Chapman Draws Texas Showdown at NCAA Regional

If ever there was a crossroad deep in the heart of the Lone Star state, this is it.

It’s dusty, hot, humid and windy here and when Chapman duels host Southwestern at 5 p.m. today in the NCAA Division III West Regional, there’s no telling who will win the shootout.

“I think this is an exceptionally strong regional,” Southwestern Coach Jimmy Mallon said. “In a regional like this it’s not just one guy who beats you, it’s the quality of the depth that wins.”

Mallon, whose teams have won 987 games, has guided the Pirates to a 36-10 record and the championship of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference this season. And he knows that the Pirates are at a clear advantage on their home field, where temperatures and humidity are expected to reach the upper 90s and winds have been swirling all week at 30-35 mph.

“We’re fortunate to have the opportunity to play at home,” he said.

Mallon and Chapman Coach Rex Peters agree on one thing.

“Whoever has the best pitching in a tournament like this has the best chance to win,” Mallon said.

With gusty winds blowing out all week, pitching may take a beating if it keeps up. In Wednesday afternoon practice, pop flies were traveling to the outfield fence, which is 403 feet to center. But the weather could calm down after a front passes through late tonight.

Chapman’s pitching staff is led by Tim Huff (9-1), who posted a 2.64 earned-run average. The team ERA was 4.21.

Although Peters had set a goal of 30 victories, the Panthers (28-10-1) still had a successful season playing an independent schedule and earning an at-large bid to the double-elimination regional.

Chapman, making its fourth consecutive appearance in the post season, batted .325 as a team, led by Pat Stevens, who hit .403 with 46 runs batted in and 12 home runs.

“I knew that with our strength of schedule and having been in the playoffs before, it would be real tough to overlook us,” Peters said.

Just as the Panthers can’t easily look past Southwestern.

Southwestern swept all three major SCAC awards. Slugger Matt Gelotti was named the conference’s most valuable player. Right-hander Forrest Martin was pitcher of the year and Mallon won Coach of the Year honors.

In the conference tournament, the Pirates out-scored four opponents 46-16, with Martin picking up two victories.

Chapman’s old nemesis in the playoffs, defending regional champion Cal Lutheran (26-12-2) plays upstart George Fox, Ore. (31-8) today at 1 p.m. in the other first-round game.

Chapman is 3-0-1 this season against Cal Lutheran, but if recent playoff history holds, you can throw out those numbers.

Cal Lutheran is known for its upsets: Last year the Panthers were 3-1 in the regular season against Cal Lutheran, only to fall to the Kingsmen twice at the regional here.

Chapman won the regional in 1997, was top-seeded the last two years, and failed to advance both times.

Top-seeded George Fox, a former NAIA school from Newberg, Ore., in only its second Division III season, has a nine-game winning streak and the fifth-best team ERA in the nation at 2.66.

George Fox surprised many when it not only received the second at-large bid but was also top-seeded, jumping ahead Southwestern in the national rankings in the last week of the season. This is George Fox’s first appearance in the Division III tournament.

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Baseball

* What: NCAA Division III West Regional

* Where: Georgetown, Texas

* When: Today-Saturday

* Today’s schedule: Game 1, 1 p.m.--George Fox, Ore. (31-8) vs. Cal Lutheran (26-12); Game 2, 5 p.m.--Southwestern, Tex. (36-10) vs. Chapman (28-10).

* Friday’s schedule: Game 3, 9 a.m.--Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner; Game 4, 1 p.m.--Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser; Game 5, 5 p.m.--Game 4 winner vs. Game 3 loser.

* Saturday’s schedule: Game 6, 1 p.m.--Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner; Game 7 (if necessary), 35 minutes after conclusion of Game 6.