PETERSBURG, VA- The Chowan University baseball team advanced to the CIAA Championship game on Friday afternoon.  Ryan Moore's base hit up the middle in the bottom of the tenth gave the Hawks a 9-8 win over Virginia State to secure a spot for Chowan in the title game on Saturday.  Chowan will take on Winston-Salem State at 1:00pm and must defeat the Rams twice to capture the title. 
 
The Trojans were the first to score in the contest.  They took advantage of an RBI double and RBI single to grab a quick 2-0 lead.  The Hawks answered back in their half of the frame when John Hunter's single allowed Josh Catalano to score.   Virginia State made the score 3-1 in their next at-bat after scoring on a wild pitch. 
 
William Ward's single in the bottom of the second scored Drew Mason to keep the Hawks within striking distance.  Virginia State plated two additional runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to take a 7-2 lead.  Chowan fought back in their half of the inning after Colby Wiggins and Austin Hall drew bases loaded walks to make the score 7-4.  Mason's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh put the Hawks within two runs of the Trojans. 
 
In the top of the ninth, Evans again hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Christopher from third base. The run added some insurance for Virginia State and gave them an 8-5 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.
 
Chowan remained calm and stepped up to the challenge in the bottom of the inning. Hunter's two-run single put the Hawks back within striking distance.  Evan Seymour was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to knot the game 8-8.  The Trojans failed to score in their next at-bat, setting the stage for a walk-off win for the Hawks. 
 
Brandon Mack drew a walk to lead off the home half of the inning.   After advancing to second on a wild pitch, Moore He later advanced to second off a wild pitch. Ryan Moore, the next batter, singled up the middle to score Mack and secure the win. 
 
Five Hawks finished the game with two hits, with Hunter knocking in three RBI's.  Evan Holton's triple in the bottom of the seventh, his eighth of the season, broke the Chowan University single season record for triples. 
 
Bobby Mason earned the win in the contest after coming in to relieve George Mazza in the 5th. Both pitched five innings with one strikeout each.
 
Competition will continue on Saturday, April 20^th at Whaley Colbert Field between Winston-Salem State (No. 1 seed) and Chowan (No. 4 seed) at 1:00 p.m.