No. 7 baseball opens season with loss

ORANGE, Calif — Baseball season is back in full swing, but the Panthers weren't able to grab their first win quite yet, dropping the season and home opener to George Fox, 4-1.

Chapman pitched by committee letting their three aces each pitch three innings. Wyatt Thompson started the game and after a dominant three-up-three-down first, got into a little trouble in the second allowing three soft singles and a pair of runs. He finished with three earned and one strike out.

Grant Manning and Max Banks followed him up with six innings of three-hit ball, allowing one blemish — a solo shot given up by Banks against the first batter he faced. 

Offensively, however, the Panthers couldn't get it done, mustering only three hits with the lone run coming off of a Mark Muranaka single, scoring Josh Phillips with two outs after Phillips doubled. 

Thompson earned the loss, his first of the season, while George Fox's Ben Wills picked up the win in the Bruins' first victory of 2023.

Chapman returns to action next weekend and will look to get the bats going against Pacific, who the Panthers beat in the first game of the Orange Regional last season. Manning threw 8-⅔ innings allowing one run in the ninth in the victory.

By Joe Perrino

Assistant SID / Recreation Sports Manager

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