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LEWISTON, Idaho – Trotter Boston’s 12th home run of the season keyed a five-run eighth for Hope International (Calif.) and Chaz McWilliams struck out 11 in seven innings of relief, as the Royals stormed back to keep their hopes for back-to-back Red Banners intact, beating Cumberlands (Ky.) 9-7 at the 2025 Avista NAIA World Series in Lewiston.

Charlie Muniz hit home run No. 36 of the season for Cumberlands, finishing the day with three RBIs, while Trent Prokes was 2-for-2 with two runs batted in. Matthew Pinal was 2-for-5 for Hope International, scoring three runs and driving in two, one of three Royals with multi-hit games. Boston was one of those with two hits, adding four RBIs. The win was No. 50 on the year for Hope International, improving to 50-7.

For the second-consecutive game, Boston got Hope International on the board with a single, this time on the infield to score Pinal, who tripled off the right-field wall to start the inning. The lead was short-lived and Cumberlands answered immediately, as Prokes drove in two with a single. Later in the inning, Muniz hit No. 36, a three-run homer well over the wall in left to make it 7-1.

From there, though, control of the game went to McWilliams, who scattered three Cumberlands hits over the remainder of the game.

In the fourth, Hope International belted a pair of home runs, both to right field, as Pinal backed up his triple with a homer off the scoreboard netting, and two batters later, Colby Moran’s solo shot made it 7-3.

Pinal drove in another run in the eighth, grounding into a fielder’s choice to score one, and a second run scored on the play when the ball got away at first base to make it 7-5.

Boston delivered the go-ahead homer three batters later.

Cumberlands threatened in the eighth, as the Patriots got runners to the corners with two outs and Muniz at the plate, but McWilliams got Muniz swinging. The Royals added insurance, when Kyle Harvey singled in Julian Francois, and McWilliams came back out for the ninth, allowing a leadoff single before a pop-out, a strikeout, and a liner to third to end the game.

Hope International has advanced to Thursday, at 6:30 p.m. PT, and will meet the only remaining unbeaten team in the bracket, live on the NAIA Network and Urban Edge Network, at NAIA.org/watch.

Cumberlands finished the season at 50-12.