Cedar Rapids, Iowa (6/3/2019) – Monday’s lone baseball game of the NCAA Division III College World Series at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium was captured by the Chapman University Panthers in an 8-4 victory over the University of Massachusetts-Boston Beacons.
The Beacons finished with four runs off eight hits and committed one error. The Panthers ended the afternoon with eight runs off 11 hits and committed an error in the victory. The victory by Chapman carries them into the national championship series against the Birmingham-Southern College Panthers.
The Beacons jumped out to a quick lead after a two-run homerun by Eddie Riley deep to left field in the top of the first inning. Chapman responded by scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the second to tie the game at 2-2. The Panthers scored two runs off two hits with a Beacon error and left one runner on base.
The game would remain the same through the next inning and a half before Chapman would put three runs on the board in the fourth and fifth innings to extend their lead to 8-2. The Beacons would keep the Panthers off the scoreboard the rest of the way but would only get a run in the sixth and a run in the eighth to cut into the Panther lead. The Beacons left five runners on base while the Panthers stranded four.
The Beacons Josh Lopez held the hottest bat of the day after going 4-4 at the plate and scoring three out of team’s four runs. Chapman’s Jonathan Hernandez captured the victory on the mound after he tossed eight innings and allowed just three earned runs after striking out five of the 31 batters faced. Teammate Cody Turner came in for relief in the ninth and faced five batters and struck out one.
Tuesday, June 4 will feature the best of a three game for the national championship series among the Chapman Panthers and the Birmingham-Southern Panthers with the first game beginning at 11 a.m. and the second game starting 30 minutes following the conclusion of the first game. If a game three is needed it will be played on Wednesday, June 5 at 11 a.m. The Panthers will win the 2019 NCAA Division III Championship after both finalist mascots are Panthers.
Tuesday, June 4
Game Time Teams
#14 11 a.m. Birmingham-Southern (home) vs. Chapman (away) (Game #1, Best of Three Series)
#15 - - - - - Pool A Winner vs. Pool B Winner (Game #2, Best of Three Series)
* - Game #15 will start 45 minutes following the conclusion of Game #14
Wednesday, June 5
Game Time Teams
#16 11 a.m. If Necessary, Pool A Winner vs. Pool B Winner
