Linfield takes three from Chapman

Linfield's Tim Wilson hit .571 over the four game series with Chapman. Linfield sports information

After splitting a pair of games Saturday afternoon, No. 8 Linfield managed to knock off No.7 Chapman twice Sunday afternoon at Roy Helser field, defeating the Panthers by the scores of 7-1 and 13-6.

After riding the arm of Zach Manley in game one, the Wildcats pulled off a thrilling comeback in the nightcap. Tim Wilson blasted a pair of home runs and drove in six RBI in second game to help Linfield erase a 5-1 deficit.

In his first collegiate start Manley was nearly untouchable. The sophomore right-hander held Chapman to just one run over seven innings, while scattering four hits. Evan Hilberg polished off the win with two scoreless innings to guarantee at least a split in the four-game series for the Wildcats.

Wilson, who hit four homers for the series, gave Linfield some instant offense with a first inning solo shot to right field.

From there the Wildcats took hold of the game in the middle innings. Dustin Smith and Cole Bixenman tallied RBI doubles during a three-run fifth inning that gave Linfield a 4-0 advantage.

After loading the bases to start the bottom of the sixth, Linfield extended the lead to 6-0 on a two-RBI single from Wilson.

Kevin Coleman paced the Wildcats with a 3-for-4 day. Wilson went 2-for-4 with three RBI, while Smith and Clayton Truex had two hits apiece.

Trailing 5-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, Linfield erupted for 12 runs over the next three innings to take the series win.

A walk from Kyle Chamberlain and a single from Eric Evenson ignited the start of the fifth inning. Two batters later it was Wilson that delivered the clutch hit, blasting a three-run homer to trim the deficit to 5-4.

In the bottom half of the sixth the Wildcats scored all five of their runs with two outs. With Nate McClellan on third base, Evenson tied the game with a two-out hit. Walks to Smith and Wilson loaded the bases for Bixenman.

With the count 2-0, Bixenman riffled a line shot off the glove of Chapman third baseman Tyler Surnbrock. Bixenman’s shot gave the Wildcats a 7-5 advantage that would swell to 9-5 before the inning was finished.

Wilson put the game away with a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh, giving Linfield a 13-5 lead that would never be threatened.

Wilson went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and six RBI. Smith and Evenson each went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.

Brian Rauh had a complete game win in the first game against Linfield on Saturday. Linfield won the next three games in the series. Chapman sports information

In a matchup of two top-10 NCAA Division III clubs, No. 7 Chapman and No. 8 Linfield each came away with a win in Saturday’s doubleheader at Roy Helser Field. A complete-game shutout from Brian Rauh in the opener lifted Chapman to a 3-2 win before a stellar pitching performance from freshman Zach Brandon gave Linfield a 5-2 win in the nightcap.

The Panthers rode the right arm of All-American Rauh to snatch the win in opening game of the series. Rauh gave up two earned runs over nine innings of work, striking out 11 Wildcats in the process.

Rauh's Game 1 performance edged out Linfield ace Ryan Larson who was equally impressive. In a complete-game effort, Larson gave up two earned runs while striking out five Panthers.

Locked in a battle of two of the nation’s best pitching arms, it was Linfield who struck first on an RBI single from Tim Wilson in the bottom of the first inning. Eric Evenson led off the frame with a single to left-center field. After advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by Dustin Smith, Evenson came in to score on a hit into right field from Wilson.

Unable to score over the first four innings, the Panthers tied the game at 1 in the top of the fifth. Singles from Troy Newman and Steve Greenberg put runners on first and second to open the inning. After a strikeout and a fielder’s choice put runners on the corners with two outs, Tyler Hadzinsky singled through the right side with two outs to plate Newman.

Chapman wasted little time in taking the lead. An inning later, Tyler Surnbrock gave the Panthers a 3-1 lead on a two-run homer.

Wilson continued his hot hitting with a leadoff home run in the bottom half of the sixth, trimming the Chapman lead to 3-2. After being held scoreless in the seventh and eighth, the Wildcats let a chance to tie the game in the ninth slip away.

Cole Bixenman started the rally with a leadoff hit. After stealing second base, Bixenman moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Jesse Boustead. With the infield playing tight, the Wildcats were unable to execute a squeeze play on a pitch that was out of the zone. Bixenman was caught dead on the failed attempt, leaving Linfield just short of sending the game to extra innings.

Mark Saatzer and Hadzinsky each had two hits for Chapman. Wilson went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI.

In game two on Saturday, Brandon gave up two runs over seven innings to pick up the win for the Wildcats. In just his second collegiate start, Brandon held the Panthers to just five hits.

With the use of timely two-out hits, Linfield took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third. Evenson and Smith delivered two-out RBI hits off Chapman pitcher Jordan Sigman (6-2).

The ‘Cats kept the pressure on, scoring three times over the next two innings. Kevin Allan laced an RBI double in the bottom of the fourth, scoring Clayton Truex.

Kyle Chamberlain opened up the bottom of the fifth with a double to right field. A bunt single from Evenson put runners at second and third with nobody out. A sacrifice fly from Wilson and an RBI single from Truex gave Linfield a 5-0 advantage.

Sigman was roughed up for nine hits and five runs over six innings of work.

The Panthers scored two runs in the top of the eighth but Spencer Creapeaux was able to slam the door with a scoreless ninth.

Evenson went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Truex tallied a 2-for-4 game at the plate.