2003 NCAA Division III Baseball West Regional
Tournament Statistics
Chapman University takes two from George Fox on final day of the West Regional to advance to the 2003 Championship.
Orange, CA -- The top-seeded Chapman University
(Calif.) Panthers swept a pair of games from second-seeded George Fox (Ore.),
coming out of the loser's bracket to win the NCAA Division III West Region
championship and advance to the World Series in Appleton, Wisconsin.
The 7-5 win gives the Panthers, their fourth regional title in the last seven years and first since winning back-to-back championships in 2000 and 2001. It is also the second championship Chapman has won while hosting the regional tournament, also hosting and winning in 2001.
Scott Akamine, pitching in just his second start of the season, went the distance for Chapman, allowing three earned runs and striking out eight batters in nine innings. He improved to 4-5 on the season. Akamine had suffered a loss in relief, one day earlier against the same George Fox team, a loss that dropped Chapman into the loser's bracket.
All-Tournament selection Shaun Donahoe drove in Chapman's first four runs of the game and finished 3-for-5 with five RBI. The Panthers rallied from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits and eventually took a 4-3 lead in the fifth, which it would not relinquish.
Alex Bailey, starting in his first game of the season, was the tough-luck loser despite allowing just one earned run over six and one-third innings.
In the first game of the day, Ryan France was masterful for Chapman, throwing a complete-game, five-hit shutout for Chapman, while striking out 10 batters.
Chapman posted single runs in the first, third, seventh and eighth innings for a 4-0 win. Justin Hallenbeck was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Chapman will face the winner of the Midwest Regional in the first game of the World Series.
2003 West Regional All-Tournament Team
Catcher - Jose Cortez, Pomona-Pitzer Colleges; First Base - Eric Bell, George Fox University; Second Base - Alex Taylor, Chapman University; Third Base - Max Gruber, Chapman University; Shortstop - David Peterson, George Fox University; Outfield - Shaun Donahoe, Chapman University; C.J. Castillo, Chapman University; Josh Sargent, George Fox University; Designated Hitter - Jeff Levering, Chapman University; Pitcher - Mike Beck, George Fox University; Ryan France Chapman University.
Results