Chapman’s Season Surprises Coach

Although Chapman expected to challenge for a postseason bid in baseball, the Panthers’ 15-5 start and current seven-game winning streak has surprised even their coach.

“It’s come together a little better than I thought,” Chapman Coach Rex Peters said. “I thought we’d be thin on the mound, but we’ve had some freshmen give us some quality innings.”

The Panthers won the California Classic tournament last weekend, which was hosted by Claremont, La Verne and Pomona Pitzer.

Chapman defeated Montclair State (N.J.) in Sunday’s final, 8-1, receiving some strong pitching by freshman Clint Blevins, from Foothill High. Blevins struck out seven in seven innings, allowing only one run.

Chapman defeated Montclair State again, 6-3, Tuesday at Hart Park. Jeff Blitstein, a junior from Pasadena College, earned the victory, only three days after he threw 72 pitches in a 4-0 one-hitter over Claremont in the first round of the California Classic.

Blitstein (6-1) pitched 34 consecutive scoreless innings before Montclair State scored in the top of the fifth.

Like its pitching, Chapman’s offense has been clicking, averaging 7 1/2 runs per game. Sophomore Adam Olow had 10 RBIs in the California Classic, but wasn’t named MVP. Freshman Aaron Rifkin was the tournament MVP, going six for 11 with five doubles and a home run.

Chapman hosts North Central (Ill.) Friday at Hart Park.

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More Chapman: The Panthers’ softball team started the season with 12 consecutive victories, but the winning streak ended with a 4-1 loss to Central (Iowa) in the Sun West Tournament Tuesday at El Camino Park.

Kara Stanley pitched a three-hitter for Central. Chapman scored its only run in the fifth on Jessamine Maiben’s run-scoring single to score Stephanie Carew, who had tripled.

Chapman rebounded with a 10-5 victory over Savannah (Ga.) Art & Design Tuesday. Carew hit her fifth home run for Chapman (13-1).

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More baseball: One reason Concordia (9-16, 4-6 in the Golden State Athletic Conference) has struggled has been its inability to win at home. The Eagles are above .500 on the road, but are 4-12 at home.

The Eagles might be happy they are nearing the end of a 13-game homestand, which continues Saturday with a GSAC doubleheader against Cal Baptist at 11 a.m.

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Tournament time: The Southern California College women’s basketball team plays its first NAIA national championships tournament game at 2:15 p.m. CST. today in Jackson, Tenn. against Rockhurst (22-5) of Kansas City, Mo., the 12th-ranked team in the nation.

If unseeded SCC (29-5) wins, it will advance to Friday’s second round to play eighth-seeded Oklahoma Baptist (27-6), which defeated Claflin (S.C.), 86-53.