DAVENPORT, Fla. - February 25, 2023 - Chatham Baseball defeated the Calvin University Knights 11-6 in the Cougars' first game of the RussMatt Invitational in Florida on Saturday. Chatham is now 3-0 with the win, marking their second-straight season beginning with three wins.

Calvin struck first in the top of the first, scoring two runs, but the Cougars answered with two of their own when graduate catcher Caleb Lehman hit an RBI double to score junior infielder Benny Dottle and then later scored on an error.

The Knights regained the lead with a run in the third, but the Cougars once again answered, this time to take the lead. Graduate outfielder Nico Cuello scored on an error, and then senior third baseman Brandon Griener came home on a wild pitch.

Calvin tied the game at 4 in the fourth, only for Chatham to put up a five spot and take over the game in the following half inning. Junior infielder Jake Bredl brought in sophomore first baseman Quinn Burke on a sacrifice fly and Griener scored Lehman on a single. Sophomore catcher/pitcher Tyler Cote then drove in Griener, Cuello and himself on a double with a Calvin error.

The Cougars tacked on their final two runs in the fifth, with Lehman driving in a run on a fielder's choice and Cuello tripling to score Lehman.

The bullpen did their job to close things down, with sophomores Gavin Phillips and Kole Mayle combining to throw 3.2 innings of no-hit work.

Lehman ended the day 2-4 at the plate with two RBI and three runs scored. Cote also went 2-4 and drove in three runs. Griener added a 2-4 at the dish of his own and scored a pair of runs.

Cote also started the game on the mound, pitching 2.0 innings with two earned runs and two hits allowed. Sophomore Drew Schreck got the win in relief.