ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University baseball team defeated Ithaca College (N.Y) 7-1 in a non-conference game at Hart Park on Wednesday afternoon. The win extended the Panthers four-game winning streak to five and improved their record to 4-2 at home this season.

The Panthers jumped on the board first when junior Tyler Cook knocked in sophomore Joey Bernal who had a leadoff single to start the Chapman offense and put the Panthers up 1-0. However, Ithaca battled back to tie the game 1-1 in the top of the second, holding Chapman scoreless until the fifth.

Bernal doubled to right center in the fifth to score junior Tim Alhanati and put the Panthers up 2-1. Chapman would then go on to score another run in the fifth and sixth to take the lead 4-1. The Panthers then extended their lead 7-1 in the eighth capitalizing on a Bomber error and racking up three runs off of two hits.

Alhanati led the Chapman offense finishing the game 3-for-4 with two RBI. Bernal also racked up two leadoff base hits for the Panthers including a double in the fifth and freshman Jared Love went 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI double in the eighth.

Senior Kevin Klaess tossed seven innings for Chapman recording five strikeouts while allowing just four hits for his third win of the season. Freshman pitchers Sam Gershow and Jonathan Hernandez closed for the Panthers racking up a pair of strikeouts each.

The Panthers (8-5 overall, 5-4 SCIAC) will begin their three-game series against SCIAC rival Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Friday at Hart Park. Chapman will then head to Claremont for a doubleheader against the Stags beginning at 11 a.m. at the Bill Arce Field. Chapman will return home Sunday, March 15 for a non-conference game against Spalding University (K.Y.) at Hart Park at 1 p.m.  

by Raquel Rinauro
Sports Information Assistant

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