Postseason hopes erased as baseball drops a pair

ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University baseball team dropped two critical SCIAC games at Hart Park on Saturday, falling to Whittier College 8-6 before losing to Pomona-Pitzer Colleges 8-3. The losses, coupled with a pair of Redlands wins, mathematically eliminated the Panthers from SCIAC Tournament contention. Chapman (22-15 overall, 15-11 SCIAC) has now lost six of its past seven games.

Game 1: Whittier 8, Chapman 6

The Panthers and junior RHP Matt Smith were cruising, up 5-0 in the sixth inning – and then things fell apart quickly. Chapman committed five errors and Whittier scored six unearned runs in the inning and then held on for the 8-6 win. Smith was chased in the sixth despite not allowing a hit through five-plus innings. In fact, the right-hander had only allowed one base runner (hit batter) and struck out eight heading into the fateful frame.

Chapman scored three times in the second inning on RBI singles by junior IF Tim Alhanati, freshman OF Rob Degen and junior IF John Wiehe. Alhanati singled in another run in the fourth and finished the game 3-for-5. The Panthers added one on a suicide squeeze by junior C David Basen in the fifth to build a 5-0 lead.

Game 2: Pomona-Pitzer 8, Chapman 3

The Sagehens – embroiled in a battle for first place in the SCIAC standings – struck for five runs in the second inning, including getting a two-run homer from leadoff man Sam Fox and never looked back. Pomona-Pitzer followed with single runs in the third, fifth and sixth innings to eventually build an 8-1 advantage. That was more than enough for RHP David Gerics (4-2), who scattered seven hits and struck out four in seven innings of work for the Sagehens on the mound.

Chapman rallied for a pair of unearned runs in the eighth inning, but that was all for the offense despite out-hitting Pomona-Pitzer 9-8 in the game. Junior IF Tyler Cook finished 3-for-5 with an RBI single in the third inning.

The Panthers honored a pair of seniors in a 'Senior Day' ceremony prior to the first game on Saturday, recognizing senior IF/RHP Jesse Staats and senior RHP Kevin Klaess.

Chapman will travel to Cal Lutheran on Sunday for an 11 a.m. game before heading to Caltech on Tuesday to wrap the regular season.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

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