MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Mike Stevenson drove in two runs in the seventh to break a 4-4 tie with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and lead Lewis University to an 8-4 win in the second game of the NCAA Division II baseball championship Saturday.
Lewis, from Romeoville, Ill., 42-21, advanced to the second round against Slippery Rock (Pa.), 41-15, which beat top-seeded Armstrong State 11-4 in the first game.
Bob Russ, 9-3, was the winner and Greg Paxton, 10-3, was the loser. Lewis had 12 hits to Cal Poly's 10.
Cal Poly's Rich Shepperd started the scoring in the third, driving in Robert Hale on a hit that was charged as an error by Lewis shortstop Tom Michalak.
Lewis went ahead in the sixth when Mike Jonas singled, Carl Dunbar doubled, moving Jonas to third and Mike Stevenson singled, scoring Jonas. Scott Pickands went to first on a passed ball, scoring Dunbar from third to go up 2-1.
Cal Poly, 33-25, jumped ahead 4-2 in the sixth when Bill Daly doubled off the center field wall, scoring Doug Noce, who had singled, and Billy Smith, who walked. Matt Drake singled, scoring Daly, who went to third on a bad throw after his double.
Lewis broke the game open in the seventh, scoring six runs, including one on a crucial error that erased possibly two outs.
Joe Senese walked and Jonas singled to score Senese. Randy Russ singled, Jonas grounded to Cal Poly's Matt Drake at third on what should have been a routine double play. But Drake's throw went into right field and Senese scored.
Michalak singled, loading the bases, Dunbar doubled, scoring Randy Russ, to make it 4-4. Stevenson doubled, scoring Michalak and Dunbar to make it 6-4. Pickands singled, driving in Stevenson.
Ernie Young drove a ball deep to left, scoring Pickands to make it 8-4, but he was thrown out sliding into third.
Armstrong State, 43-16, will play Cal Poly, 34-23, Sunday. Jacksonville (Ala.) State, 37-13-1, played New Haven (Conn.) in the late game delayed three hours by rain Saturday. Rollins (Fla.), 36-21, plays Central Missouri State, 38-14-2, Sunday.
