Schedule for the first two days of the 56th NAIA Baseball National Championship, Friday, May 25, Harris Field, Lewiston, ID (all times PDT):
9 AM: #7 seed Point Park (51-9) vs. #10 College of Idaho (41-19)
Point Park (Pittsburgh) is making their first appearance at the Baseball National Championship since 1998.
Nickname: Pioneers
Rankings: #12 in coaches' poll, #17 in ISR. Strength of schedule: #160
Significant wins: Campbellsville
Top position players: OF Tom Pasinski (.351), IF Tom Birko (.343)
Top pitchers: RHP Derek Peluso (9-1, 2.23 ERA, 73 K), RHP Manny Perdomo (7-0, 1.47 ERA), LHP Nathan Spohn (8-0, 2.29 ERA), RHP Sean Clark (7-0, 2.55 ERA)
Coach: Loren Torres, third season
Outlook: The Pioneers are happy to be here.
College of Idaho (Caldwell, ID) is making their first trip to the Baseball National Championship since 2002. They won the championship in 1998.
Nickname: Coyotes
Rankings: Unranked in coaches' poll, #28 in ISR. SoS: #31
Significant wins: 1-1 vs. Azusa Pacific, 3-1 vs. British Columbia, 2-3 vs. Lewis-Clark State
Top position players: LF Izaac Garsez (.396, 8 home runs, 52 RBI), Jarel Lewis (.374, 6 home runs, 56 RBI), Tanner Hodges (.373, 66 RBI), 3B/RHP Todd Griffiths (.258), DH Jesse Dodd (.369).
Top pitchers: RHP Taylor Nicholson (9-2, 2.47 ERA, 63 K), LHP Zachary Fabricius (5-4, 4.04 ERA, 39 K), RHP Chad Yeggy (8-3, 3.71 ERA), LHP Joshua Orr (7-4, 4.09 ERA), RHP Todd Griffiths (4-1, 2.58 ERA).
Coach: Shawn Humberger, 12th season
Outlook: The Coyotes played well all season in a good conference, and got a win at Azusa Pacific to get here. They should get a couple of wins in this tournament.
Read more: National Championship preview