By Seth Preuss

NEWBERG --- The George Fox baseball team welcomed a top-10 opponent, No. 9 Chapman University (Calif.), to Morse Athletic Field on Friday, April 19, to start a three-game weekend series. The Bruins lost an extra-innings pitching duel in game one before taking an early lead in game two prior to play being suspended by weather.

Recap

Game One:

The Bruins put Christopher Stone on the hill to start game one and got a gem from their right-hander as he matched the Panthers' hard-throwing starter pitch for pitch. Stone outlasted the Panthers' starter by working nine innings, allowing a single run on four hits scattered through his start while striking out seven. Isaac Olson came on to pitch the 10th frame and was tagged with the loss after allowing a run on two hits in his inning of work.

After holding the Panthers scoreless in the top of the first, the Bruins scratched a run across in the bottom half of the frame. A leadoff error to get Matt Voelzke on base turned into a run after a single by Kyler Brudwick and a sacrifice fly to center field for the early 1-0 lead.

The Bruins kept the lead safe until the top of the fourth as the Panthers took advantage of a pair of errant pitches from Stone. The Bruins' defense picked up their start to close out the inning with a 5-4-3 double play to preserve a 1-1 tie and halt any further damage.

The two teams followed with five defense-oriented shutout innings, including a final three-up, three-down frame that ended the day for Stone on a high note. The Bruins were able to get runners aboard but would leave four men stranded in a 2-1, extra-innings loss that went to Chapman after an RBI bunt single plated the winning run in the top of the 10th.

Game Two:

Landon Schirer got the ball to start game two of the series and worked six innings, scattering four hits through a shutout bid with two walks and three strikeouts rounding out his line. Schirer is still currently in the game, officially, although it remains to be seen if he will resume his place on the hill after the overnight rain delay.

The Bruins built an early 6-0 lead in game two of the series. After a leadoff single from Voelzke and a walk by Brudwick in the first frame, Jerrod Seamons cashed in both with a three-run shot over the wall in left field for a quick 3-0 lead. A double from Sam Swenson and a pair of walks by Jantzen Tamanaha and Colby Watilo turned into two more runs in the bottom of the first after a two-RBI single by Jason Garcia made it 5-0 after one inning.

The Bruins continued to hold the Panthers scoreless and tacked on another run in the bottom of the sixth before play was suspended by the officials. Voelzke drew a leadoff walk, Ramirez followed with a walk of his own, and Brudwick doubled to right field to plate Voelzke. CJ Ibara followed with another walk to load the bases before the umpires suspended play with one out and the bases loaded for Swenson in the sixth.

Top Performers

Game One:

Stone was dynamic on the hill and got great support from his defense, including a double play turned by Seamons, Ramirez, and Swenson.

Game Two:

It may be too early to call, but a three-run shot from Seamons and the shutout effort of Schirer certainly will considered at game's end.

What It Means

The Bruins drop to 20-15 overall with the game one loss.

What Happens Next

Play will resume with the bases loaded for Swenson at 10:00 am on April 20, and game three of the series against Chapman will begin 30 minutes after game two is completed.