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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University baseball team rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game and force extra-innings. The Panthers then beat the University of La Verne 4-3 in the 14th inning on an RBI single from fourth-string catcher Ryan Villasenor to complete the three-game weekend sweep. The freshman chopped a grounder over a drawn-in infield to plate Kurt Yacko, who had just stolen third base. Junior DH Stuart Hyman tied the game 3-3 with a two-out, two-run bases loaded single in the bottom of the ninth. It was Chapman's fifth extra-inning affair in its past 11 games and the Panthers improved to 4-1 in those games. Chapman (25-4) also improved to 14-2 at Hart Park this season. The freshman Villasenor was called into action to begin the 10th inning after three previous catchers had been used by Chapman head coach Tom Tereschuk. The Panthers' regular starting catcher Matt Pearson had initially been given the day off after catching Chapman's doubleheader sweep (8-2, 8-4 wins) over La Verne on Thursday. Pearson was 5-for-8 with five RBI on Thursday. The sophomore backstop relieved Friday's starter, Joe Lehman, in the sixth to inject some offense into a lineup that was trailing 2-0 and had struggled off La Verne starting pitcher Tim Jolly, but was removed after just one inning, suffering a concussion on a collision at the plate on the final out of the inning. Freshman C Matt Gomez caught innings 7-9, but Tereschuk opted to pinch hit with a veteran bat, junior IF Tyler Norman when Gomez's spot came up to leadoff the ninth inning. Norman walked to start the game-tying rally. Villasenor, with just one career plate appearance (a walk), went hitless in his first two at-bats before getting the game-winning single in the 14th. Yacko (3-1) earned the win in relief, pitching five shutout innings and striking out 10 Leopards. The Panthers also got a solid relief outing from senior RHP Matt Ricatto, who held La Verne to one hit over 5 1/3 innings. Junior OF Steve Fraser was 3-for-6 with a pair of doubles for Chapman. He drove in Hyman with Chapman's first run of the game with an RBI double in the sixth inning. Yacko was also 3-for-7 with two stolen bases.
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