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National Championship recap for May 31

Results from the fourth day of the NAIA Baseball National Championship, in Lewiston, ID:

Lee 7, Embry-Riddle 4 (Embry-Riddle eliminated)
Concordia-Irvine 7, Oklahoma City 4 (Oklahoma City eliminated)
Lubbock Christian 3, LSU-Shreveport 0

Lee 7, Embry-Riddle 4 (Embry-Riddle eliminated)

The Flames took the early lead, chasing Eagles starter Kevin Maloney after he recorded only two outs. The Eagles tied it 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh on reliever Matt Passauer, with an RBI single by 3B Steve Sabins, and an RBI double by 1B Chris Page. Passauer was replaced by Curtis Camilli, who held the Eagles to one hit the rest of the way.

The winning run for the Flames came on a solo home run by 1B Roberto Reyes in the eighth inning. They added two insurance runs in the ninth with RBI singles by DH Chris Grayson and Reyes.

Camilli got the win. Starter Jay Bolen went six innings for the Flames, allowed two runs on five hits, struck out five. Brandon Creath took over from Maloney for the Eagles, went six innings, allowed two runs on three hits.

This will be the fourth straight year that the Flames have finished in the final four. They took the Eagles out of this tournament in the semifinal last year.

Box score and play-by-play
Story from NAIA site

National Championship recap for May 30

Results from the third day of the NAIA Baseball National Championship, in Lewiston, ID:

Concordia-Irvine 7, Oklahoma Baptist 5 (Oklahoma Baptist eliminated)
Lee 7, Lewis-Clark State 3 (Lewis-Clark State eliminated)
LSU-Shreveport 3, Embry-Riddle 2 (10 innings)
Lubbock Christian 8, Oklahoma City 1

Concordia-Irvine 7, Oklahoma Baptist 5 (Oklahoma Baptist eliminated)

The Bison led 5-3 after four innings, on a grand slam home run by 3B Alan Trayler. The Eagles closed to 5-4 with a sacrifice fly by DH Bryan Nicholson in the fifth, then completed the scoring with three runs in the sixth; CF Matt Ivanoff hit a two-RBI triple, then scored on a throwing error.

The Bison didn't go out without a fight, however. They opened the bottom of the ninth with singles by C Mitchell Prophet and SS Jonathan Gelpi. 2B Terrence Buchanan bunted, moving courtesy runner Chris Lemus to third, and Gelpi to second. The Eagles replaced starter Brent Clapper with Ryan Day, with one out and the tying run on second. Gelpi was replaced with a pinch-runner, Jorden Newton. The next batter, CF Reece Alnas, hit a line drive that was caught by RF Ryan Sheeks. Newton, who didn't think the ball would be caught, was caught off second base, ending the game.

Ivanoff had a big day; 4-4 with a double, an triple, four RBI, and three runs scored. Clapper scattered 11 hits, struck out five. Starter Ryan Plum got the loss for the Bison.

Box score and play-by-play
Story from NAIA site

National Championship recap for May 28

Results from the second day of the NAIA Baseball National Championship, in Lewiston, ID:

Lee 7, Faulkner 3 (Faulkner eliminated)
Oklahoma Baptist 8, Tennessee Wesleyan 6 (Tennessee Wesleyan eliminated)
Embry-Riddle 9, Concordia-Irvine 3
Oklahoma City 2, Lewis-Clark State 1

Lee 7, Faulkner 3 (Faulkner eliminated)

Curtis Camilli and Matt Passauer combined to hold the Eagles to five hits. 1B Roberto Reyes went 4-4 with three double and a home run.

Box score and play-by-play
Story from NAIA site

National Championship recap for May 27

Results from the first day of the NAIA Baseball National Championship, in Lewiston, ID:

Concordia-Irvine 7, Faulkner 2
LSU-Shreveport 5, Lee 4
Lubbock Christian 7, Oklahoma Baptist 2
Lewis-Clark State 5, Tennessee Wesleyan 4

Concordia-Irvine 7, Faulkner 2

Faulkner started their ace, R.L. Eisenbach, and Concordia was able to score four runs on five hits on him in only three-plus innings. Eisenbach was chased by a two-RBI double by 2B Robbie Knowles. The first of the two RBI held up as the winning run; Concordia starter Dean Persinger held Faulkner to two runs on four hits over the first six innings, and reliever Josh White held Faulkner scoreless the rest of the way.

Knowles got a sacrifice fly late in the game, and finished 1-3 with three RBI. LF Kyle Konicek went 2-4 with a double and two RBI.

Box score and play-by-play
Story from NAIA site

National Championship preview

Schedule for the first day of the 55th NAIA Baseball National Championship, Friday, May 27, Harris Field, Lewiston, ID (all times PDT):

8:30 AM: #8 seed Faulkner (48-13) vs. #9 Concordia-Irvine (38-18)

Faulkner (Montgomery, AL) is making their first appearance at the Baseball National Championship.
Nickname: Eagles
Rankings: #12 in coaches' poll, #7 in ISR. Strength of schedule: #29
Significant wins: 2-2 vs. Brewton-Parker, 1-1 vs. Tennessee Wesleyan, 2-1 vs. Union C. (KY)
Top position players: LHP/OF Tucker Willard (.391), IF Daniel Cayton (.371), IF Michael Clayton (.355, 15 HR, 69 RBI)
Top pitchers: LHP R.L. Eisenbach (14-1, 1.36 ERA, 112 K), RHP Jacob Simmons (10-3, 3.70 ERA), RHP Colby Broussard (4-0, 4.29 ERA, 8 saves). Eisenbach leads the NAIA in wins. He made two starts for Lubbock Christian in the 2009 BNC. One of them was a complete-game 2-1 loss to Point Loma Nazarene, one of the best games played in Lewiston in recent years. He allowed five hits, struck out eight. (Click here and scroll down for story.)
Coach: Patrick McCarthy, second season
Outlook: Faulkner will probably go 1-2.

Concordia-Irvine (Irvine, CA) is making their second trip to Lewiston; the first one was in 2006. They won the Golden State Athletic Conference tournament, and come into this tournament with an eight-game winning streak.
Nickname: Eagles
Rankings: Unranked in coaches' poll, #12 in ISR. SoS: #1
Significant wins: 2-0 vs. British Columbia, 2-4 vs. Cal Baptist, 3-2 vs. Fresno Pacific, Cal Poly Pomona
Top position players: 1B Bryan Nicholson (.423, 9 HR, 61 RBI), OF Kyle Konicek (.380)
Top pitchers: RHP Blake Harrison (7-1, 2.67 ERA, 60 K), RHP Dean Persinger (6-4, 3.82 ERA, 56 K), RHP Brent Clapper (8-4, 4.20 ERA, 61 K), RHP Ryan Day (1-1, 4.00 ERA, 7 saves)
Coach: Mike Grahovac, third season
Outlook: Concordia had a strong finish in a tough conference, and won the Opening Round bracket with the strongest field. They can finish in the top four. The first game will be tough if Faulkner starts Eisenbach.

Opening Round Recap for May 16

#4 Oklahoma Baptist won the Joliet bracket, defeating #13 Biola 13-1 after a 44-hour rain delay. Bison starter Chad Hardison was able to pick up where he left off on Saturday, allowed six hits in six innings total. The Bison got all the runs they needed before the rain delay; LF Michael Sliger scored when 3B Alan Trayler was hit by a pitch, and 1B Bam Davis scored during a double play. DH Daniel Baptista went 3-4 with an RBI. Story from Oklahoma Baptist site

This will be the first trip to the Baseball National Championship for the Bison since 1996.

#12 Faulkner defeated #8 Union C. (KY) 4-2 in the “if necessary” game to decide the Kingsport bracket. R.L. Eisenbach got his second win of the tournament, allowed four hits in 6 1/3 innings, threw 100 pitches on two days rest. Union starter Brandon Hedrick went 6 2/3 innings, allowed only one earned run on three hits, struck out 11, threw 140 pitches. However, he walked seven batters and hit one more. The winning run for the Eagles came on a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning by DH Tim Barranza with the bases loaded; an additional run came in on a throwing error. Story from Faulker site

Eisenbach leads the NAIA with 14 wins, and has an ERA of 1.27. This is Faulkner's first trip to the Baseball National Championship, but it will be the second trip for Eisenbach; he pitched for Lubbock Christian in 2009.

 

Opening Round Recap for May 15

During the first two seasons of the current “direct qualification” arrangement, no unranked teams made it through to the Baseball National Championship in Lewiston. The lowest ranked team to get to Lewiston was Tennessee Wesleyan, ranked #24 at the end of the 2010 season.

This season turned out differently. Concordia-Irvine (ISR #14) and Tennessee Wesleyan (ISR #28) will be in the Baseball National Championship field.

Concordia-Irvine won the Riverside bracket, defeating #3 Cal Baptist 4-2 in the final. DH Bryan Nicholson hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning to win it for the Eagles. Brent Clapper, who allowed six hits in 7 1/3 innings, got the win.

The was the Eagles' eighth straight win, and their 20th win in their past 22 games.

Tennessee Wesleyan won the Paducah bracket, defeating #5 Cumberland 9-2 in the “if necessary” game. DH David Bergin hit two home runs and had six RBI for Wesleyan in the all-Bulldogs matchup. Josh McDaniel, pitching for Wesleyan on short rest, went six innings, allowed no earned runs on two hits. Corey Collins went the rest of the way, held Cumberland scoreless; both of Cumberland's runs came in the first inning.

Cumberland defeated Wesleyan 19-10 earlier the same day. LF Jesse Bowman went 4-5 with six RBI for Cumberland; Bergin hit two home runs for Wesleyan in this game, too, and he now has 23 on the season.

Wesleyan defeated Cumberland 5-3 earlier in the tournament, and the starters were Bergin and Aaron Wilkerson. Neither got a decision, but Bergin got the best of the matchup, went 6 1/3 innings, allowed three runs on six hits, struck out seven. Wilkerson, making the last appearance of his career, went three innings, allowed three runs on eight hits. His numbers for 2011 are 12-0, 1.49 ERA, and 90 strikeouts. He had 26 straight wins in his two seasons at Cumberland. He got the only at-bat of his career in a 14-7 win over William Jewell in this tournament; he came in as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning, and reached on a fielder's choice.

National Championship Opening Round field

The locations and seeding for the NAIA National Championship Opening Round tournament, May 12-16 at nine locations:

Location and Seedings

Coaches'
Poll

ISR

How Qualified

Daytona Beach Bracket

No. 1 Embry-Riddle (FL)

1

2

CC

Hosted by Embry-Riddle - Daytona Beach, FL Tournament site

No. 2 Brewton-Parker (GA)

15

10

AL

 

No. 3 Campbellsville (KY)

 

34

CC

 

No. 4 William Carey (MS)

 

52

CR

 

No. 5 Edward Waters (FL)

 

90

CC

Oklahoma City Bracket

No. 1 Oklahoma City

2

2

AL

Hosted by Oklahoma City - Oklahoma City, OK Tournament site

No. 2 Fresno Pacific (CA)

18

11

AL

 

No. 3 Belhaven (MS)

20

21

CC

 

No. 4 Texas-Brownsville

 

46

CR

 

No. 5 Doane (NE)

 

82

CC

Riverside Bracket

No. 1 California Baptist

3

4

CC

Hosted by California Baptist - Riverside, CA Tournament site

No. 2 British Columbia

17

5

CC

 

No. 3 Concordia-Irvine (CA)

 

14

CC

 

No. 4 California State-San Marcos

 

25

CC

 

No. 5 St. Thomas (FL)

 

53

CR

Joliet Bracket

No. 1 Oklahoma Baptist

4

9

CR

Hosted by Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference and St. Francis (Ill.) - Joliet, Ill. Tournament site

No. 2 Biola (CA)

13

8

AL

 

No. 3 St. Francis (IL)

 

60

CC

 

No. 4 Robert Morris (IL)

 

83

CC

 

No. 5 Jamestown (ND)

 

31

CC

Paducah Bracket

No. 1 Cumberland (TN)

5

6

AL

Hosted by Paducah CVB/Brooks Stadium - Paducah, KY Tournament site

No. 2 Southern Polytechnic (GA)

19

26

AL

 

No. 3 Tennessee Wesleyan

 

28

CC

 

No. 4 Bellevue (NE)

 

67

CC

 

No. 5 William Jewell (MO)

 

75

CC

Montgomery Bracket

No. 1 LSU-Shreveport (LA)

6

13

CC

Hosted by Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) - Montgomery, Ala. Tournament site

No. 2 Auburn-Montgomery (AL)

10

16

AL

 

No. 3 Union U. (TN)

22

23

CC

 

No. 4 William Woods (MO)

 

35

CC

 

No. 5 Huntington (IN)

 

129

CC

Cleveland Bracket

No. 1 Lee (TN)

7

15

AL

Hosted by Lee (Tenn.) - Cleveland, Tenn.

No. 2 Missouri Baptist

14

18

AL

 

No. 3 Culver-Stockton (MO)

25

44

CC

 

No. 4 Indiana Tech

 

39

CC

 

No. 5 Shawnee State (OH)

 

51

CC

Kingsport Bracket

No. 1 Union C. (KY)

8

17

AL

Hosted by Kingsport CVB and Appalachian Athletic Conference - Kingsport, TN Tournament site

No. 2 Faulkner (AL)

12

12

AL

 

No. 3 IU Southeast

 

45

CC

 

No. 4 Iowa Wesleyan

 

33

CC

 

No. 5 Mount Vernon Nazarene (OH)

 

32

CC

Lubbock Bracket

No. 1 Lubbock Christian (TX)

9

7

AL

Hosted by Lubbock Christian - Lubbock, TX Tournament site

No. 2 Rogers State (OK)

15

22

CC

 

No. 3 Northwood (TX)

21

24

AL

 

No. 4 Kansas Wesleyan

 

73

CC

 

No. 5 Hastings (NE)

 

121

CC



First place votes: Embry-Riddle 20, Oklahoma City 1, Lewis-Clark State 1; Lewis-Clark State was #11 in the coaches' poll, #1 in the ISR

How qualified: CC = conference champion, CR = conference runner-up, AL = at large

Left out: College of Idaho (ISR #19), Trevecca Nazarene (ISR #20), Point Park (coaches' #23), York (coaches' #24)

Conference tournament roundup for May 7

Union U. (TN) won the TranSouth Conference tournament, defeating Bethel (TN) 11-2 in the final. DH Bryan Hill  went 4-5, and CF Brett Pawlen went 3-4 with three RBI. Derek Roof went the distance for the Bulldogs, scattered nine hits.

Union defeated Martin Methodist 12-7 to get to the final.  Story from Union  U. site.

#19 Rogers State won their first-ever Sooner Athletic Conference tournament, defeating #5 Oklahoma Baptist 12-7 in the final. DH Cody Campbell went 3-5 with a double and a two-run home run. The home run provided the winning run for the Hillcats. Eric Faust got the win. Story from Rogers State site.

#20 British Columbia won their third straight NAIA West title, defeating College of Idaho 13-8 in the "if necessary" game. LF Andrew Madsen batted in three runs. He hit two doubles in four at-bats, and got a huge assist, throwing out a baserunner at the plate. Shawn Hetherington got the win in relief. He came on in the sixth inning, went 2 2/3 innings, allowed no runs on two hits. Story from British Columbia site

 

Conference tournament roundup for May 6

#1 Embry-Riddle won their third straight The Sun Conference tournament, defeating Saint Thomas 10-2. The Eagles got all the runs they needed in the third inning. SS Jordan Romero scored on a throwing error, 3B Steve Sabins hit an RBI double, and 1B Ben Kline hit a single to score Sabins. Daniel Eaton got the win, went eight innings, scattered nine hits. Kline was 10-19 for the tournament, with two home runs and ten RBI.

Concordia-Irvine (ISR #24) won their first-ever Golden State Athletic Conference title, defeating Biola 14-4. Concordia out-hit Biola by only 13-11, but Concordia got it started with four runs in the second inning; a two-RBI by 2B Robbie Knowles, a sacrifice fly by SS Edgar Guillen, and an RBI single by CF Matt Ivanoff. They got the winning run an inning later, when courtesy runner Sean Costella scored when 3B Danny Casey was hit by a pitch. Costella scored two more runs in the game, including a acrobatic move to avoid a tag coming home on a double by DH Bryan Nicholson. Story (with video) from Concordia-Irvine site.

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