6/10:  Tyler Peck and Henry (Hank) Zeisler have won their share of championships in their careers and added a College National Championship to their lists as they helped Chapman University win the 2019 DIII title in Cedar Rapids, Iowa this week.

Senior Tyler Peck and Sophomore Henry Zeisler display their DIII National Championship trophies

Tyler ended his senior campaign as an All-American and earned the win in the critical first game of the final series, pitching seven strong innings while yielding just three runs while striking out five.  Tamalpais graduate Mason Collins pitched a complete-game shut-out in the second game, earning title for Chapman in a  11-0 blowout.

Henry was named to the All-Tournament Team along with eight other Chapman players and was named the Most Outstanding Player at the Division III World Series. When asked how it felt to be a National Champion Hank said, “Literally the greatest feeling in the world.” Zeisler led the Panthers with a .538 batting average in their seven games, including 14 hits, three doubles, five RBIs and 10 runs scored.  “I never felt more comfortable at the plate.  Starting a few weeks ago everything just started clicking and confidence took it from there.”

Tyler told the Independent Journal that the Chapman team was close-knit and compared the chemistry to the Redwood team that won the NCS title in 2015.  “The two teams were very similar with chemistry. In my previous seasons at Chapman and Redwood and baseball altogether, the closer knit you are, the better you’re going to do,” Peck told the IJ. “Both that 2015 Redwood team and Chapman in 2019, you’re going to go to war for those guys and that’s what we did. That was the difference.” Shortly after Tyler celebrated the National Championship he received news that he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals and will report to the Cardinals’ Spring Training facility in Jupiter, Florida on Monday, where he’ll eventually get his first minor league assignment.