Baseball cruises past Stags in opening round

CLAREMONT, Calif. — Baseball slugged its way to a convincing 11-6 win over the Claremont-M-S Stags in the first round of the SCIAC tournament to clinch a home game against Cal Lutheran in the winner's bracket.

It was a slow offensive start for the Panthers, leaving five runners on base through the first three innings, but the bats broke through in the fourth trailing 2-0.

Chapman tacked on a huge five-run frame capped off by an AJ Anzai three-run homer. He finished with three hits and five RBI on the afternoon.

Grant Manning, who started on the bump for the Panthers picking up his fifth win of the season, held the Stags' offense at bay, as Chapman went into the dugout in the top of the sixth with a 5-3 lead. The Panthers added another five run inning to seal the victory.

Another three-run home run ended that scoring burst, that one off the bat of Oli Sellman.

With a 10-4 lead, Brandon Menzel threw two shutout innings in the seventh and eighth and Turner White closed out the five-run victory.

Three Panthers posted multi-hit performances, Anzai and Cole Minato had three hits and Josh Phillips added two. Eight of the nine hitters in the order reached the hit column.

With the victory, Chapman will return to Hart Park tomorrow to take on Cal Lutheran, who beat top seeded La Verne on the road 8-4, at 3 p.m. in the winner's bracket.

By Joe Perrino

Assistant SID / Recreation Sports Manager

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