Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. –The Whittier College baseball team ended their three game series with the Panthers of Chapman University with a split Saturday afternoon losing game one 7-6 but coming back to win 12-4 in eight in game two.
Whittier now moves to 1-2 on the season, while Chapman receives their first loss of the season moving to 2-1.
Chapman is who ranked No. 2 according to d3baseball.com was outscored by the Poets in the series 22-21 and Whittier was only three plays away from easily sweeping the series.
Game 1 (L, 7-6)
Chapman struck first in game one with a three spot in the top of the first after Mark Saatzer doubled off the right center field fence and was then advanced to third with a single by Parr. Piro then stepped up and singled up the middle scoring Saatzer and then Surnbrock came up and cleared the bases with a triple off the fence helping the Panthers take an early lead.
Whittier got on the scoreboard in the third and put together a two out rally sparked by Andrew Vallejo who knocked a double over the left fielder driving in Tyler Bogart who had reached on an error. Vallejo then advanced to second on a wild pitch and was later knocked in by freshman Cody Martinez who squirted one through the left side.
Whittier and Chapman swapped runs in the sixth and seventh thanks to a home run from Cory Goodchild but the Panthers maintained a two run lead going into the ninth. Then in the ninth behind by three the Poets put together a string of hits ignited by Goodchild's second homer of the contest who crushed a ball to deep left getting the Poets within one. Sophomore Corey Jensen then came up as a pinch hitter and doubled down the left field line getting the fans on the edge of their seats looking for an upset but senior Pete Mitchell was unable to drive him in as he went on down strikes.
Senior Austin Straus was on the mound for the Poets in his first start of the season and was tagged with the loss as he went 4.1 innings giving up eight hits and four runs to go with two strikeouts.
Vallejo who had three strikeouts in Friday's contest finished 3-5 with a run and RBI.
Game 2 (W, 12-4 – After 8 Innings)
In the second game of the doubleheader the tides turned in the Poets favor as they chased the Panther starter Christian Maietta after 2.2 innings after he gave up six runs on six hits. The Poets bats came alive as they erupted for 13 hits and 12 runs, while junior transfer Michael Olmstead achieved his first win of the season pitching 5.0 innings giving up two hits and one run.
In the second Whittier added three runs as junior transfer Phil Acosta knocked a double off the right center field fence driving in P. Mitchell. Freshman Stephen Zavala was then hit by a pitch and Acosta and Zavala then advanced a base due to a wild pitch. James Stafford then grounded to short driving in Acosta and Alex Mitchell then came up and hit a single up the middle driving in Zavala.
But Whittier's offense didn't stop there as they rattled off another three runs in the third as sophomore Willie Renard singled, followed by a single from Acosta who drove in Renard. Zavala then singled to right advancing Acosta to third and Stafford drove them in with a two out base knock helping Whittier take a 6-1 lead after three.
In the fourth Whittier added insurance as Renard drove a bomb to left field that went 400 feet, his first homer of the season that drove in Vallejo and extended the Poet lead to seven.
Then in the sixth with two outs Vallejo, Martinez, and Acosta loaded the bases with walks and Zavala then came up and brought in Vallejo with a walk for himself. Stafford then came to bat and drove a fastball up the middle driving in two and A. Mitchell capped off the inning with a single up the middle driving in Zavala.
This then extended the Poet lead to 12-1 and after a three spot put up by the Panthers in the eighth the game was called due to darkness.
Mitchell (Alex) finished 3-4 with two RBI's, while Renard went 3-5 with two runs scored and two runs batted in. Stafford who also plays on the men's soccer team finished 2-4 but drove in a team high five runs.
Whittier now prepares for SCIAC action as they host the Sagehens of Pomona-Pitzer on Friday, February 10 beginning at 2:30pm and then traveling to Pomona-Pitzer for a twin bill the following day Saturday, February 11 with games slated to start at 11am and 2pm.
