Baseball clinches series, splits twinbill with Redlands
ORANGE, Calif. – An early shutout clinched the SCIAC series as the Chapman University baseball team split a Saturday doubleheader with Redlands, 6-0 and 8-7. Davis Mieliwocki and Cole Minato combined for 15 hits in the three-game series.
Game 1 – W, 6-0
Three pitchers combined for the three-hit shutout as Chapman clinched the season series from La Verne. Wyatt Thompson picked up the win with Brandon Menzel tossing three hitless innings in relief and Turner White closing out the ninth.
Thompson overcame five walks to get through five scoreless innings. He struck out five and allowed just two hits while pitching with the lead. AJ Anzai gave Thompson and the Panthers a 1-0 lead right out of the gates when he knocked in Nick Kondo with a sharp single into center field.
Thompson kept the Bulldogs off the scoreboard while Kondo added a sacrifice fly in the third for a 2-0 lead and Oli Sellman hit his third homer of the series – a 2-run shot to left – to make it 4-0 in the fourth.
Sellman hit two three-run homers to fuel the Panthers 11-1 victory on Friday and added to his hot streak with the two-run fourth inning homer in Saturday's early game. He ended the weekend with eight RBIs.
Anzai had his second RBI-single of the day and Cooper Foard knocked in a run with a double in the fifth as Menzel took the ball in the sixth with a 6-0 lead. He pitched three nearly flawless inning, facing one over the minimum while striking out three and walking two. He did not allow a hit in his three innings of work.
Menzel passed the shutout to White in the ninth. After a leadoff walk, followed by a passed ball. The Bulldogs had a runner in scoring position with no outs. White retired the next two batters with a pop out and line out to the left side before a single put runners on the corners. A comebacker ended the threat and left the Bulldogs with 10 stranded runners in the game.
Minato went 2-for-4 for his second multi-hit game of the series. He has raised his batting average to .420 on the season.
Game 2 – L, 8-7
The Panthers kept the bats hot in game two, even jumping out to a convincing four run lead in the third inning.
Minato, Sellman, and Mielwocki continued their standout performances at the plate. Minato set the table all game for the top of the order reaching base via extra bases on two occasions, a double and a triple, both resulting in runs scored.
The Panthers big inning was the third. They entered the frame trailing for the first time in the three-game series by one run, 2-1. Minato started off the inning with his double, and Kondo promptly drove him in the following at bat.
Drew Littwin reached just after, and Anzai came to the plate with runners on first and second. He drove a single through the right side of the infield scoring Kondo, and an errand throw allowed Littwin to score as well. A Mielwocki double and Chris Bogan double play – which drove in Mielwocki – concluded the Panthers' scoring giving them a nice 6-2 cushion.
However, seven walks brought the Bulldogs back into the game and was the inevitable difference maker in this one.
A bright spot from the hurlers in this game came from Mike Gorman tossing two scoreless, no-hit innings allowing zero walks and a strike out. He has yet to allow a run through his pitching appearances this season after converting from left field.
Tyler Reiter (2-2) picked up the win for Redlands, while Dylan Holt took home his first loss of the season, 3-1. Matt Brumbaugh earned his first save of the season.
With the series victory, the Panthers improved to 15-6 on the season and 4-2 in SCIAC play. Redlands fell to 12-9 and 3-6.
The Panthers pick it up again next week when they host Occidental. The first game will be at Hart Park on Friday, Apr. 1 at 3 p.m.
By Steven Olveda & Joe Perrino
Sports Information Director & Assistant Sports Information Director
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