Hall, Rauh lead Chapman to playoff-opening win

McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Some players just know when it’s time to shine and Ryan Hall is one of those players. Chapman University’s senior centerfielder hit a two-out, two-run double to snap a 1-1 in the fourth inning providing the cushion the Panthers needed in a 4-3 victory over Trinity University (Texas) in the opening game of the NCAA Division III Baseball West Region playoffs at Roy Helser Field/Jim Wright Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

Top-seeded Chapman (31-9) advances to the winner’s bracket and will face No. 4 Texas-Tyler contest on Thursday at 3:30 p.m.

Hall was the hitting star of last year’s regional tournament opener by hitting two home runs against Texas-Tyler to propel Chapman to victory. His two-run double into the left-centerfield gap on Wednesday followed the game’s second rain delay in the fourth inning and gave Chapman a 3-1 lead. An earlier delay pushed back the start of the game 40 minutes.

Leading 3-2 in the seventh, Chapman added an insurance run on an RBI single by senior IF Matt Luzar, driving home senior IF Ryan Prechtl and giving the Panthers a 4-2 lead.

Freshman RHP Brian Rauh (11-0) handled the rest. The Chapman rookie went the distance, striking out 11 batters and limiting the nation’s most potent offense (averaging 11.6 runs per game) to just five hits and two earned runs. Rauh struggled with his command a bit, walking a season-high six batters and setting up several scoring opportunities for Trinity, but got the big outs when he needed them.

In fact, missed opportunities plagued Trinity throughout the game. The Tigers stranded 12 runners in the game, including two in each of the first three innings. Trinity loaded the bases with no one out in the eighth inning off of Rauh, but was able to score just one. That came on a sacrifice fly by OF Dylan Early, making the score 4-3 in favor of Chapman.

Trinity (32-8) got on the board first, capitalizing on a pair of Chapman errors in the third inning to push across an unearned run on an RBI single by IF Dominick Robusto. The Panthers tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the inning thanks to a leadoff solo homer by sophomore IF Tyler Hadzinsky – his sixth of the year.

The Panthers offense made the most of just five hits against Trinity pitching, but took advantage of eight bases on balls in the game. All nine starters reached base at least once and Hadzinsky led the way with a pair of hits, including a double in the first inning.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

Boxscore: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/bsb/2009-10/stats/tu-cu.htm