Chapman baseball team wins third game in a row, defeating Dallas 17-0

Connor Niemann delivers a pitch for Chapman University. (Photo courtesy Larry Newman)

The pitchers combined for a three-hit shutout and the offense exploded as the third-ranked Chapman University baseball team routed Dallas 17-0 on Monday. The Panthers (12-3) won their third game in a row.

Three Dallas pitchers combined to issue 16 walks and Chapman took full advantage. With just the second hit of the game, sophomore Brad Shimabuku  launched a grand slam to left center for a 5-0 lead. Classmate Drew Littwin followed with a walk, moved around to third on a failed pick off and scored on a passed ball. The Panthers built a 6-0 lead on two hits.

Chapman wasn’t done in the second inning as they reloaded the bases on a hit and two walks before senior Kevin Gregerson sprinted home on another passed ball for a 7-0 lead.

As Chapman built an early, sizeable lead, junior Nick Garcia shut down the Crusader offense. Over five innings, Dallas’ one hit was a bloop over Garcia’s head that was beat out for an infield single. He struck out nine and walked one as just two runners reached scoring position and neither advanced to third.

Junior Cody Turner allowed just one hit in his two innings of work – a double into the left field corner – but stranded the runner there. Freshmen Connor Niemann and Wyatt Thompson each tossed a scoreless inning to preserve the shutout.

Chapman scored in each of the first four innings, adding a run in third and two more in the fourth. Sophomore Miguel Cebedo’s  single in the sixth brought home two more runs in a three-run inning. Junior Mike Gorman’s  solo homer to left led off a four-run seventh that brought the Panthers’ run total to a season-high 17.

Shimabuku had his second consecutive three-hit game, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and five RBIs. His grand slam was the third of the year for the Panthers. Cebedo went 2-for-2 with three RBIs. Littwin scored four times for Chapman while drawing two walks. He was hit by two pitches.

The Panthers are back at Hart Park on Friday to take on Rochester in a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.

Courtesy Chapman University sports information