FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHAPMAN OFF TO BEST START SINCE 1999

ORANGE, Calif. –  The Chapman University baseball team swept a doubleheader from visiting Menlo College 10-7 and 8-1 on Saturday afternoon at Hart Park to improve to 11-1 this season, the Panthers’ best start since 1999. That year Chapman opened the season 13-0.

Game 1: Chapman 10, Menlo 7
The Panthers began the game playing long ball, getting a two-run home run from senior OF Tyler Dean in the first inning and another two-run home run from sophomore IF Kurt Yacko in the second. Chapman had built an 8-0 lead after four innings, before Menlo started to rough up senior RHP Devin Drag. The Oaks rallied for five runs on five hits before the first out of the fifth inning, and then scored two more in the sixth to cut Chapman’s lead to one. Drag left the tying run stranded at second base and Menlo never got any closer.

Junior DH Stuart Hyman singled in a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to give the Panthers a cushion and Yacko earned his third save of the year with two shutout innings. Dean finished 3-for-4 and a triple shy of the cycle. Freshman OF Ryan Prechtl was 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI.

Game 2: Chapman 8, Menlo 1
Sophomore RHP Wayde Kitchens tossed a complete-game five-hitter, striking out nine batters to improve to 2-1 this season.

Once again, the Panthers scored early with three runs in the first, including another two-run home run from Dean. Chapman struck again with a pair of runs in the third on an RBI single from Hyman and a run-scoring double from sophomore C Matt Pearson. Both Hyman and Pearson had two hits and three RBI apiece.

Chapman, ranked No. 1 by Baseball America and No. 2 by Collegiate Baseball, improved to 6-0 at home this season.

 
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Game stats available online:
/athletics/06-07/baseball/men-cu1.htm
/athletics/06-07/baseball/men-cu2.htm