Chapman Gets an At-Large Berth in West Regional

Chapman’s baseball team has been awarded its fourth consecutive at-large berth in the NCAA Division III West Regional, and the Panthers (28-10-1) open at 5 p.m. Thursday in Georgetown, Texas, against host Southwestern (36-10).

Cal Lutheran (26-12-2), which won the regional title a year ago, plays George Fox (31-8) of Oregon at 1 p.m. Thursday in the other regional game.

The double-elimination tournament continues through Saturday.

Chapman, an independent, is ranked 21st in the nation. The Panthers earned their berth based on strength of schedule, according to West Region organizer Jim Shelton of Southwestern. He announced the field Monday after the NCAA selection committee, which began deliberations Sunday afternoon, met into the early morning hours before filling the two at-large spots in the West.

Forty-two teams were selected to play in the eight regionals. Winners advance to the national finals, May 26-30 in Appleton, Wis.

Southwestern, which dropped three spots to No. 11 in the nation, was champion of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference and earned an automatic bid, as did No. 24 Cal Lutheran for winning the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

George Fox, which has won nine in a row, was champion of the Northwest Conference and jumped to No. 10 in the nation in the latest rankings. But the Bruins are an at-large entry because their conference is less than two years old and doesn’t have an automatic bid, according to Chapman Coach Rex Peters.

“I was a little surprised by George Fox getting in,” Peters said. “There schedule wasn’t as strong as some other schools.”

Southwestern, Cal Lutheran and George Fox made bids to host the tournament, Shelton said. Southwestern also hosted last year’s event. Chapman was defeated by Cal Lutheran in last year’s final, but Peters said the Panthers chose not to put in a bid because they hosted a softball regional last weekend.

Chapman faces Tufts in softball--Chapman’s softball team, winner of the West Regional last weekend, is top seeded in the Division III World Series and will face Tufts (Mass.) Thursday at 10 a.m. in the opening round at Salem, Va.

The Panthers (36-9) battled through the losers’ bracket of the regional, which it hosted, and beat Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) twice Sunday to advance.

Tufts (25-10) is seeded eighth.

It’s unlikely that Linsey Buendia, who won both games of the doubleheader with Pacific Lutheran, will start Thursday, according to Chapman Coach Janet Lloyd. Buendia (15-4) complained of soreness in her pitching arm after the victories.

Chapman won a national title in 1995 and finished second three of the next four years.