Offense stays red hot as Panthers roll against McMurry

ORANGE, Calif. - The chill in the air at Hart Park on Friday did nothing to cool down the bats of the Chapman University baseball team. The Panthers swept a doubleheader from visiting McMurry University, scoring 23 runs in the two games and winning 13-4 and 10-3 to improve to 6-1 overall this season.

No. 4-ranked Chapman has scored in double figures in six of its first seven games this spring and is hitting .412 as a team. Meanwhile, it's all been more than enough for the Panthers' pitching staff which has allowed just a 2.36 team earned run average in 61 innings thus far.

Game 1: Chapman 13, McMurry 4
The Panthers matched a season-high with 20 hits, including eight for extra bases. A three-run home run by senior IF Bobby Evers capped a six-run third inning in which Chapman sent 11 men to the plate and built a 7-0 lead.

McMurry rallied for four unearned runs in the fourth to put a dent in the Panthers' lead, but that was as close as it'd get. Junior RHP Jordan Sigman tossed five innings of four-hit ball and struck out four batters to earn his second win of the year. Freshmen Kevin Osaki and Christian Maietta combined to allow just two hits over the final four innings to preserve the win.

Chapman scored single runs in the fourth and fifth on RBIs from senior IF Matt Luzar - one a solo home run and the other a run-scoring single. The Panthers then scored four times in the eighth, thanks in part to junior IF Tyler Hadzinsky's two-run single in the inning. Hadzinsky finished with four hits and drove in four runs, including a solo homer of his own in the first inning. Freshman OF James Parr had three hits and was a home run shy of hitting for the cycle.

Game 2: Chapman 10, McMurry 3
Chapman almost fulfilled its offensive quota in one inning, hanging eight runs on the board in the fourth to erase an early 1-0 deficit. Six of those runs came with two outs in the inning, including two runs on a double by junior C Adam Kordich. Evers, Luzar and seniors Ryan Prechtl and Ryan Hall each had an RBI in the inning. Hadzinsky finished with three more hits, including an RBI triple and two runs scored.

Junior RHP Kevin Dwyer (2-0) was tough on the mound in his second start for the Panthers, throwing six strong innings, allowing just three hits and striking out six.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

Boxscores:
Game 1: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/bsb/2009-10/stats/mcm-cu1.htm
Game 2: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/bsb/2009-10/stats/mcm-cu2.htm