Chapman Turns Over Opener, 7-4

MOORPARK —  When Cal Lutheran pitcher Richard Bell said “It’s not over ‘til it’s over,” he meant the best-of-five NCAA Division III West regional series.

But the phrase also applied to the series’ first game on Thursday, which Cal Lutheran lost, 7-4, after Chapman rallied to tie it at 4-4 in the eighth inning and won with three runs in the top of the ninth.

The Panthers’ No. 9 hitter, Matt Barcellona , who went four for four, scored to break the tie on a single to right center by Dustin Martin with one out in the ninth. Chapman added two more runs as the Panthers capitalized on five hits and a Cal Lutheran throwing error in the inning.

Chapman reliever Cale Shepherd (1-1), who relieved starter Jim Brewer with one out in the bottom of the eighth, shut down the Kingsmen in the bottom of the ninth.

Cal Lutheran had seven hits and left nine baserunners stranded, with six in scoring position, including four on third. Chapman had 14 hits and stranded eight.

“How many times did we have the opportunity to put this game away?” Cal Lutheran Coach Marty Slimak said. “We had so many chances, and we didn’t do it. Chapman had their opportunity, and they put it away.”

The Panthers had to battle to do it, though. Chapman had a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Cal Lutheran cut the gap to 2-1, took a 3-2 edge with two runs in the third and added another run for a 4-2 advantage that Chapman did not overcome until the late rally.

Chapman (29-12) can win the series if it sweeps a doubleheader today at Moorpark. The first game is at noon.

Cal Lutheran (33-8) was in this position last season when it lost the regional series-opener to Claremont-Mudd, but went on to win and advance to the Division III championship game.

“We’ll come together and we’ll come out tomorrow and play hard,” said Bell, a senior left-hander who entered the game needing a victory to move into a tie for the school record for victories (21) in a career.

“It was a dogfight all the way,” said Barcellona, who had two doubles. “This whole series is going to be like this. We were able to get some hits when we needed to and we capitalized on a couple of their mistakes, and that’s what’s going to win it.”