No. 7-seed College of DuPage scored three runs in the first inning and made it hold up with masterful starting pitching from Aidan Pieniazek and top-notch relief again from Mike Biscan and Ryan Sigale as the Chaparrals defeated No. 5-seed Herkimer 3-1 on Monday in elimination play at the NJCAA Division III Baseball World Series in Auburn, N.Y.
 
The Chaps improved to 33-17 overall and face No. 3-seed Dallas College-Eastfield (48-14) at 2 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday. A Chaps win would place them against Dallas College-Richland (42-19), which lost 8-2 against RCSJ Gloucester in the semifinals Monday night. Game time is 7 p.m. Eastern.

RCSJ Gloucester (50-8) is the lone undefeated team in the tourney.
 
Pieniazek retired the first nine batters faced, and COD got rolling on Filip Milatovic's two-run double that scored Quinn Flanagan (walk) and Joe Pender (single). Two batters later, Milatovic scored on a Jack Wade ground-out.
 
"Aidan set the tone today,'' interim head coach Matt Gould said. "That was huge. We got the lead on them right away and it just felt like we were in control with the three runs and Aidan dialed in.''
 
Chaparrals 3, Herkimer 1 (Box Score)

• Pieniazek gave COD five innings, allowing three hits, one run (earned), striking out four and walking one and hitting one
• Biscan came on in relief in the sixth, giving up three hits and striking out two with two walks
• Ryan Sigale earned his second save in as many games, facing four batters and allowing just a walk
• Sigale has retired nine of his last 11 batters (error and a walk)
• Herkimer threatened in the fifth with bases loaded and two outs
• Pieniazek induced an inning-ending groundout to third
• Herkimer had bases loaded again with one out in the seventh, but COD earned an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play to end the threat
• COD totaled six hits with Milatovic supplying double the only extra-base hit
• Joe Pender led at the plate, going 2-for-4
• Mark Mennecke, Jake Pauley and Michael Morgan each singled

NJCAA Division III Baseball College World Series
May 25-30, 2024 | All times Eastern
Falcon Park, Auburn, N.Y.
(Double Elimination)
Saturday, May 25
No. 3 seed Dallas College-Eastfield def. No. 6 St. Cloud Tech, 7-2
No. 2 seed Dallas College-Richland def. No. 7 Chaparrals 15-7 7 innings
No. 1 seed RCSJ Gloucester def. No. 8 Northern Essex 4-0
No. 5 seed Herkimer def. No. 4 seed Camp 9-7

Sunday, May 26
Chaparrals def. St. Cloud Tech, 6-3
Camp def. Northern Essex, 9-5
Dallas College-Richland def. Dallas College-Eastfield, 3-2
RCSJ Gloucester def. Herkimer, 10-0 5 innings

Monday, May 27
Dallas College-Eastfield def. Camp, 10-2 7 innings
Chaparrals def. Herkimer, 3-1
RCSJ Gloucester def. Dallas College-Richland, 8-2

Tuesday, May 28
2 p.m. — Chaparrals vs. Dallas College-Eastfield
7 p.m. – Dallas College-Richland vs. Winner of COD/Dallas College-Eastfield

Wednesday, May 29 (Championship)
7 p.m. — RCSJ Gloucester vs. Tuesday 7 p.m. winner

Thursday, May 30 (if necessary)
7 p.m.