ORANGE, Calif. — Chapman baseball grinded out just under four consecutive hours and 12 innings of baseball to pull off an 8-7 walk-off win over SCIAC opponent Cal Lutheran. 

In the bottom of the 12th, Josh Nowlin came up to bat and hit a single to the shortstop, which allowed second baseman Ryan Nopper to sprint home for the game-winning walk-off run. Immediately following the clutch performance, Nowlin's teammates rushed the field, drenching the junior outfielder in ice water head-to-toe. 

The Panthers dominated through the first eight innings of play, with Joey Capobianco earning a single through the left side in the first inning to bring Nopper in for the run. In the second, an error brought home Lucas Perez. Then, in the sixth, Brady Altman had the play of the game to that point, bombing a home run into centerfield to give the Panthers a 5-3 lead. 

On the mound, Nick Molina showed out strong as the starter, striking out four batters through six innings while giving up just three earned runs. After the Panthers squandered a 6-3 lead in the ninth inning, Chapman grinded through three extra innings. 

In the bottom of the 11th, the Panthers found themselves down 7-6. Blake Jacobs hit a crucial single to centerfield with Joey Capobianco in scoring position. He managed to sprint home to save the game for the Panthers with two outs on the board and set up Nowlin's 12th inning hit to clinch the comeback. Right handed reliever Graham Stogner came away with his fourth win of 2026 and Chapman improved to 11-11 overall, 5-5 in SCIAC play. 

The Panthers will look to clinch the series win as they will play a SCIAC doubleheader at Cal Lutheran on Saturday, March 28.