WHITTIER, Calif. (Mar. 13-14, 2026) – Whittier College baseball opened a three-game SCIAC series against Chapman University with a high-scoring road battle Friday before splitting a Saturday doubleheader at Mendez Stadium. The Poets dropped the opener at Hart Park, bounced back with a tight 3–2 win in game two, and fell in the series finale Saturday afternoon.
Across the weekend, Whittier showed offensive punch in the opener, got a standout pitching performance in the middle game, and continued to compete deep into the series against a conference opponent.
Game One: Chapman 16, Whittier 9
The Poets traded punches early Friday afternoon in Orange, rallying from a five-run deficit with a four-run third inning before Chapman pulled away late for a 16–9 win.
After Chapman built a 5–0 lead through two innings, Whittier answered in the third. Jackson Brummett (Huntington Beach, Calif., Huntington Beach) singled to start the rally, Eric Logsdon (Apple Valley, Calif., Victor Valley College) worked a walk, and Matthew Mecate (Highland, Calif., CSU Dominguez Hills) singled to load the bases. Alex Jasso (South Gate, Calif., MACES) drove in two with a single to right, and Parker Eastwood-Lilles (Vancouver BC, Canada, St. George's Academy) followed with a two-run double down the left-field line to cut the deficit to 5–4.
Chapman responded with three runs in the bottom half and added three more in the fourth, but the Poets kept fighting. In the fifth, Plaskett reached on a fielder's choice and later scored on an RBI hit from Eastwood-Lilles. Then Collin O'Driscoll (Belmont, Calif., College of San Mateo) added an RBI single to bring Whittier within 11–6. Mecate drove in another run in the eighth, and O'Driscoll capped the scoring in the ninth with a two-run home run but the rally was too little too late for the Poets.
Whittier finished with 13 hits in the opener. Mecate, Jasso, Eastwood-Lilles, O'Driscoll, and Rayden Miguel (Ewa Beach, Hawaii, Moanalua) all had two hits in this contest. Jasso also contributed a run and two RBI, Eastwood-Lilles drove in three, and O'Driscoll went 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI.
Game Two: Whittier 3, Chapman 2
The Poets answered in Saturday's opener with one of their strongest pitching performances of the season, edging Chapman 3–2 behind six scoreless innings from Carter Calkin (Kirkland, Wash., Bellevue Christian) and a clutch late run.
After a scoreless first 3 innings, Whittier broke through in the fourth when Joe Plaskett (Fremont, Calif., Washington) launched a solo home run to center field for the game's first run. The Poets added another in the sixth after Matthew Mecate walked to start the inning, he was moved to third with a ground-rule double from Plaskett. Aidan Cardoza (Riverside, Calif., San Bernardino Valley College) then drew a walk to load the bases. Mecate then scored on a RBI walk from Collin O'Driscoll.
Chapman tied the game in the eighth on a two-run homer, but Whittier responded immediately in the bottom half. Plaskett drew a walk, stole second, and came home when Cardoza reached on an error that allowed the go-ahead run to score.
Calkin allowed just two hits over six shutout innings while striking out seven, and Owen Moore (Austin, Texas, St. Michael's Catholic Academy) earned the win with three innings of relief. Plaskett finished 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored, and the eventual winning run, while Whittier held Chapman to just four hits.
Game Three: Chapman 9, Whittier 0
In the series finale, Chapman used steady scoring across the first five innings and strong work on the mound to claim a 9–0 win Saturday afternoon at Mendez Stadium.
Whittier put together chances early but could not break through. Alex Jasso singled in the first, Matthew Mecate doubled in the third, and the Poets put runners at second and third in the fourth after hits from Aidan Cardoza and Parker Eastwood-Lilles, but Chapman escaped the jam.
The Poets collected eight hits in the finale, including two from Mecate and two from Jasso, but Chapman's staff kept Whittier off the scoreboard. On the mound, Aaron Cazares (Eastvale, Calif., Norco) turned in a strong relief outing, allowing just one hit over 2.2 scoreless innings while striking out five.
Whittier showed resilience across the weekend, highlighted by the offensive production in Friday's opener and the pitching-led win in Saturday's first game. The Poets will look to even up their weekend of play as they will host Illinois Institute of Technology tomorrow (Sunday, March 15). This is a single game and will have a first pitch at 12:00 PM.
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