Winning streak snapped at 12 with pair of losses to La Verne

ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University baseball team saw its 12-game winning streak come to an end as the Panthers fell twice to La Verne, 10-3 and 4-1. The Panthers won Friday's game but dropped the series and fell into third place in the standings.

Game 1 – L, 10-3

The bats were never able to get going for the Panthers although Brad Shimabuku and Kai Osaka hit late solo home runs for Chapman. La Verne scored its 10 runs off 13 hits and three more Panther errors. Three Panther pitchers combined for just one strikeout in the game – a season-low.

After a 1-2-3 first, a single and an error started the second inning for La Verne. The Leopards used two hits, a walk, a hit by pitch and a wild pitch to plate three runs. They tacked on another in the fourth on a passed ball and another in the fifth on an RBI-double.

Shimabuku put Chapman on the board in the sixth when he doubled in Josh Phillips but La Verne continued to build its lead after a two-run error in the eighth and two more runs across in the ninth.

Gerald Terry picked up his ninth win on the mound and Wyatt Thompson took the loss for Chapman.

Game 2 – L, 4-1

The Panthers were held to just two hits through the first eight innings – a fifth inning double from Trent Turquand and a fourth inning triple from AJ Anzai. The La Verne defense backed Austin Klopfenstein with a handful of spectacular plays.

A run was cut down at the plate to end the fifth among several diving catches that seemed to become commonplace through the early innings.

The Leopards again rallied in the second for three runs off Chapman starter Max Banks and Cameron Slessor added to the lead with a solo homer in the fourth.

In the seventh, a pair of walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for Chapman with two outs. The Leopards brought in Chase Pederson out of the bullpen and he was able to get the inning ending strikeout to end the threat.

Brandon Menzel and Hank Tobias combined for four scoreless innings out of the bullpen, combining for three strikeouts while allowing just three hits.

Chapman rallied in the ninth after a leadoff single from Anzai. Turquand's two-out single to right was misplayed, allowing Anzai to score from second for Chapman's only run.

The Panthers take on Pomona-Pitzer next weekend in a three-game series with a chance to clinch a spot in the SCIAC Tournament. Chapman needs to take just one game of the series to claim their spot for the sixth consecutive season. The series begins at Hart Park at 3 p.m. on Friday before shifting to Pomona-Pitzer for a Saturday doubleheader.

By Steven Olveda
Sports Information Director