Chapman forces a winner-take-all with Marietta

James Parr and Chapman poured on the offense in Tuesday's first game. Marietta photo by Ryan Coleman

By Jim Dixon
D3sports.com

GRAND CHUTE, Wis. -- Chapman forced a second championship game with a 15-4 win over Marietta in the 2011 Division III Baseball Championship. Ben Levitt pitched the biggest innings of his season with four scoreless innings to start the game but it was the offense that proved too tough for the Marietta Pioneers in the first championship game.

After getting the leadoff runner on in the first two innings, Chapman finally got on the board in the third inning. Adam Velez singled and moved to third on Saatzer's sacrifice hit that Casey Levens misplayed, allowing Saatzer to reach first. Tyler Hadzinsky's groundout scored Velez for the games first run. Three consecutive doubles by James Parr, Charlie Piro, and Tyler Surnbrock each scored a run, giving Chapman a 4-0 lead.

The Panthers leadoff batter reached on a hit-by-pitch in the fifth and scored on a Hadzinsky single, increasing the Panther's advantage to 5-0.

Chapman built an 8-0 lead with three more runs in the fifth. Parr walked to lead off the inning. After an error on the second baseman and a force out, Troy Newman's sacrifice hit brought in Parr. Steve Greenberg's double scored Surnbrock. Greenberg scored on Velez's single to center.

Marietta cut the lead in half with a four-run uprising in its half of the fifth. Braden Park led off the inning with a single to left and was erased on a Bryan Gregorich's fielders choice. A walk to Alex Toth and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases. Kirby Becker's groundout scored Marietta's first run. John Snyder's double scored Jordon Grilliot and Becker with Tim Saunders' RBI single end Levitt's day. Kevin Osaki came in and got Aaron Hopper to ground out to kill the Pioneer's threat.

Chapman responded with two run in the sixth. Saatzer doubled to right-center and the sacks were loaded with a walk and a hit-by-pitch. Parr's single to center scored Saatzer and Hadzinsky.

The Panthers stretched their lead to 11 runs with five tallies in the eighth inning. Kordich doubled with one out and moved to third on Parr's single. Piro's second double of the game scored Kordich and moved Parr to third. Surnbrock was walked intentionally to load the bases. Newman's single through the left side scored Parr and Piro. Velez's double to left field scored Surbrock with the final runs of the game.