ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University baseball team was limited to just four hits on Friday night but it made them count, parlaying them into a 5-4 victory over visiting Rutgers University-Newark in a non-conference game at Hart Park. A three-run sixth inning by the Panthers proved to be the difference as the team improved to 6-1 in their last seven games.

Rutgers-Newark (3-9) rallied from a 2-0 deficit to take a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth inning off Chapman starting RHP Braden Riddle. Junior IF Nick Gencarelli delivered a two-run single up the middle to give the Scarlet Raiders their first lead of the ballgame.

However, in the bottom half of the inning, Chapman sophomore IF Tyler Cook belted his second home run of the year to tie the game at three. Following a walk and a hit batter, sophomore C David Basen drove in the go-ahead run and senior OF Andrew Carbajal added an important insurance RBI on a dropped (fielder's choice) sacrifice fly to right, giving the Panthers a 5-3 lead. Carbajal also drove in Chapman's first run with an RBI single in the second inning.

Although they had just four hits, the Panthers capitalized on five walks by Rutgers-Newark RHP Michael Garcia (1-1), who also hit a batter. Senior IF Eddie Aguayo reached base twice without a hit, drove in a run and scored a run for Chapman.

Riddle allowed an unearned run and was chased in the top of the seventh, but sophomore RHP Ben Vietze escaped a jam and then retired the side in order in the eighth. Senior RHP Taber Watson shut the door in the ninth to record his third save of the season. Riddle (5-2) scattered seven hits and allowed three earned runs in 6 1/3 innings for the victory.

Chapman (14-8) returns to SCIAC play next Friday, March 28 when it hosts the University of Redlands at Hart Park in the first game of a three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

Boxscore: http://chapmanathletics.com/sports/bsb/2013-14/boxscores/20140321_4eps.xml

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