CARY, N.C. – The top two teams in Division II baseball locked up with the National Championship on the line. The Tampa Spartans outlasted the Colorado Mesa Mavericks 3-1 to claim their eighth National Championship on Saturday afternoon at Coleman Field in the USA Baseball Training Facility.
 
It took six innings, but the Mavericks would score the first run of the game on a RBI single by Chase Hamilton that scored Spencer Bramwell from second base.
 
In the bottom half of the inning, Tampa would answer back. Cole Perry doubled down the left field line with catcher Danny Sirven scoring from first base on the play. Sirven originally ran through head coach Joe Urso's stop sign but the relay throw was bobbled and he was able to score.
 
Colorado Mesa had a chance to take the lead in the top of the seventh inning. With runners on first and second with one out, a double-play thwarted the threat in the inning.
 
The Spartans plated two more in the bottom of the seventh inning on a two-out, two-run single by Yorvis Torrealba, son of former Rockie Yorvit Torrealba.
 
Both pitchers dominated the early going.
 
Maverick Trevin Reynolds got the start and allowed three runs on eight hits and struck out three in seven innings of work. The junior retired the first five batters he faced in the game before allowing his first hit. He retired 14 of the first 15 batters of the game.
 
Reynolds gave way to AJ Landis to finish the eighth inning. The senior allowed one hit and struck out one in 13 pitches.
 
Tampa's Keven Pimentel earned the win on the mound after going seven innings and allowed one run on five hits, walked one and struck out five. The Colorado Rockies draft pick faced traffic in the first two innings he pitched but was able to work out of them.
 
Colorado Mesa's Spencer Bramwell and Will Dixon earned spots on the NCAA National Championship All-Tournament team. Bramwell, selected as the catcher of the tournament, batted over .400 with four doubles during the week, while Dixon turned in a performance for the ages on the mound against Central Missouri.
 
Colorado Mesa ends their season with a 53-12 overall mark. The 53 wins is the most in program history and finish as the National Runner-up for the second time.