The NAIA Coaches' poll for May 1, 2012, with Boyd Nation's Iterative Strength Rating (ISR):

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 13^th 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.

The Sea Lions and Mustangs opened their Golden State Athletic Conference schedules with a double-header split at Point Loma.

First game (nine innings): The Sea Lions were in control of this game for the first four innings, building a 4-0 lead on an RBI on a ground out by SS Clinton Harwick, an RBI on a ground out by 2B Marcus Heisner, and back-to-back RBI doubles by DH Tyler Nordgren and LF Bryan Burkhead. Sea Lions starter Justin Lawrence held the Mustangs to one hit over the first four innings.

The Mustangs got on the board in the top of the fifth, when DH Joe Riddle scored on a ground out by 1B Spencer Downs. The Sea Lions got a two-run home run by RF Trey Hunt in the sixth, and the Mustangs got a home run by C Bryan Lucas in the seventh, making the score 6-2.

The Mustangs got back in the game a two-run home run by RF Chris Talley in the top of the eighth, off Nolan Stouder, who had just come in in relief of starter Justin Lawrence. Talley's home run made the score 6-4, and that's as close as the Mustangs got. Stouder was replaced by true freshman Garrett Gooding, and it was lights out. Gooding struck out five of the seven batters he faced, allowed one hit. The Sea Lions completed the scoring with a two-run home run by LF Brian Burkhead in the bottom of the eighth.

The NAIA's top 11 teams, and 12 of the top 13 teams, have started their seasons.

Oklahoma City started their season with four wins, two against Hastings, and two against Grand View. The Stars trailed the first game 1-0 going into the sixth inning of a seven-inning game. P Rich Hawkins tied it with a home run in the sixth, and SS Chris Munoz batted in the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth. Hawkins went the distance, scattered six hits, struck out seven. Kirby Wells and and Addison Ives combined to hold the Stars to only three hits. The Stars visit Division II Central Oklahoma on Feb. 7, and host Missouri Baptist and Ottawa Feb. 10-12.

Concordia-Irvine (3-0) visits Division II Cal State-Los Angeles Feb. 8 and Division II Cal Poly Pomona Feb. 10. They host a double-header against Cal Poly Pomona, who are 4-0, in Feb. 11.

Lee swept three games against Talladega, 14-2, 4-1, and 2-1, and defeated Hiwassee (NCCAA) 11-0. Kris Hall, Patrick Merkling, Andy Hillis, and Mike Fasolo got the wins, and Fasolo combined with James Rechenbach and Kyle Briner for a one-hitter against Hiwassee. Blake Barber is batting .538 for the Flames. They host Tennessee Temple Feb. 7 and Shawnee State Feb. 10-11.

Lubbock Christian lost two of three to Northwood (TX) and lost to Texas Wesleyan. All four games were close. Kyle Forsyth was credited with the 10-8 win over Northwood; the Chaparrals scored seven runs in the eighth inning, led by a bases-loaded double by RF Benny Woodard. In the first loss to the Knights, Clayton Woodruff, Nick Harrison, and Colton Reavis combined to hold the Chaparrals to four hits. The next game went into extra innings, and the Knights won it on an RBI single by 1B Adam Humes. In the 3-2 loss to Texas Wesleyan, C Alex Padilla bunted with the bases loaded to bring in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth. Oklahoma transfer Nolan Barbee got the win for the Rams, but starter Derek Vaughn put in a strong performance; six innings, four hits, seven strikeouts. The Chaparrals host York Feb. 10-11. The Rams have started the season 4-0, and they visit Division III Mary Hardin-Baylor Feb. 7, host Tabor Feb. 9, and U. of the Southwest Feb. 10-11.

Embry-Riddle swept three games from Florida Memorial, 6-5 (11 innings), 12-0 (mercy rule) and 10-4. 1B Chris Page went 3-for-6 in the first game, hit a single off the wall in the bottom of the 11^th to bat in the winning run. Chad Modomo pitched a four-hit shutout in the second game. CF Frankie Arias went 4-for-4 in the third game, and Kevin Maloney got the win. The Eagles visit Warner Feb. 10-11.

Results from the TranSouth Conference tournament in Jackson, TN:

#4 Cumberland defeated Freed-Hardeman 9-3, eliminating Freed-Hardeman. Aaron Wilkerson got his 12th win of the season, went six innings, allowed three runs on seven hits, struck out seven, threw 114 pitches. Daniel Kern got a save; he retired all nine batters he faced, struck out two. SS Tommy Winegardner hit a three-run home run.

Union U. (TN) defeated Bethel (TN) 10-5.

Martin Methodist defeated #22 Trevecca Nazarene 4-3, in ten innings. CF Tony Allen singled in the winning run; he went 3-4 for the game. Both starters went the distance; Travis Garcia got the win, allowed five hits, struck out ten, threw 134 pitches. P.J. Francescon got the loss, allowed eight hits, struck out 14, threw 140 pitches.

#21 Belhaven won the Southern States Athletic Conference tournament, defeating William Carey in the final 16-5. The Blazers put it away with ten runs in the third inning, led by a grand slam home run by C Ryan Saunders; all of the runs were scored with two out.

Belhaven, Lee, and Auburn-Montgomery will be in the Opening Round tournament. Faulkner, Southern Polytechnic, and Brewton-Parker will have to wait until the final coaches' poll next week.

Results from the TranSouth Conference tournament in Jackson, TN:

#4 Cumberland was upset by Bethel (TN) (ISR #59) 9-7 in the first round. The Bulldogs led 5-2 after five innings, but the Wildcats scored four runs in the sixth inning on no hits, three bases on balls, and three errors. The winning run came in the seventh inning on a two-RBI double by LF Jay Lowery.

#22 Trevecca Nazarene defeated Freed-Hardeman 4-1. The winning run came on a sacrifice fly by DH Jordan Foreman.

Martin Methodist defeated Union U. (TN) (ISR #23) 2-1. Martin Methodist starter Jerry McMurtry went eight innings, allowed one run on five hits, struck out ten, threw 128 pitches. Jeremey Stack went the distance for Union U.; he allowed two runs on seven hits, struck out seven, threw 126 pitches. The winning run came on a wild pitch by Stack.

The NAIA Coaches' Top 25 for May 3, with Boyd Nation's ISR rankings. Recap below the fold:

First place votes: Embry-Riddle 15, Oklahoma City 4, Cal Baptist 1, Cumberland 1

The NAIA Coaches' Top 25 for April 19, with Boyd Nation's ISR rankings. Recap below the fold:

First place votes: Lee 16, Embry-Riddle 4, Oklahoma City 2

The NAIA Coaches' Top 25 for March 29, with Boyd Nation's ISR rankings. Recap below the fold:

First place votes: Oklahoma City 17, Lee 2, Embry-Riddle 2

Oklahoma City got a 17-6 mid-week win against Briar Cliff, then swept a three-game series against Lubbock Christian, 1-0, 5-3, and 7-4, giving the Chaparrals their first losses of the season. Corey Theriot pitched a complet-game shutout in the first game, allowed four hits, struck out five. 2B/3B Dearth Parker hit an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth to score the only run of the game. Paul Gonzalez, who pitched a complete game for the Chaparrals, got the loss. In the second game, the Stars lit up Chaparral starter Lucas Whitmore for five runs in the first two innings, and the Chaparrals left the bases loaded three times. Allen Townsend got the win. Story from Oklahoma City site: Stars finish off Lubbock Christian 1-0, 5-3. The Stars trailed the third game most of the way, but scored six runs in the bottom of the eighth, led by a two-RBI triple by CF Ruben Sosa. The Stars were also helped by two Chaparral errors in the inning. Rich Hawkins got the win in relief; he went five innings, allowed two runs on three hits. Story from Oklahoma City site: Stars sweep Lubbock Christian with 7-4 win.

The Stars and Chaparrals will not meet again until the Sooner Conference tournament. The three losses dropped the Chaparrals to 14-3. The Chaparrals visit Kansas Wesleyan on Tuesday, host York (8-6) on Wednesday, and host Rogers State (17-1) March 11-12.

The Stars finished the week with a 22-8 win over Iowa Wesleyan, to run their record to 15-2. SS Kirk Walker, 1B Austin Messerli, and CF Terrance Jackson hit home runs. The Stars play one more game against Iowa Wesleyan on Tuesday, host Northwestern Oklahoma State on Thursday, and visit Northwestern Oklahoma State on March 12.

Cumberland won two of three against Brewton-Parker and split a double-header with Indiana Tech. The wins over Brewton-Parker were 2-0 and 7-6. Aaron Wilkerson got his 16^th straight win in the shutout, allowing one hit in seven innings of work. Keith Kirby pitched the final two innings, and LF Richie Seaton singled in both runs. C David Fanshawe went 3-4 in the second win, and batted in the winning run. In the third game, however, the Bulldogs were mercy-ruled by the Barons, 13-0 after five innings. Daniel Miller held the Bulldogs to one hit.

The Bulldogs won the first game against Indiana Tech 6-3; Matt Vance got the win, and 3B Tommy Crews batted in the winning run. The score of the second game was 5-3; LF Gary King batted in the winning run, 1B Riley Muhlenkamp hit a home run, and Brandon Alger got the win.

The Bulldogs are now 9-3. They travel to Freed-Hardeman March 4-5, and Texas Wesleyan March 7.

Lee defeated Rio Grande 4-1; Curtis Camilli allowed three hits over seven innings, and Roberto Reyes hit a three-run home run. The Flames then won three of four against Iowa Wesleyan. Shay Crawford pitched a seven-inning one hitter in the first game, a 7-0 win for the Flames. Iowa Wesleyan won the second game 2-1; both of the Tigers' runs were unearned. Jorge Martinez went the seven-inning distance for the Tigers, allowed five hits. The Flames won the remaining two games 2-1 and 17-2; Jay Bolen and Joe Fabre combined to hold the Tigers to four hits in the 2-1 win.