Andrew Tisdale and Eric Albright combined for a six-hit shutout, and the bottom third of the batting order came through with all five runs, keeping Chapman University alive in the NCAA Division III College World Series, as Chapman claimed a 5-0 elimination-round win over the State University of New York-Cortland Sunday afternoon at Fox Cities Stadium.

Champan improves to 33-11 and will play Monday at a time to be determined (after Monday’s St. Thomas/Allegheny game at 12 noon CDT). Chapman will face either St. Thomas or Allegheny; that foe will be determined by the winner of tonight’s Montclair State-Wartburg elimination-round game. 

Chapman remains alive in its fourth straight trip to the NCAA tournament and second-ever trip to the College World Series (its first trip was in 1997). With the loss, Cortland State was eliminated from the double-elimination tournament and finished its season 36-9 overall.

Tisdale pitched well, allowing just four hits over six-and-two-thirds innings. He struck out three while walking four to improve to 3-4 overall. Tisdale kept the Red Dragons hitless through three innings. Albright, making his second relief appearance of the tournament, notched a strikeout and allowed just two hits to pick up his nation-leading (and single-season school record) 13th save of the season.

“I can’t say enough about the effort Andrew gave us on the mound,” said Chapman head coach Rex Peters. “He hasn’t pitched in a while, and we know he’s certainly capable of that. We needed that kind of effort on the mound to give us a chance to win. He certainly did that.”

“You’re always nervous anytime you go out there, the first inning, the first couple pitches,” Tisdale said. “You just pitch your game, give it what you’ve got.”

Cortland State’s Jason Ross (6-3) took the loss, allowing 13 hits – all singles – by Chapman hitters. Mark Pacella pitched in relief in the ninth. Ross struck out two while walking one and hitting one batter.

“We had a couple of opportunities early and couldn’t capitalize,” said Cortland State coach Joe Brown. “Indicative of how the game went, the team that scored and capitalized first was going to put tremendous pressure on the other team. We hung in there, but we just couldn’t capitalize early when we had a couple of opportunities.”

The Panthers broke open a scoreless duel in the seventh inning, using the bottom of the order to manufacture three runs on four straight singles, a wild pitch and a balk. Alex Taylor, hitting in the seventh spot for the Panthers, reached on a walk, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Tony Serna. Serna advanced on a balk, then came in on an RBI single by Bobby Calderon. A single by Brandon Maciel advanced Calderon to third, and Adam Olow brought Calderon in on another single.

Chapman added two insurance runs in the ninth inning, again manufacturing runs with four singles, a wild pitch and a sacrifice bunt. A wild pitch brought in Taylor with his second run of the game, and Calderon plated his second run of the day on Olow’s second run-scoring single of the afternoon.

“We knew we were on their pitcher,” Calderon said. “We were hitting him hard throughout the game. They just weren’t falling. Finally, we got those opportunities when we got baserunners because that’s the name of the game. The team with the most baserunners is going to have the best chance of winning. As soon as we got our baserunners on the attack, we got timely hitting which is needed, we took care of business.”

Maciel had a 3-for-4 performance at the plate to lead the Panthers. Olow, Calderon and Pat Stevens had two hits apiece. Cortland State was paced by Scott Seabury and Larry Williams, who had two hits apiece.

Cortland State’s Travis Smith saw his hitting streak end at 17 games with an 0-for-4 performance. The streak was the second-highest this season for the Red Dragons (Mike LaPointe’s 21-game streak was the longest) and the fourth-longest hitting streak in school history.

Cortland State’s 36 wins matches the school’s second-highest win total in school history, also achieved last season. The school’s record number of wins, 40, came in the 1998 season. The Red Dragons have won 143 games over the last four years, each season advancing to the College World Series. Cortland State finished third in 1997 and 1998, and fifth in both 1999 and this season. 

“I’m sure all the seniors on the team are proud of what they’ve done,” said Cortland State first baseman Scott Seabury, a senior. “I guarantee every one of them would trade all those wins for a national championship. I know I would.”