ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University baseball team opened up its three-game series against first-place University of La Verne with a 5-3 loss on Friday afternoon at Hart Park.

Trailing 3-2 entering the seventh, the Leopards rallied on back-to-back singles up the middle to score two runs and to reclaim the lead 4-3 over the Panthers. La Verne then extended its lead 5-3 in the top of the ninth when senior Mark Jebbia singled to left field scoring junior Aaron Orona.  

La Verne (19-13 overall, 16-6 SCIAC) took the lead first capitalizing on three walks in the first inning from Panther senior P Kevin Klaess and earning two-runs in the first inning to give the Leopards a 2-0 lead. However, the Panthers battled back to tie the game at two-all with a two run effort in the second led by sophomore DH Forrest Wiederman.

Tied 2-2 in the sixth junior Tyler Cook leadoff with double down the left field line and was knocked in by junior John Wiehe who battled a two out full count to drive a ball to right field and give Chapman its only lead 3-2.

Chapman (21-12 overall, 17-8 SCIAC) offense was led by freshman Gavin Blodgett who had two of the Panthers seven hits including a double in the second. Klaess tossed six innings for the Panthers and moved to 5-4 on the season, while freshman Jonathan Hernandez closed for the Panthers giving up just two hits in 2.1 innings on the mound.

The Panthers will continue the three-game series Saturday, April 18 at University of La Verne with a doubleheader set to begin at 11 a.m. Chapman will begin the SCIAC Round Robin on Wednesday, April 22.

by Raquel Rinauro
Sports Information Assistant

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