ORANGE, Calif. – Pacific had the tying and go-ahead runs on base in the top of the ninth, but were unable to find the timely hit as they dropped the opening game of the NCAA Regional Tournament to host Chapman.
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
The Boxers (28-17) couldn't manage a hit until the fifth inning and mustered just five on the day. Chapman used a pair of home runs to propel themselves to victory. A two-run homer in the sixth and a solo shot in the seventh was all the Panthers needed to hold off Pacific.
The Boxers got a solid start from
Kahi Bisho (Senior/Honolulu, HI) on the mound to keep his team within striking distance. The right hander tossed six innings and surrendered just two earned runs while fanning three batters.
Jordan Hara (Senior/Aiea, HI) provided some life in the middle of the order, banging out two hits while driving in Pacific's only run of the game.
Cole Strober (Senior/Pacific City, OR),
Brad Altomare (Senior/San Ramon, CA),
CJ Colyer (Sophomore/Gilroy, CA) each recorded a hit in the contest.
How It Happened
The first game of the regional tournament proved to be a pitcher's duel as Chapman's Grant Manning and
Kahi Bisho matched each other for five frames of scoreless baseball.
Manning was almost untouchable and held the Boxers to just five hits and one run over his 8.2 innings of work. The tall righty punched out 10 hitters in his 117 pitches, keeping Pacific off-balance for majority of the game.
The Panthers would eventually strike in the bottom of the sixth when AJ Anzai launched a two-run home run to give his team the lead. Chapman carried this momentum into the following inning when Cooper Foard blasted a homer of his own to make it a 3-0 ballgame.
Davis Koester (Sophomore/Trout Lake, WA) relieved Bisho in the seventh and got the last six outs for Forest Grove's team. He allowed just three hits and one run, striking out three.
The Boxers made things interesting in the ninth when Strober led off with an infield hit and
Ryan Krout (Senior/Washougal, WA) reached on a fielder's choice.
Isaac Lovings (Senior/Beaverton, OR) followed by drawing a walk to set the table for Hara. The Hawaii native came through with a solid base hit up the middle to score Strober, putting the tying run at second base and the go-ahead run at first.
However, Chapman would turn to their closer, Dylan Holt, to get the final out and secure the win in the first game of the tournament.
By The Numbers
- Manning no-hit the Boxers through 4.2 innings.
- Hara and Strober were the only Boxers to reach base multiple times.
Up Next
Pacific will face the loser of the contest between #2 Pomona-Pitzer and #3 Cal Lutheran in an elimination game tomorrow at 11 a.m.
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