapman Athletics on Twitter @ChapmanSports
Post your #PantherPic to Instagram @ChapmanSports
#CUPanthers