So far, so good for the Chapman University baseball team.
Sophomore designated hitter Mack Cheli went 2 for 3 with a pair of RBIs and the Panthers scored the last three runs of the game as they opened the eight-team NCAA Division III College World Series with a 6-3 victory over Washington & Jefferson (of Washington, Pa.) on Friday at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Chapman (39-11) advances to the winner’s bracket game in Pool A and will send staff ace Tyler Peck against UMass-Boston (36-12) on Saturday at 11:15 a.m. PT. UMass-Boston rallied with single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to defeat Webster (Mo.) 4-3 on Friday. Washington & Jefferson (37-12) and Webster (37-12) will meet in an elimination game Saturday at 8 a.m.
“We are excited to get that first win under our belts,” Chapman head coach Scott Laverty told d3sports.com. “It is the first time we have been on the road in a month and good to get our feet wet. It is the kind of thing they have done all year, just battle and compete.”
The Panthers opened the scoring with an unearned run in the bottom of the second inning. Sophomore Henry Zeisler (3 for 4, two runs scored) led off with a single, and a two-base throwing error put runners at second and third with no outs. Cheli singled up the middle to score Zeisler, but a pop-up and a double play ended the threat.
Chapman added to its lead an inning later. With one out, senior Alex Tsuruda doubled down the left field line, then scored when freshman Brad Shimabuku (2 for 4) followed with a triple to deep right field. Senior Tristan Kevitch drove in Shimabuku with a single to right, and the Panthers had a 3-0 lead.
Senior starting pitcher Jonathan Hernandez held Washington & Jefferson scoreless through five innings, but the Presidents tied the score with a three-run sixth inning. With runners on second and third and one out, senior James Artale doubled to left to trim the lead to one run. With runners on the corners after another single, sophomore Joey Bolick hit a sacrifice fly to center field to tie the score at 3-3.
The Panthers responded immediately. With two outs and Kevitch on third, Cheli drove in his second run with a two-strike single.
“It was a little deflating when we did score the three-spot and they nosed one across,” Presidents coach Jeff Mountain told d3sports.com. “Especially with the back end of their bullpen.”
Hernandez (8-0) pitched a scoreless seventh inning, then sophomore Cody Turner mowed down the Presidents with an efficient eighth inning (two strikeouts, one ground out on 12 pitches). The Panthers added to their lead in the bottom of the eighth, with a run-scoring single from senior Jarod Penniman and an RBI-double from junior Aaron Wong (2 for 4).
A single and a walk to start the top of the ninth gave the Presidents three chances to bring the potential tying run to the plate, but sophomore Nick Garcia retired the next three batters by sandwiching a strikeout between two ground outs for his 10th save.
Hernandez allowed three runs (all earned) on seven hits with five strikeouts and no walks.
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