ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University baseball team continued its winning streak with a pair of wins over visiting George Fox University (Ore.) on Saturday, 8-2 and 8-6 at Hart Park. After winning the series opener on Friday 4-1, the Panthers improved to 3-0 in the four-game series against the Bruins.

Game 1: Chapman 8, George Fox 2

The Panthers scored first when sophomore OF Joey Bernal scored on single to left field by junior IF Tyler Cook in the first. However, the Bruins battled back and posted a run in the top of the second to even the score 1-1. Both teams remained scoreless until the fifth when the Bruins took the lead 2-1, but a five run effort by Chapman put the Panthers back in the lead 6-2 heading into the sixth.

Chapman then added another two runs in the bottom of the eighth to edge its lead 8-2. The Panther offense was led by Cook who finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate while Bernal and freshman OF Conner Larkin each recorded a pair of hits.

Freshman Kynan Barton started for the Panthers tossing four and two-thirds innings for a career-high of five strikeouts while allowing just four hits but was not around for the decision. Freshman pitcher Brad Steiner recorded the win for the Panthers improving his record to 3-.1 this season.

Game 2: Chapman 8, George Fox 6

In Game 2, the Panther offense started off hot when Chapman posted three runs in the first inning taking the lead 3-1. The Panthers then added a run in the third and three more in the sixth to take the lead 7-1.

The Bruins battled back posting five runs in the seventh to tighten the score 7-6, but a sacrifice fly by junior IF John Wiehe allowed the Panthers to hold the Bruins 8-6 through the ninth.

Chapman offense was led by freshman Gavin Blodgett who finished the game 4-for-4 at the plate, while collecting two RBI and a leadoff triple in the first. Freshman IF Jared Love finished the game with a leadoff homerun in the fifth while sophomore Aaron Vilaubi collected two leadoff doubles for the Panthers.

Junior pitcher Matt Molnar recorded his first win of the season for Chapman tossing six and two-thirds inning for the Panthers while freshman Sam Gershow earned his second save of the season recording two strikeouts in the ninth.

The Panthers (15-6 overall) look for the four game series sweep over George Fox with Game 4 of the series beginning Sunday, March 22 at noon. The Panthers will then host MIT on Tuesday at 7 p.m. before returning to conference play at University of Redlands on Friday, March 27 at 3 p.m.

by Raquel Rinauro
Sports Information Assistant

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