Chapman used three tremendous pitching performances and some late-inning offensive heroics to sweep its way to the championship at this weekend's Chapman Invitational baseball tournament. The Panthers defeated Menlo 6-1 on Sunday and finished 3-0 this weekend to improve to 30-5 overall.

The Panthers are in strong shape for one of the five Pool B bids to the NCAA playoffs. There will be 15 Pool C teams selected, as the NCAA championships handbook, released Monday, noted.

Right-handers Devin Drag and Wayde Kitchens were awarded Co-Top Pitcher honors for the tournament, each throwing one-run, complete game gems. Junior infielder Kyle Redding earned the Gold Glove Award. And Cal State East Bay infielder Lamonte Toney was named Top Hitter, going 8-for-14 with a homer and five RBI in three games.

Game 1: In Game one, the Oaks took a short 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth inning against Puget Sound but the Loggers tied the game in the same inning. Menlo's attempted a comeback fell short as they scored three runs in the eighth inning after Puget Sound had taken an 8-3 lead.

Game 2: Drag improved to 12-0 with a complete game seven-hitter. Senior OF Tyler Dean broke out of a recent slump with a double and home run and sophomore IF Patrick Ohail was 2-for-3 with a two-run homer to lead Chapman offensively.

Game 3: The Panthers rallied from a 2-0 deficit to score two runs in the seventh inning on an RBI single by Ohail, who later scored on a sacrifice fly. Chapman then scored the game-winner on a Puget Sound error in the eighth and added three big insurance runs on a bases-loaded double by Cavan in the ninth. The Panthers made the most of just four hits in the game, thanks to terrific pitching from senior RHP Matt Ricatto and sophomore RHP Kurt Yacko.

Game 4: An 8-7 victory over No. 4 regionally ranked Cal State East Bay highlighted the Menlo College baseball team's weekend as they finished 1-2 in the Chapman Invitational. Saturday's evening victory was led by sophomore Rob Monderine who nearly completed the cycle as he hit a triple in the leadoff position in the first inning, a single to left field in the fourth inning and finished with a homerun in the sixth inning that scored three runs. Junior Chris Budelli went 2 for 2 at the plate, drawing two walks. Sophomore Donte Snyder earned his third victory of the season as he relieved Oak's starter Ben Hicks in the top of the fifth inning.

Game 5: Puget Sound handed Cal State East Bay their third stright defeat as the Loggers won 12-6. In the three games, the Pioneers Lamonte Toney hit .571 with two doubles, one home run and five RBIs.

Game 6: In the final game of the tournament, junior Mike Ryder and Chapman's sophomore Wayde Kitchens had a true pitching dual, keeping both teams scoreless until the Oaks broke the tie in the sixth inning after Budelli hit a sacrifice fly to score junior Jeff Brown. Trailing 1-0, the Panthers plated three runs in the bottom of the seventh thanks to a solo home run by sophomore C Matt Pearson and RBI from Yacko and Cavan. Chapman added three more in the eighth, highlighted by a two-run double from junior OF James Godfrey. Kitchens retired the first 11 batters he faced and cruised through nine innings, scattering five hits and eight strikeouts to improve to 8-1.

Chapman Invitational All-Tournament Team
Top Hitter: Lamonte Toney, CSU East Bay
Co-Top Pitchers: Devin Drag, Chapman; Wayde Kitchens, Chapman
Gold Glove: Kyle Redding, Chapman
All-Tournament: Patrick Ohail, Chapman
Gregorio Beck, Puget Sound
A.J. Jorg, Puget Sound
Joe Newland, Puget Sound
Chris Buddelli, Menlo
Rob Monderine, Menlo
Jacob Haberman, CSU East Bay