ORANGE, Calif. — Kai Osaka's sixth-inning grand slam to tie the game at four and AJ Anzai's seventh-inning homer to give Chapman an 8-6 lead propelled baseball to an 8-7 win over Centenary (La.) on Sunday, Feb. 25.

Chapman's bats were ice-cold through the first five innings, but in the sixth, a single and a pair of walks sent Osaka to the plate with two down. He feasted on the newly entered pitcher, crushing one over the left field wall to make it a brand-new ball game.

Centenary answered with a two-run blast of their own in the top of the seventh, but with two outs again in the bottom half, AJ Anzai sent one into orbit. 

After tacking on one in the eighth via a long ball – there were five in the game – Henry Chabot closed out the game with a one-two-three ninth inning, earning his third save on the young season. Chabot is nearly halfway to his eight-save freshman season in 2023. 

Colin Godfrey started on the mound, tossing five innings of two-run ball, allowing five hits while striking out five. Tyler Buxton picked up the win, the first of his career.

The Panthers return to action against Adrian on Friday, Mar. 1. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m. at Hart Park.