Baseball drops game one of Super Regional in extras

LAGRANGE, Ga. – The Chapman University baseball team opened the Super Regional with LaGrange with a 7-6 loss in 10 innings. AJ Anzai delivered a game-tying double in the ninth to force extra innings.

Chapman was down 6-3 in the ninth with the bases loaded and two outs. Anzai was down to his final strike when he lifted a fly ball to the gap in right center. The hit carried off the wall to clear the bases and tie the game at 6-6.

Dylan Holt worked a scoreless bottom half of the ninth to get Chapman back in the dugout. However, the Panthers went down in order in the extra innings and LaGrange loaded the bases with no outs. Rhett Mixon drew a bases loaded walk to bring in the scoring run for the hosts.

Chapman went up early after Nick Kondo led off the game with a double off the wall in left. He came home to score on an error for a quick 1-0 lead. Cooper Foard scored on a wild pitch in the first for a 2-0 lead.

Kondo finished the game 3-for-5 with three runs scored. Anzai also had a multi-hit game.

Grant Manning took the ball on the mound and worked a scoreless first but a couple of big hits scored two in the second and two more in the third. He pitched into the eighth inning, striking out five and walking four while allowing six runs.

Drew Littwin delivered a clutch single in the fifth to cash in Kondo, who hustled out a double after dropping a base hit on the right field line.

LaGrange picked up two more runs in the eighth to set up Anzai's clutch double in the ninth. Mike Gorman closed out the eighth for Manning before Holt entered in the ninth.

Chapman and LaGrange meet again tomorrow at 2 p.m. LaGrange advances with a win. If Chapman wins, the two will meet again on Saturday with the winner going to Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

By Steven Olveda
Sports Information Director

Become a fan of Chapman Athletics on Facebook
Follow Chapman Athletics on Twitter @ChapmanSports
Post your #PantherPic to Instagram @ChpmanSports