ORANGE, Calif. – Pitching and defense took center stage in the First Round game of the SCIAC Baseball Postseason Tournament but the Chapman University baseball team fell 2-1 in a nailbiter. With the loss, Chapman's season comes to a close at 24-17 overall.
The pitching was outstanding as both offenses were limited to just eight combined hits – half of which came in the first inning. A double, a ground out and a sacrifice fly scored the opening run for La Verne in the first with a single following the run scored.
Chapman responded with a single, a balk and another Brady Altman single to tie the game at 1-1. Both teams were primed for more as La Verne left the bases loaded and Chapman left Altman in scoring position to end the first inning.
The pitching then took over. Luke Bradley struck out seven over eight strong innings. He allowed just three more hits after that first inning although he walked a pair and hit three batters in a season-long outing. His only hiccup came in the fourth, when Ryan Vosika's second double scored the go-ahead run. Graham Stogner struck out two in a hitless eighth.
On the other side, La Verne's Jack Holguin was even stingier than Bradley. He did not allow a hit after the first inning although he walked three in his seven-inning start. Nico Hamilton picked up the save as he closed out the final 1.2 innings.
Both offenses went quiet after the opening inning but the defenses made some noise. Tate Zimmerman ended the third with a diving catch in the right field bullpen to end the third. The infield also turned two double plays.
After six consecutive quick innings, the Panthers threatened in the eighth after Andrew Powers led off with a pinch hit single and was followed by a sacrifice bunt and then a walk to Keegan Goddard.
Goddard extended his Chapman single season record to 31 stolen bases when he swiped second but a ground ball and a strikeout ended the threat to strand the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position.
Chapman looked to threaten again in the ninth as Zimmerman hit a long fly ball to left center to open the inning. Jake Ledford had just checked into center field for La Verne and took away extra bases as he made the catch while crashing into the fence to keep the bases clear.
The Panthers' 2026 season comes to an end but they saw their win total more than double from a season ago and returned to the SCIAC Tournament for the first time in three years.
