LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Chapman University's first-year head coach Scott Laverty is not new to coaching, only new to Chapman. On Saturday he reached a significant milestone in his head coaching career, leading the Panthers to a pair of wins over SCIAC-rival Occidental College and earning career wins No. 300 and 301 in the process. Chapman defeated the host Tigers 7-2 and 4-1 at Anderson Field on the strength of the Panthers' solid pitching.

Laverty collected his first 298 head coaching wins in 14 seasons at the University of Redlands, before taking the helm at Chapman for the start of the 2014 season. The last 211 wins in his career have come over the past eight-plus seasons when he has averaged over 26 wins per year and guided his teams to the NCAA playoffs twice including SCIAC championships in 2006 and '11.

On Saturday, Laverty's milestone arrived in the form of great pitching. In Game 1, sophomore RHP Braden Riddle and senior RHP Travis McGee combined on a five-hitter, striking out 11 to give Chapman (3-4 overall, 2-1 SCIAC) its first SCIAC win of the season. Riddle allowed just four hits and struck out eight in 5.2 innings, while McGee earned the save with 3.1 shutout innings of relief. The Panthers collected 12 hits including a solo homer by sophomore IF Tim Alhanati and three hits apiece from sophomore IF Tyler Cook and sophomore DH Brandon Demerest.

The rubber match of the three-game weekend series (Oxy claimed the first one on Friday in Orange), featured a three-hitter by the Panther arms, led by sophomore RHP Matt Smith who struck out seven and surrendered just three hits in 5.2 innings. Demerest homered and senior OF Andrew Carbajal went 3-for-4 to lead the Chapman offense.

Next up for Chapman will be a three-game SCIAC series with the University of La Verne, beginning at Rio Hondo College on Friday at 2:30 p.m. and concluding with a doubleheader at Hart Park on Saturday.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

Become a fan of Chapman Athletics on Facebook
Follow Chapman Athletics on Twitter @ChapmanSports
Post your #PantherPic on Instagram @ChapmanSports
#CUPanthers