The NAIA Coaches' poll for May 1, 2012, with Boyd Nation's Iterative Strength Rating (ISR):
RANK
|
ISR
|
LAST WEEK
|
SCHOOL
|
2012 RECORD
|
TOTAL POINTS
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
LSU-Shreveport
|
46-4
|
559
|
2
|
7
|
2
|
Oklahoma City
|
41-8
|
527
|
3
|
5
|
3
|
Faulkner (AL)
|
47-10
|
521
|
4
|
1
|
4
|
Azusa Pacific (CA)
|
41-9
|
514
|
5
|
2
|
5
|
Lee (TN)
|
49-8-1
|
495
|
6
|
9
|
6
|
Embry-Riddle (FL)
|
38-14
|
458
|
7
|
6
|
7
|
Tennessee Wesleyan
|
41-11
|
449
|
8
|
10
|
8
|
Oklahoma Baptist
|
42-12
|
422
|
9
|
8
|
9
|
Lewis-Clark State (ID)
|
39-11
|
404
|
10
|
22
|
10
|
Point Park (PA)
|
44-7
|
396
|
11
|
4
|
11
|
Concordia-Irvine (CA)
|
33-16
|
387
|
12
|
13
|
13
|
Lindsey Wilson (KY)
|
41-14
|
350
|
13
|
17
|
15
|
South Carolina-Beaufort
|
35-14
|
343
|
14
|
11
|
14
|
Georgetown C. (KY)
|
45-9
|
331
|
15
|
16
|
12
|
St. Thomas (FL)
|
39-12
|
293
|
16
|
40
|
17
|
Judson (IL)
|
44-10
|
271
|
17
|
14
|
16
|
Auburn Montgomery (AL)
|
36-22
|
263
|
18
|
21
|
25
|
Rogers State (OK)
|
41-12
|
247
|
19
|
50
|
19
|
Freed-Hardeman (TN)
|
39-19
|
209
|
20
|
19
|
20
|
Shorter (GAA)
|
37-16
|
194
|
21
|
24
|
23
|
Indiana Tech
|
37-18
|
175
|
22
|
37
|
24
|
Taylor (IN)
|
34-16
|
151
|
23
|
20
|
RV
|
MidAmerica Nazarene (KS)
|
38-12
|
134
|
24
|
39
|
18
|
Lubbock Christian (TX)
|
30-19
|
127
|
25
|
48
|
RV
|
Bellevue (NE)
|
37-17
|
116
|
|
12
|
|
The Master's (CA)
|
33-19
|
|
|
15
|
|
Cal State-San Marcos
|
27-20
|
|
|
18
|
|
Biola (CA)
|
25-25
|
|
|
23
|
|
Vanguard (CA)
|
23-21
|
|
|
25
|
|
Campbellsville (KY)
|
36-16
|
|
First place votes: LSU-Shreveport 18, Azusa Pacific 2
Azusa Pacific is #1 in Strength of Schedule
LSU-Shreveport won the Red River Athletic Conference championship, defeating Bacone 5-2 in the final. This was the only game of the tournament that was close. CF Ridge Gonsoulin went 3-for-4 with an RBI in the final; Drew Middleton got the win.
Oklahoma City swept three games against Wayland Baptist, 5-4, 7-0, and 22-6, and won the Sooner Athletic Conference pennant. 1B Miguel Beltran hit a three-RBI double in the bottom of the seventh to win the first game. Blake Schwartz pitched a complete-game two-hitter in the second game, struck out ten. Beltran hit two home runs in the third game, to bring his season total to 22, tied for most in the NAIA. They finished their regular season with a 8-4 win over Division II Central Oklahoma. RF Chad Carman went 4-for-5 with a home run, a double, and three RBI. The Stars are hosting the SAC tournament, and are scheduled to play Southern Nazarene May 2, Northwestern Oklahoma State on May 3, and #24 Lubbock Christian on May 4.
Faulkner was defeated by #5 Lee 13-0 in the Southern States Athletic Conference tournament, and because the Eagles lost an earlier game in the tournament, 12-9 to Shorter, the loss took the Flames out of the tournament. The loss to Shorter forced the Eagles to deplete their pitching staff, and they had to move position players to the mound for the last two innings of the game against Lee. This was the only meeting of the Eagles and Flames this season.
Azusa Pacific won three of four against Point Loma Nazarene. They lost the first game 6-5 when Matt Winkler balked in a run in the bottom of the 13th inning. Garrett Gooding, who pitched 5 1/3 relief innings for the Sea Lions, allowed four hits, struck out five, got the win. The Cougars won the remaining three games 3-1, 7-3, and 4-2. Jacob Cage got the in in the first game, went six innings, allowed zero earned runs on five hits. RF Brent Warren batted in two of the Cougars' runs, including a bunt single that sent in the winning run. DH Trevor Lothrup hit a grand slam home run to win the second game. 3B Brendan Casey scored the winning run on a wild pitch in the third game; J.C. Aguayo scattered seven hits for the win. The Cougars were upset by Westmont 12-5 in the first round of the Golden State Athletic Conference tournament. 3B David Gabel went 3-for-4 with a home run and a double for the Warriors, batted in four runs. Timothy Leary went eight innings, got the win. This was Westmont's first post-season game in 15 years. The Cougars will play Fresno Pacific on May 2.
Read more: Top 25 and recap for May 1