By: Ryan Lackey

ORANGE, Calif. --- After suffering three stymieing losses to Chapman University, the Bruins broke out with a convincing 6-1 win on Sunday afternoon.

Starter Taylor Dunn was efficient and avoided the Panther's big bats, scattering four hits over seven stellar innings, and reliever Michael Hirko turned in two innings of good relief.

On offense, the Bruins told a familiar story. Zach Rapacz finished 3-4 with an RBI, and center fielder AJ Valencia was a jolt atop the lineup, going 1-4 but also working a walk and scoring two runs. Ansel Webster and Riley McKean both knocked in a run.

The Bruins scored early and often. In the first, with two outs and the bases loaded, Panthers starter Kevin Klaess airmailed his delivery, and the wild pitch let Brandon Wileman score the game's first run.

Another error led to the Bruins' second run. In the fourth, with runners on the corners, Valencia took off for second and catcher Aaron Vilaubi's throw sailed into the outfield, letting Clay Mott waltz home. Rapacz knocked in another with a single to give the Bruins a 3-0 lead.

It was Rapacz again in the sixth: his slapped single to right let Valencia wheel around from second for the Bruins' fourth run.

In the Chapman eighth, Jared Love caught hold of a pitch from Hirko and hit it out to record the Panther's only run.

The Bruins, though, pushed across two more in the ninth on Webster's ringing RBI double and McKean's groundout to make the final score 6-1.

The win elevates the Bruins' record to 11-14 on the season and offers a little momentum ahead of their trip to Pacific Lutheran on Saturday.