Chapman served notice in Saturday's opener that winning one game against the Panthers - as Menlo did 2-0 on Friday - was much different than stringing wins together. By the end of the day the Oaks, who had chances to win each game, could only rue missed chances after failing to take advantage of their own solid pitching.

In the opener it was Chapman who struck the first blow. Ryan Prechtl and Tyler Hadzinsky clubbed consecutive singles off of Menlo ace Brian Priestley to start the third inning. After Priestley got a ground out, Joe Lehman banged a two-run double that put the Panthers in front by as many runs.

Menlo answered right back in the bottom half of the inning. Designated hitter Kyle Wilkerson led off with a walk and Jonathan Ochoa was hit by a pitch two batters later. Joel Hull earned another walk for the Oaks to load the bases against Chapman starter Travis McGee with one down.

C.J. Dailey struck a single that pushed Wilkerson and Ochoa across to tie the score. Shane parsons walked on four pitches to load the bases again, still with only one out, but Chris Mazza and Michael Brandi popped out in succession to end the inning and strand all three base runners. It was 2-2 through three innings, but Menlo let McGee off the hook.

Priestley cruised through the fourth and fifth innings, enabling Menlo's bats to take the lead in its half of the fifth.

Propping up the Oaks batting order in the nine spot, Ochoa smacked a leadoff double and stole third base. Hull drew his second straight walk before Dailey brought Ochoa home with a sacrifice bunt. Menlo held a 3-2 advantage that didn't last long.

James Parr led off the Panthers' sixth with a walk, but was gunned down by Oaks catcher Ty Finley trying to steal second base. Lehman then reached on a Mazza error that proved to be costly. Matt Luzar doubled to put two runners in scoring position and Adam Kordich scored Lehman on a ground out to Mazza at short. Priestley induced another ground out that ended the inning without further damage, though the score was tied.

Chapman took the lead for good in the eighth frame against a fatigued Priestley. Parr, Lehman, and Luzar struck consecutive singles to begin the rally. Kordich hit a sacrifice fly ball to right field and Mike Chairez hit another Panthers single as they jumped in front 6-3.

Priestley left after eight innings of work, allowing four earned runs on nine hits while throwing 130 pitches. The lanky lefty struck out two and walked three.

Menlo initiated what could have been a game-tying rally in the bottom of the inning. Hull led off with a single and Parsons drew a one-out walk. The base runners moved to second and third before Mazza was walked to load the bases with one out.

With the tying run at first base, Chapman turned to closer Brian Rauh. Nine pitches later the Oaks knew exactly how Rauh earned his role for the Panthers after he struck out Brandi and Brad Binder back-to-back to end the threat and leave the bases loaded.

Darren Takasaki pitched a scoreless ninth for Menlo, but the bottom of the Oaks order was retired without trouble by Rauh to end the game.

McGee earned the win for Chapman, allowing three runs on four hits over 7 1/3 innings of work. He struck out one and walked six. Rauh got credit for the save, needing just 19 pitches to pick up the last five outs of the game.

The nightcap saw the Oaks struggle at the plate again, managing just four hits for the second straight game. Chapman started Kevin Osaki allowed one unearned run on two hits to pick up the win while Rauh again picked up the save.

Menlo didn't give itself much of a chance to put anything together offensively against Osaki. The Oaks only base runners in the first six innings - Dailey and Coleman Cox each singled - were thrown out by the Panthers catcher Lehman while trying to steal second base.

Chapman got all the runs it would need in the fourth inning off of Menlo's freshman starter Derek Martinez.

Hadzinsky walked to start things off and Parr singled. Lehman then advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt. Luzar lined a sacrifice fly out to Ochoa in left field, plating Hadzinsky for a 1-0 lead. After Kordich walked, Christian Maietta smacked a two-run double for a 3-0 Panthers cushion.

Menlo's best chance to really make noise came in the seventh inning when it sent more than three batters to the plate for the only time all game. Hull walked to start the frame and went to second on a wild pitch before Dailey popped out. Parsons reached on an error by the shortstop Chairez that enabled Hull to take third.

Representing the tying run, Mazza struck out swinging for the second out. Brandi then bounced a ground ball to Chairez that was about to end the threat before it took a wicked hop over the shortstop's head for an RBI single. Hull scored and Parsons wheeled to third base. Binder followed with another ground ball to Chairez, though the baseball gods favored the infielder on this occasion as he gloved the ball and stepped on second base to end the inning.

Menlo's last chance ended controversially. Hull started the ninth inning with a walk and Dailey flew out to center field. Parsons then hit a ground ball to Chairez, who threw to Hadzinsky for a force out at second base. Hull broke up a potential double play with a hard slide into the bag, but the home plate umpire immediately called runner's interference on Hull despite what appeared to be a legal slide. The would-be double play became just that and the game was over.

Martinez allowed three runs on five hits over 4 1/3 innings in the loss. Fellow freshman Nick Vandever was stellar in relief, scattering four hits and not allowing a run in 4 1/3 innings. Vandever struck out three and walked one, and left the bases loaded after entering for Martinez.

Menlo is now 17-13 on the season and closes out its weekend series with the second-ranked Panthers at 1 p.m. on Sunday, weather permitting. Chapman improves to 22-5 overall.