Chipola (Fla.) College baseball coach Jeff Johnson was totally surprised.

His team returned to its hotel Friday night, but his players were not chatting or horsing around.

They were dead silent.

“You can definitely not shut the team up much,” Chipola catcher Trey Manz said. “We sat there in the bus for a bit and realized there was nothing we can do about it. We left the loss on the bus.”

They awoke Saturday eager to win a national championship.

They did, defeating New Mexico Junior College 7-3 on Saturday night at Suplizio Field.

“This group never ceases to amaze me,” Johnson said. “I told the guys this is not like us. This morning they were ready to go. Einar Atencio came to me about to cry. He said, ‘Don’t be scared, Coach, we’ll win.’ ”

Chipola (41-18) did it like its championship game opponent did in 2005, winning the title in its first Alpine Bank Junior College World Series appearance in school history.

It was tough to watch for New Mexico (55-8-1), which is 9-2 in its World Series history.

The Indians did it thanks to two outstanding pitching performances from all-tournament players Drew Parker to get them into the championship game and Ryan Chaffee (8-2), who limited the No. 1-ranked team and top-hitting team in the country to three runs on five hits.

“Right before the San Jacinto game, Coach told me if we keep winning, I’d get the championship game,” Chaffee said. “I wanted it. This was huge. I’m happy.”

Manz was nearly speechless after Chaffee’s complete-game five-hitter. The freshman struck out eight.

“All I can say is ‘wow,’ ” Manz said. “That was one of the best teams in the nation and he held them down. From start to finish that was one of his best outings.”

Chaffee’s only blemishes were a solo home run to Pedro Gomez in the fourth and back-to-back singles to Kevin Atkinson and Brian Cavazos-Galves that scored two runs in the eighth.

“We have nothing to be ashamed of,” New Mexico coach Ray Birmingham said. “The difference tonight was Ryan Chaffee.”

Chaffee received plenty of run support, even after the Indians scored 27 runs on 27 hits in their 27-12 victory over Spartanburg Methodist (S.C.) College earlier in the day.

The Indians pushed a run across before New Mexico had a chance to hit. Their first four batters singled, with No. 3 hitter Brandon Street driving home Logan Pierce.

Tom Hatcher, who hit two home runs earlier in the tournament, put down a bunt single to load the bases, but New Mexico starter Matt Speake was able to get a double play, beginning with throwing out the runner at home.

Speake struck out Daniel Renfroe to get out of the jam, leaving two base runners stranded.

Manz, who hit into the double play in the first inning, smoked the first pitch he saw from Speake more than 410 feet over the left-center field fence near the scoreboard for a 2-0 lead. Pierce drove in Kinar Atencio on a single to left for a 3-0 lead.

Pierce delivered his third hit of the game and second RBI with a double to the left-field corner to chase Speake and give the Indians a 4-1 lead in the sixth.

“In the past, I was more of a bunt guy,” Pierce said. “I’ve been relying more on my swing. I think I put only a couple bunts down in state and here.”

Chipola added two more runs in the seventh. Hatcher doubled home Street then scored on David Thoms infield single for a 6-1 lead. Pierce scored on a wild pitch in the eighth.

“We came out with the determination,” Pierce said. “We’re all here, we might as well win it.

“We met on the fourth floor stretching. We started talking about pride. We ate breakfast together and realized today was a big day.”

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Allen Gemaehlich can be reached via e-mail at agemaehlich@gjds.com.