Steven Fraser Outfield Chapman Univ.

Marc Garofalo Second Base E. Connecticut State Univ.

Buddy Klovstad Pitcher Chapman Univ.

Kurt Yacko Shortstop Chapman Univ.

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Buddy Klovstad made good on his promise.

The Chapman University (Calif.) pitcher told his old roommate, Jeff Green, that he was going to break his school record for victories.

In Friday's opening game of the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship at Fox Cities Stadium, Klovstad did just that.

Klovstad allowed only six hits in going the distance in Chapman University's 6-3 victory over Eastern Connecticut State University. The Panthers advance to face Wheaton (Mass.) College or North Carolina Wesleyan College at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. Eastern Connecticut State University (35-19) will face the loser of the Wheaton College-North Carolina Wesleyan College game at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

"I told (Green) at the regionals, if I've got a chance to go to the World Series, I'm going to break your record," said Klovstad, who picked up his 28th career.

Klovstad, who struck out four and walked one, improved to 13-1 on the season. "I saw a good pitcher," Eastern Connecticut State University head coach Bill Holowaty said of Klovstad.

"He showed why he's a senior. He showed why he's an All-American. … Good pitching certainly takes care of good hitting."

The Panthers (32-11) staked Klovstad to a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when John Alexander singled to left field with one out. A ground ball moved Alexander to second, and he scored when Steven Fraser's bloop single fell in front of right fielder Tristan Hobbes.

The Warriors battled back and scratched out a run in the top of the sixth inning. Hobbes dribbled a grounder down the first base line, and Klovstad fielded it but threw wildly to first, allowing Hobbes to reach second. Two ground ball outs later, Hobbes scored to tie the game at 1-1.

That tie didn't last long. Brian Brubaker took the first pitch in the bottom of the sixth from Eastern Connecticut State University starter Justin Davis and deposited it over the left field fence to give Chapman University a 2-1 edge.

"Bru's shot did get us going a little bit," Chapman University head coach Tom Tereschuk said. Klovstad was happy to have the lead back after his throwing error had allowed the game to be tied.

"It was a big relief after I sort of screwed myself," Klovstad said. Chapman University then put the game away in the bottom of the eighth. After Kurt Yacko singled and went to second on a sacrifice bunt, Davis gave way to reliever Joe Esposito, one of four Warriors pitchers to work in the eighth.

After Brubaker walked, Tyler Dean belted a run-scoring double down the right field line to score Yacko. After an intentional walk and sacrifice fly pushed the lead to 4-1, Fraser singled home another run. Reliever Jason LaVorgna came in and walked the next two batters to force in another run to make the score 6-1. Sam Iverson became Eastern Connecticut State University's fourth pitcher of the inning and he struck out Yacko to end the inning.

Klovstad gave up two runs in the ninth, both on Chris DeSantis' single, for the final margin.

By Joe Vanden Acker
Lawrence University Sports Information Director

Photography by Lehigh Photo