Chapman’s Hayden Masters Kingsmen Again

Chapman’s Eric Hayden wasn’t taking any chances when he took the mound Friday for a second-round game in the NCAA Division III West Regional against Cal Lutheran.

Two weeks ago, Hayden, a junior right-hander, went the distance in a nine-run victory over the Kingsmen. He hadn’t tried anything fancy then, and decided he wouldn’t this time, either.

Hayden pitched a five-hit shutout Friday to lead Chapman to a 4-0 victory at Southwestern University. The Panthers will play the winner of today’s first game between Cal Lutheran and Southwestern, which was rained out Friday. Weather permitting, Chapman will play at 5 p.m. today.

“Eric threw one of the better games we’ve seen all year,” Cal Lutheran Coach Marty Slimak said. “He threw strikes when he needed to and when he got in trouble, he threw strikes for ground balls.”

Hayden (6-0) was in control even when he was pitching out of jams in the third and sixth innings. He got 21 ground-ball outs and had batters off-balance all morning.

He wasn’t overpowering, but he didn’t need to be.

Chapman Coach Rex Peters said Hayden knew what he had to do if the Panthers were to advance.

“I told him to go out there today and be himself, to throw strikes and let the team play catch behind him, and that’s what he did.”

The victory ended Chapman’s three-game postseason losing streak to Cal Lutheran.

The Panthers have dominated the regular-season series the last two seasons, going 6-1-1. A year ago, however, the Kingsmen swept two regional games from the Panthers on their way to the Division III World Series.

Hayden, who walked four and struck out one, for the first out in the ninth inning, said he was eager to turn the tables Friday, despite having to wait a little more than an hour for the game to start because of rain.

“I’ve been at Chapman three years, so it’s nice to finally beat these guys down here,” he said.

Eric Albright had two hits for the Panthers.

Chapman scored twice in the bottom of the second. Albright struck out but reached first when the pitch from Jim Harrison (7-4) went to the backstop. Pat Stevens hit into a force out, then stole second. Michael Caira struck out, but Jude Chavez lined a single to center and Stevens slid under the tag of catcher Eric Medina to beat the relay. Chavez took second on the throw and scored on Jason Miller’s single to right.