College of DuPage closed out its March portion of the 2019 season with a split at Triton College, losing the opener 7-6 before closing out the Trojans 8-7 in the finale Sunday afternoon.
 
The Chaps, now 10-11-1 overall, make their home debut Tuesday afternoon when they against face Triton in N4C Conference play. First pitch is 2 p.m.
 
Game 1: Triton 7, Chaparrals 6
The Chaps totaled six hits and bunched their runs in the opener, but fell short.
 
Trailing 5-0, the Chaps struck with a three-run fifth on just one hit. The Chaps loaded the bases after Dan Opem and Rocky Pascente reached base on hit by pitches and T.J. Jaros walked. A balk forced in the opening run, and Steven Salvino followed with a one-out single to center that scored Pascente. Jaros later scored on a double steal.
 
In the seventh, the Chaps again scored three runs on one hit. Jaros, who led off with a walk, scored on an error, and two batters later, Anthony Fumagalli singled to left that brought in Corey Vondra, who walked. Peter Sedlacek lifted a sacrifice fly to center that scored Salvino.
 
Pascente had the only extra-base hit for the Chaps, a double in the sixth.
 
Nick Shelton took the loss in his start. He threw five innings with five strikeouts and no walks. He gave up eight hits and three of his seven runs allowed were earned.
 
Game 2: Chaparrals 8, Tritons 7
The Chaps scored multiple runs in three successive innings and held off the Trojans for the victory.
 
Down 2-1, the Chaps scored three runs on four hits in the fourth. Mike Wagner, who singled with one out, scored on a passed ball, and Salvino doubled to score Jaros, who singled. Two batters later, Sedlacek delivered a double to left that brought in Salvino and the Chaps led 4-2.
 
Triton answered with a four-run fourth, but COD tied the game in the fifth when Jaros came through on a two-out, two-run single that scored Conor Fitzgerald (fielder's choice) and Wagner (walk).
 
Then in the sixth, Simon Marinelli singled to center that brought in Fumagalli, and two batters later, Vondra singled to right to score Marinelli.
 
Elijah Rochon earned the victory in relief of Jonny Vesevick. Rochon, along with fellow relievers Austin Reed and Anthony Hernandez combined on just two hits over the final three innings. Hernandez earned the save on the final two outs of the game.
 
Sedlacek, Opem, Vondra, Wagner and Jaros all had two hits.