The 57th NAIA baseball season is already under way, and the Golden State Athletic Conference is already playing conference matchups. The season gets going in earnest this weekend. Defending champion Tennessee Wesleyan visits #9 Faulkner, #2 LSU-Shreveport visits William Carey, Northwestern Ohio visits #3 Lee, #23 Doane visits #4 Oklahoma City, #5 Rogers State visits Arlington Baptist, #20 Georgetown College (KY) visits #7 Embry-Riddle, and #10 Oklahoma Baptist visits Southwestern Oklahoma.
Here is an evaluation of the top 10 teams according to the pre-season coaches' poll:
#1 – Tennessee Wesleyan: Pre-season All-American OF Jake Stone (.407, 13 home runs) is back. He had a great summer, led the Coastal Plain League in hitting with a .375 average. Other returnees are OF-DH Drew Levi (.326, 12 HR), OF Travis Burnside (.284), RHP Corey Rhoney (10-0, 2.31 ERA, 64 K), and LHP Josh Coller (10-2, 3.02 ERA, 99 K). The Bulldogs also have a prize recruit, OF Kendall Radcliffe, selected in the 25th round of the 2013 MLB Draft. Games to watch: at Faulkner Feb. 2, at Auburn-Montgomery Feb. 3, Lee Feb. 12, Lindsey Wilson Feb. 20, Georgetown C. March 19, Lee March 27, Cumberland March 29-30, at Georgetown C. April 3, at Lee April 9
#2 – LSU-Shreveport: OF Kyle Pearson (.353, 14 HR, 66 RBI, 13 stolen bases, 1.000 fielding percentage) is a pre-season All-American. Other returnees are 1B Greg Friesen (.391, 15 HR, 68 RBI), OF Kade Billeaudeaux (.380), RHP Jason Mouton (1-0, 3.60 ERA), RHP Ben Suit (2-0, 2.25 ERA), LHP Jake Byrd (0-0, 0.00 ERA), and LHP Caleb Olsen (0-0, 0.00 ERA). C Jared Vial is a newcomer with the Pilots. Games to watch: Houston-Victoria Feb. 8-9, at Houston-Victoria Feb. 12, Southern Arkansas Feb. 19, Texas-Tyler March 19, at Southern Arkansas April 2, at Centenary April 17, Centenary April 23
#3 – Lee: The Flames had five players drafted last year. One of them, RHP Andy Hillis (5-1, 2.73 ERA), is returning for another season. He will be joined by two recruits who were good enough to be drafted, RHP Myles Smith (16th round, transfer from Miami Dade College) and LHP Clint Terry (36th round, transfer from College of San Mateo). The pitching staff will have two more JUCO transfers with impressive records, RHP Jeremy Stawychny (Heartland CC) and RHP Keegan Yuhl (Orange Coast College). To top it off, RHP Jose Samayoa (8-0, 2.70 ERA, 76 K), OF Trevor Burgess (.298), and OF Cameron Brewster (.278) are returning for the Flames. The Flames have come close to winning the national championship several times, and this will be their last shot at it before moving on to Division II. Games to watch: Georgetown C. Feb. 8, at Tennessee Wesleyan Feb. 12, Auburn-Montgomery Feb. 22-23, Lindsey Wilson March 12, at Tennessee Wesleyan March 27, Cumberland April 2, Tennessee Wesleyan April 9
#4 – Oklahoma City: The Stars have IF Chris Muñoz (.388, 11 HR, 44 RBI), RHP Cody Crabaugh (10-2, 3.39 ERA), and RHP Patrick Goelz (2-2, 1.70 ERA, 8 saves) returning. They are favored to win what should be a hot Sooner Athletic Conference race. Games to watch: Doane Feb. 2-3, Bellevue Feb. 16-17, Oklahoma Baptist March 7-8, at Oklahoma Baptist March 9, Lubbock Christian April 12-13, at Rogers State April 25, Rogers State April 27 Live Video ($7.95/game, $59.95 for the season)
#5: Rogers State: CF Eric Baker (.397) led the Hillcats in hitting last year, and he's back for another season. He hit nine home runs in the New York Collegiate Baseball league (tied for league best) last summer, and batted .375 (eighth in league). Also back is 2B Hector Rivera (.353), OF Colton Campbell (.350), fourth-year starter LHP Casey Cassity (4-1, 2.56), LHP Shawn Spainhoward (11-2, 2.72 ERA, 81 K), and LHP Brandon Bargas (7-4, 3.87 ERA, 114 K). Games to watch: at Oklahoma Baptist March 21, Oklahoma Baptist March 23, at Lubbock Christian April 19-20, Oklahoma City April 25, at Oklahoma City April 27
#6 – Point Park: The Pioneers have most of their 2012 team returning: LF Rob Novia (.340, 42 RBI), CF Tom Pasinski (.339, 34 RBI) , RF Javy Marticorena (.384, 7 HR, 34 RBI), Don McDuffee (.330), 2B Tom Birko (.322, 45 RBI), DH Marlon Leyva (.313), RHP Sean Clark (8-0, 2.69 ERA), LHP Nathan Sphon (8-1, 2.45) and RHP Manny Perdomo (7-0, 1.79). They've added RHP Austin Pressly, a transfer from West Virginia. Games to watch: at Cambbellsville Feb. 24, Madonna at Winter Haven, FL March 4, at Embry-Riddle March 8, at Georgetown C. March 24 Live Video
#7 – Embry-Riddle: The Eagles had a lot of turnover. Their returning starters are 3B Jeff Lemon (.359), C Adam Cellini (.255), IF Tyler Robbins (.220), Pre-Season All-American LHP Kevin Maloney (9-0, 1.68 ERA, 19-0, 2.62 ERA career), and RHP Chad Modomo (6-3, 3.36 ERA). Prominent newcomers are LHP Stetson Nelson (transfer from Winthrop), RHP Brian Johnson (transfer from Seminole State CC), and the entire outfield: Kyle Chastain, Kevin Lindheim (transfer from Stetson) and Liam Goodall (transfer from Vancouver Island Baseball Institute). Games to watch: Georgetown C. Feb. 1-2, at South Carolina-Beaufort Feb. 15-16, Bellevue March 3-4, Point Park March 8, Lewis-Clark State March 19-23, Daytona Cubs April 3, at Tampa April 9 Live Video ($7.95/game, $24.99 for the season)
#8 – Lewis-Clark State: The Warriors have a new Head Coach this season, Jeremiah Robbins, who had a record of 252-109 and seven straight Great Northwest Athletic Conference titles at Division II Western Oregon. He has plenty of talent to work with at L-C State: OF Kyle Knigge (.355), 1B Brady Steiger (transfer from Washington State), LHP Anthony Armanino (10-1, 1.99 ERA, 91 K), RHP Michael Noteware (9-3, 2.23 ERA), and RHP Cordell Greene (transfer from Washington). Games to watch: British Columbia Feb. 8, 10, C. of Idaho Feb. 16, Western Oregon Feb. 23-24, at Embry-Riddle March 19-23, at C. of Idaho March 29-31, at Western Oregon April 19-21, British Columbia April 26-28, Whitworth May 5
#9 – Faulkner: The Eagles' top returnees are CF Brook Boudreaux (.367) and RHP Will Dismukes (9-2, 2.15 ERA). Games to watch: Tennessee Wesleyan Feb. 2, Lindsey Wilson Feb. 3, Cumberland Feb. 19, at Cumberland March 19, at Lindsey Wilson March 20, at Auburn-Montgomery April 25-26 Live Video
#10 – Oklahoma Baptist: The Bison will have solid pitching, with starters RHP Johnathan Christensen (5-0, 5.31 ERA, 62 K) and RHP Chris Rogers (6-2, 3.80), and ace closer RHP Jesus Carlos (5-2, 2.38 ERA, 74 K, 9 saves) returning. Returing position players include Yael Colon (318), Mitch Warne (.273), and Kenny Wall. Newcomers include slick-fielding 3B Garrett Roberts. Games to watch: at Oklahoma City March 7-8, Oklahoma City March 9, Rogers State March 21, at Rogers State March 23, at Lubbock Christian April 5-6 Live Video
The NAIA's National Championship Opening Round will take place at nine locations (to be announced in late April) May 10-14. The Baseball National Championship will, as usual, be in Lewiston, ID May 24-31.