Turquand's game-winner lifts baseball in extras

ORANGE, Calif. – Trent Turquand delivered the game-winner as the Chapman University baseball team walked off in the 10th inning with a 10-9 win over visiting Middlebury. The game-winner was Turquand's second of the week after hitting the run-rule clincher over Whittier on Friday.

Chapman never led until the final play of the game and trailed by as many as four runs in the game before walking off in the 10th. Hank Tobias picked up his first win of the season after tossing the ninth and 10th innings.

Middlebury jumped out to an early lead with the help of an error. Davis Mieliwocki's double in the first brough the Chapman Panthers immediately even at 1-1 before Middlebury rallied in the third. A two-run homer from Kyle McCausland highlighted a three-run inning and Andrew Gough added a solo shot in the fifth for a 5-1 Middlebury lead.

The game was muddied by occasional rain showers and eight combined errors – five of which were committed by Middlebury. Chapman scored on an error in the fifth and added a couple of more runs when Brad Shimabuku was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Josh Phillips drove in another run with a sacrifice fly.

Middlebury had added a run in the fifth and responded with a pair of runs in the sixth to make it 7-4. Two costly errors made by the pitcher in the eighth inning led to a tie ballgame. Cole Minato tied up the game with a two-run single into left.

A runner was placed on second to begin extra innings and Middlebury took full advantage, plating a pair of runs with the help of Chapman's third error. After Austin Dudas reached on an error, Brad Lang singled in Chapman's first run. The tying run scored on a double play and Turquand finished it off with a single into left to score the pinch runner Mark Muranaka from third.

Chapman scored all 10 runs on just eight hits, taking advantage of the five Middlebury errors. The Middlebury pitching staff allowed just three earned runs. Brandon Menzel pitched 1.1 scoreless and hitless innings and Shane Laird tossed a shutout eighth.

Chapman returns to Hart Park on Friday to open up a three-game series with Tufts.

By Steven Olveda
Sports Information Director