TUCSON, Ariz.– The No.1 ranked Chapman Panthers proved to be too much for the Linfield Wildcats, pulling out a tight 6-2 victory at the Tucson Cactus Classic on Saturday. That loss was followed up by a tough loss to the Texas-Dallas Comets, 17-8.
 
Linfield was able to get the early lead in the third inning of the Chapman game. Cody Stevenson led off the inning with a walk and then Tanner Jacques which moved Stevenson up to third. Jacques stole second and Connor Callanan was walked to load the bases with no outs. Brian Cromwell reached on a bases-loaded error, scoring Stevenson and would keep the bases loaded. After a line-out by Ben Whitt, Tanner Earhart singled to left and scored Jacques. But, Callanan was thrown out at home on the play and David Brosius struck out to leave two runners on base.
 
Colton Meyer made the start on the mound for the Wildcats and threw well. The sophomore worked out of danger in the first with two runners on base without allowing a run. In the second and third inning, Meyer faced four hitters each and still had not allowed a run. The fourth saw two more runners reach, including a one out double by Henry Zeisler. Miguel Cebedo walked and both runners moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch. But Meyer struck out Kyle Joye and induced a fly ball to remain unscathed.
 
Chapman's offense finally woke up in the fifth. The inning started harmlessly enough, with two quick outs. But back-to-back doubles got Chapman on the board, and then a third straight hit tied the game up at two. Colton Robinson once again came on out of the pen and ended the jam with a strike out of Cebedo.
 
Austin Thomas came on to make his first appearance of the season in the sixth and got the first out of the inning on a popup to first base. But an error and hit by pitch gave the Panthers two runners on base. Thomas got the second out of the inning and then Kevin Gregersen singled in an unearned run, and a passed ball allowed another runner to score making it 4-2. Another single scored Gregersen, making it 5-2.
 
Evan Bates made his Linfield debut in the seventh inning to replace Thomas. Bates recorded his first career strike out to start the inning. A double by Aaron Wong got another Chapman base runner on and, after advancing to third on a grounder for the second out of the inning, a hit by pitch gave the Panthers runners on first and third. Gregersen struck again with an RBI single, stretching the lead to 6-2.
 
The Wildcats could only muster two more hits the rest of the game. Wyatt Thompson pitched a stellar final three innings to record his first career college save for Chapman and to preserve the win.
 
Meyer's final line for Linfield was four and two-thirds innings pitched, with six hits and two earned runs allowed. The lefty struck out four, while walking two and received a no-decision. Austin Thomas (0-1) was saddled with the tough-luck loss, working one inning and giving up three unearned runs. Bates worked three innings allowing only the one run and three hits, while striking out two of the 14 batters he faced. Riley Glenn (1-0) started for Chapman and worked six good innings, allowing two runs and five hits while striking out nine.
 
Ben Whitt had two hits to lead the Wildcats in his four at bats. Earhart, Brosius, Wyatt Smith, Garrett Moen and Jacques each had a hit in the loss and Callanan walked twice. Kevin Gregerson led the Panthers with four hits and two RBIs.
 
In game two, Linfield matched up with Texas-Dallas in the afternoon. Linfield would score first in their third straight game, again scoring two runs. Cage Hardy and Tanner Jacques each walked. Cole Haskins tried a sacrifice bunt, but an error by the Comets allowed the bases to be loaded. Ben Ranieri made his first start of the season and singled to left field, scoring Hardy and Jacques. Brian Cromwell singled to load the bases once more, still with no outs. Tanner Earhart grounded into a 5-2 double play, with Ranieri out at third and Hoskins out at home. Wyatt Smith flew out to end the danger for Texas-Dallas.
 
The Comets got two runs in the bottom of the second off freshman starter Andrew Del Biaggio. A triple and single got the first run across and, after another single, an error by Tanner Jacques allowed the second run to score.
 
Cameron Skinner hit the Wildcats first homerun of 2020, launching the first pitch of the third inning over the left field fence. But the Comets answered right back with six runs in the bottom half of the inning to take an 8-3 lead after three.
 
Back-to-back singles from Ranieri and Cromwell opened up the fourth and, after a pop-out from Tanner Earhart, Wyatt Smith walked. Cameron Skinner knocked in another RBI with a ground-out to the right side that allowed Ranieri to score.
 
Texas-Dallas scored in each of the next four innings, scoring two in the fifth and sixth, one in the seventh and four in the eighth. Tanner Earhart tripled in Ben Whitt in the eighth to get a run back for the Wildcats. Cole Hoskins singled in the ninth before Ben Ranieri's sacrifice fly scored Tanner Jacques and back-to-back doubles by Whitt and Earhart made it 17-8.
 
Del Biaggio finished with eight runs allowed, seven earned, in his debut while striking out two. Kai Herko worked two and two-thirds innings, allowing two runs and also striking out two. Thomas Kolander allowed two runs in two-thirds of an inning and Caden Slaughter allowed five runs, two earned, in two and a third innings while striking out three. Tanner Jacques was two for two with three walks offensively for Linfield.
 
UP NEXT
Linfield (1-2) takes on Redlands (1-1) in the finale of the Tuscon Cactus Classic on Sunday. First pitch is at 8 a.m. at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium.