Graves Keys Chapman’s First Title

Matt Graves drove in three runs with a home run and a double, and Chapman had 24 hits in a 15-7 victory over Christopher Newport, Va., in the championship game of the NCAA Division III World Series on Tuesday at Grand Chute, Wis.

Chapman (39-12) won its first national title.

The Panthers forced a final game in the double-elimination tournament with a 15-2 victory over Christopher Newport (35-9) earlier in the day.

In the championship game, Christopher Newport took a 2-0 lead after two innings, but Graves hit a two-run double during a four-run rally in the third, putting Chapman ahead, 4-2.

Christopher Newport scored three runs in the third, starting with a homer by Matt Turner.

Chapman scored twice in each of the next two innings to go ahead, 8-5, before Christopher Newport got two runs in the fifth to make it 8-7.

Graves’ solo homer in the sixth made it 9-7, and Chapman scored five times in the seventh, including two runs each on Shaun Donahoe’s single and Brian Sanders’ double. Scott Akamine pitched a complete game for Chapman, giving up nine hits and striking out six.

Jeremy Elliot had five stolen bases for Christopher Newport.

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USC is a shot back of four teams tied for first place after the opening round of the NCAA men’s golf championships at Stillwater, Okla.

Lee Williams shot a three-under-par 69, leading Auburn to a tie with Clemson, Oklahoma State and North Carolina State at 11-over 299. Oklahoma State’s Hunter Mahan shot a one-over 73, and Clemson’s D.J. Trahan finished the round at three over.

Only 12 of 156 golfers shot par or better at the Karsten Creek Golf Club, a par-72 carved out of the blackjack and scrub oak trees.

The Trojans and Duke were both 12 over. Florida was another two strokes back after shooting a 302. UCLA shot 303. Defending champion Minnesota is in 11th place after shooting 305.

Mahan, who shared this year’s Ben Hogan Award with Arizona’s Ricky Barnes as collegiate player of the year, was tied for 13th in the individual competition.

“I’m pretty disappointed in it,” Mahan said. “I hit the ball better than what I shot. I hit a lot of fairways and I hit a lot of greens, but I just didn’t put well.”

Trahan, last year’s Ben Hogan winner, shot 75 despite making birdies on three of the last four holes.