GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Chattanooga State’s first appearance in the NJCAA Division I baseball World Series concluded with one losers-bracket win and almost another one, but the Tigers ended their season with a 40-17 record by falling 8-7 on Monday to Temple (Texas) College.
Zach Cohen homered twice and batted in three runs and Colten Boothe was 4-for-4 with a home run and a triple for Temple (39-24), and their solo homers in the eighth inning off Max Aeschlimann put the Leopards ahead.
Leadoff batter Gabe Herman was 4-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored for Chattanooga State, and he singled in the top of the ninth after J.D. Pullen was hit by a pitch with one out. But Michael Maxwell, the Tigers’ leading hitter for the season and their first-team all-conference player, grounded to shortstop for a game-ending double play.
Pullen was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, Isaac Davenport and Andy Marinelli each was 3-for-5 with a double and Davenport, Zack DeBord and Taylor Eaves each scored two runs for the Tigers. Maxwell and Marinelli each had one RBI.
Starting pitcher Brandon Elrod gave up five hits and three runs, one earned, in four innings and Chattanooga State led 5-3 after five.