ORANGE, Calif. – With a constant mist falling for the majority of the games, the Chapman University baseball team opened its three-game series against Webster with a 4-1 win. Grant Manning had a dominant 10-strikeout performance to pick up his first win of the year.

Manning struck out two of the first three batters and turned in his best outing of the year of eight-plus innings. He struck out 10 and issued only one walk (int the rain-soaked ninth) while scattering seven hits. Henry Chabot picked up the save with a pair of strikeouts.

Cole Minato had three hits, including the first of the game. His single up the middle led to the first run when Kai Osaka hit a high fly ball to center field. As it reached its peak, the ball disappeared into the night sky above the lights and fell safely into shallow center as Minato rounded third and headed home for a 1-0 Chapman lead.

That looked to be enough early on as Manning erased a pair of hits with two 5-4-3 double plays and faced just one over the minimum through five innings. On the other side, Alex Elges was efficient and dominant through the middle innings. He tossed six innings and struck out five. He tossed 84 pitches with 61 filling up the zone for strikes.

The Panthers rallied in the sixth as Minato again set the table with a single up the middle. AJ Anzai hit a bouncer that initially went foul and then turned fair. The throw to first went over the head of the first baseman, allowing Minato to come around to score.

Osaka followed with a sacrifice fly and Oli Sellman doubled, eventually moving up to third on a fly ball to right and scoring on a wild pitch.

Manning went back out for the ninth but walked the first batter and surrendered a double – aided by the slippery, rain-soaked outfield – before giving way to Chabot. Ben Swords sacrifice fly off Chabot was the only run the Gorlacks would manage.

The Panthers finish off the three-game series against Webster tomorrow with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.

By Steven Olveda
Sports Information Director

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