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Bruins stumble against Panthers, lose three games |
By B. Scott
Anderson, Newberg Graphic reporter
E-mail Scott at
banderson@eaglenewspapers.com
|
ORANGE, Calif. —
George Fox dropped its third straight nonconference game Sunday to
Chapman University 10-5, hurting the Bruins’ chances of earning a
berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs.
The loss came despite sophomore Pat Bailey hitting his single
season school record 22nd double as part of a four-run rally in the
top of the first inning.
The game was the final of a three-game series against the Panthers.
The Bruins fell 6-3 in the opener Friday and followed it with a 10-2
loss Saturday. George Fox coach Pat Bailey said he thought the
Bruins played well, but struggled in their final two games.
“In the last two games, we didn’t play the way we’re capable of
playing and that comes down on our senior leadership, which has
actually been very good all year,” he said. “The guys who have
played a lot all year long needed to pick it up.”
The second game got off to an ominous start for the Bruins. Senior
first baseman Bryan Donohue was hit in the shoulder blade by an 88
mph fastball by Chapman pitcher Wayde Kitchens. He was immediately
removed from the game and was unable to play the rest of the series,
nor was he able to lift one of his arms.
“The ball hit him so hard that you could see the seam marks from
the ball on his shoulder,” Bailey said.
With Donohue out, the Bruins were forced to play with two freshmen
and two sophomores in the infield. As a result the Bruins, one of
the top defensive teams in the country, committed five errors in the
loss.
“We also had about three mental mistakes too,” Bailey said.
The Bruins rebounded from that loss and seemed poised to take the
final game of the series Sunday after Drew Johnson opened the game
by getting hit by a pitch before Bailey, an infielder, sliced his
history-making double to left. The previous record was 21 doubles in
a season by NAIA All-American catcher Mark Tyler in 1999.
Ryan Fobert walked with one out and Nic Chapin hit a two-run
ground-rule double, scoring Johnson and Bailey. Matt Wyckoff singled
up the middle with two away to plate Fobert and Chapin.
Chapman starter Matt Ricatto (2-0) settled down after that, allowing the
Bruins three more hits and one unearned run, Dan Wentzell scoring on
a passed ball in the eighth, the rest of the way. He struck out two
and walked five and the Bruins hit into three double plays that
stifled any momentum they might have built.
The Panthers pecked away at Bruin starter Josh Burch (4-2) with
single runs in the first two innings. Consecutive singles by Ryan
Pechtl, Ryan Cavan and Tyler Dean produced a run in the first, and
Kurt Yacko scored on an error at third for an unearned run in the
second.
Chapman took the lead for good in the third by scoring four runs,
all unearned, after a two-out error at short kept the inning alive.
Jake Hurst had an RBI double and Joe Lehman a two-run single in the
inning. Dean hit his second home run of the season in the fifth for
another run, Patrick Ohail singled in a run and Yacko doubled home
another in the sixth, and Tyler Norman singled in the Panthers’
final run in the seventh.
Wyckoff had two hits for the Bruins, while Dean and Yacko led the
Panthers’ 14-hit attack with three hits apiece.
It was the final regular season game for both teams. George Fox,
ranked 28th in the latest ABCA/NCAA Division III national poll, is
now 30-9. Chapman, ranked second nationally, is 35-5 after winning
its eighth in a row.
Both teams now await the decision of the NCAA Division III national
tournament selection committee to see if they will make the
playoffs. Chapman seems a virtual lock for a Pool B (independents)
bid; George Fox must hope for a Pool C (at-large) bid after
finishing second to Pacific Lutheran University in the Northwest
Conference. The selections will be made Sunday.
However, Bailey will get an indicator today (Wednesday). He said
since Chapman will be ranked No. 1 in the region, followed by
Pacific Lutheran and Texas Lutheran, he thinks either the Bruins or
the University of Texas-Dallas will be the top contenders for the
fourth spot.
“I think we have a good shot, but when the committee calls me
Wednesday and I’ll find out then if we’re rated fourth, and if we
are, we’ll be fine,” he said. “If we’re not, I don’t know.” |
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From
May 9, 2007, Newberg Graphic
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