ORANGE, Calif. — Chapman Baseball dropped the opener of a three-game set against the La Verne Leopards, 4-1 in 11 innings at Hart Park Friday, April 19.

Brandon Menzel did all he could on the mound for the Panthers, throwing nine innings, allowing one run – none earned – and striking out five. He allowed only three hits and recorded fourteen groundouts. 

His unearned run came in the eighth as the Leopards broke through first. A sacrifice fly brought home the first run of the game after the leadoff hitter in the inning reached on an error.

Chapman answered back in the bottom half, however. Eli Biehl pinch-hit with one out and drove a single off the left-field wall. Austin Dudas reached on an error the next play, bringing Drew Hallgren around to third. Kai Osaka drove in Hallgren to tie the game, but that's all the Panthers got in the eighth, leaving the bases loaded to end the inning.

Not much came for either team in the ninth and tenth, but a two-out, two-strike, three-run bomb in the 11th gave La Verne the lead, which it held until the last out.

Chapman fell to 19-13 with the loss and 10-6 in SCIAC play. Saturday, April 20th's doubleheader – game times set at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. – could create some movement in the SCIAC standings with a pair of wins or losses.