ConcordiaPortland

In everyconference listed here (except the the Southern States Athletic Conference, which had a winner-take-all final), the title was decided by an “if necessary” game. ISR's mentioned here are as of May 6.

Cal State San Marcos(ISR #13) won the Association of Independent Institutions championship for the third time in five years. They lost the first “final” to #1 Georgia Gwinnett 2-1. The Grizzlies out-hit the Cougars 11-5, and SS Ernesto Vasquez hit an RBI single for the winning run. CSUSM won the deciding game 11-5. The Cougars got five runs in the first inning, and added four more in the second. LF Clinton Perez hit an RBI single for the winning run. Emilio Esquibel got his second win of the tournament, and ran his record to 12-1, 2.43 ERA. Story Georgia Gwinnett will host an Opening Round bracket.

#2 Oklahoma Citywon the Sooner Athletic Conference tournament, defeating #3 Oklahoma Baptisttwice, 9-6 and 7-5. The Stars trailed in the late innings of both games. They scored four runs in the eighth inning of the first one. In the second one, C Connor Lynch hit a grand slam home run in the bottom of the ninth. Story Both Oklahoma City and Oklahoma Baptist are hosting Opening Round brackets.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, FL, has applied for membership in the Division II Sunshine State Conference.

The Eagles have made 12 trips to the National Championship tournament, ten of them in the last 11 seasons, under coaches Greg Guilliams and Randy Stegall. Their best finish was in 2005, when they were runners-up to Oklahoma City.

Joining the Sunshine State Conference would put the Eagles in the same conference with former NAIA opponents Barry and Rollins. The Eagles have been playing non-conference games against Tampa, the defending national Division II champions. The Eagles lost to them 2-1 (ten innings) this season.

Story by Brent Woronoff in the Daytona Beach News-Journal: ERAU makes case to NCAA conference

Concordia-Irvine won the National Championship in 2011. They would be joining former GSAC members Cal Baptist, Point Loma Nazarene, Azusa Pacific, and Fresno Pacific in the PacWest Conference.

Concordia-Portland is the defending champion of NAIA West. The Cavaliers went to the National Championship tournament in 2004. Rob Vance has been their Head Coach for 15 seasons. They have a new, good quality ballpark. They would, if accepted, compete in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC). Whether they can break Western Oregon's long streak of conference championships remains to be seen.

These three schools would continue to complete in the NAIA through the 2015 season.

Georgetown College (KY) has applied for membership in the Division II Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC). A previous application by Georgetown C. was turned down.

Mike Grahovac, coach of the NAIA Champion Concordia-Irvine Eagles, has been named NAIA Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association. Press release from Concordia-Irvine

IF Sean Myrom of Concordia-Portland played for the West Coast League champion Corvallis Knights during the summer. He batted .279 with 16 RBI. He played in the league's all-star game, and won the home run derby. Press release from Concordia-Portland

Dave Therneau, pitching coach for Embry-Riddle, was the Coach of the Year in the Florida Collegiate Summer League. He coached the Leesburg Lightning, who won the league pennant with a 29-12 record. Press release from Embry-Riddle

The Melville Millionaires won their first-ever Western Major Baseball League championship, defeating the Medicine Hat Mavericks three games to two in the final.

Both teams were loaded with NAIA players. The Millionaires' roster included six players from British Columbia (see picture): Alex Webb, Cam Firth, Tyler Enns, Kevin Biro, Jeremy Newton, and Nathan Kirby. Also Jaime Paxton (Northwood (TX)), Allen Rimer (Bacone), and Chase Medler (Lyon). The Mavericks' roster included four players from Tabor: Alex Mann, Jacob Webb, Grant Silva, and C.J. DeDeaux. The also had Alex Bos (Concordia-Portland), Alex Graham (British Columbia), Kyle McKay (Saint Francis (IN)), Ched Gaskin (Purdue North Central), and Bryan Arthur (British Columbia).

Biro led the Millionaires in hitting during the regular season with a .366 average, and, for the Sabermetricians, 29.668 runs created. Bos led the WMBL with an 8-0 won-lost record. Webb had three starts and three wins during the playoffs, did not allow an earned run in 17 2/3 innings pitched. Silva batted .337 for the Mavericks.

Anthony Armanino of Lewis-Clark State, playing for the Swift Current Indians, had an astonishing 24 strikeouts during three playoff games (19 innings pitched). He had a regular season record of 4-0, 2.25 ERA, 60 strikeouts.

If you've seen, or are planning to see the film “Moneyball”, starring Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill, it's entertainment. Most of the real story can be found on Wikipedia, in the articles on A's GM Billy Beane and Assistant GM Paul DePodesta.

DePodesta was taken out of the film entirely, and replaced by the fictional character played by Hill. The film portrayed Beane as placing his career on the line with the deals he made during the 2002 season, when, in fact, he had already been the General Manager of the A's for four seasons.

The book that the film was based on was written by Michael Lewis and published in 2003. It gives a history of “sabermetrics”, a set of baseball statistics that started with Bill James, and was refined by a community of geeks. James felt that batting average, home runs, and RBI are ineffective measurements of a players performance. On-base percentage is better, but James came up with the “runs created” statistic, which is:

Results from the first day of the NAIA West tournament at Hilken Community Stadium, Portland, OR, May 2:

College of Idaho 7, Concordia-Portland 5: A game that was close all the way, but the Coyotes scored runs in each of the last three innings to win it. RF Isaac Garsez scored the winning run in the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly by 1B Jesse Dodd. Garsez was 3-for-6 with a home run, an RBI, and two runs scored.

Starter Chad Yeggy went eight innings for the Coyotes. He gave up three runs (one of them unearned) in the first two innings, but gave up only one more the rest of the way. He gave up two hits at the start of the ninth inning, but Todd Griffiths moved from second base to the mound and got a double play ball and a line drive to the shortstop to finish the game with only one run coming in.

Jason Snodgrass, who allowed 13 hits, got the loss for the Cavaliers. 2B Mike Dickman went 2-for-4 for the Cavaliers.

Box score and play-by-play

Menlo 2, British Columbia 1: Oaks ace Joey Webb pitched a gem. He went the distance, held the Thunderbirds to one run on six hits, walked one, and struck out three. He threw 139 pitches.

The Oaks opened the scoring in the first inning, on and RBI single by 3B Michael Brandi. There wasn't any more scoring until the Oaks increased their lead to 2-0 with an RBI single by RF Collin Forgey in the seventh inning. The Thunderbirds got double plays in the second and third innings, and Thunderbird starter David Otterman picked off a baserunner at first to prevent further damage in the seventh. RF Sebastian Wong opened the sixth inning for the THunderbirds with a triple, and was stranded. The Thunderbirds had baserunners at second and third with one out in the seventh inning, with singles by 2B Andrew Firth and LF Nick Senior, but Firth was tagged out at home on a ground ball by 3B Mike Hole, and DH Gabe Mark grounded out to end the inning.

Results from the second day of the NAIA West tournament at Hilken Community Stadium, Portland, OR, May 3:

College of Idaho 9, Menlo 2: SS Tanner Hodges hit a two-RBI single in the top of the third inning to provide the winning run for the Coyotes. RF Izaac Garsez hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning, and Todd Griffiths went the distance for the Coyotes.

Garsez had his second big game of the tournament: 3-for-4 with two RBI and four runs scored. Hodges went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Griffiths scattered eleven hits and struck out six.

Starter Derek Martinez got the loss for the Oaks. DH Taylor Cohn went 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Oaks.

Box score and play-by-play

Concordia-Portland 7, British Columbia 1 (British Columbia eliminated):

The Thunderbirds were held to six hits for the second time in the NAIA West tournament, left twelve runners on base, and the result was the end of their 2012 season.

It's going to take one more day to decide the NAIA West championship. Results from the third day of the NAIA West tournament at Hilken Community Stadium, Portland, OR, May 4:

Menlo 1, College of Idaho 0: A classic pitching duel on a wet afternoon. Both starters, James Jensen of Menlo and Taylor Nicholson of College of Idaho, went the distance, and both allowed five hits. Jensen threw fewer pitches (111 vs. 124), and Nicholson got more strikeouts (11 vs. 2), but in the stat that matters, Nicholson gave up the only run of the game, in the top of the eighth inning. C Ty Finley opened the inning with a single, and he was replaced by courtesy runner Taylor Cohn. He moved to second on a bunt single by CF Mickey Phelps, and to third on a bunt by DH James Threw. The next batter, RF Collin Forgey, hit a sacrifice fly.

The Coyotes got a baserunner as far as third in the bottom of the eighth (the only time in the game that they did so), but a ground out ended the inning.

Finley went 2-for-3 for the Oaks, and Phelps went 2-for-4. SS Tanner Hodges and LF Zachary Fabricius went 2-for-4 for the Coyotes.

Nine of the NAIA's top ten teams have started their seasons.

#1 Tennessee Wesleyan swept three games against West Virginia Tech, 6-5, 5-2, and 13-2. Brady Frey, Zach Fleshman, and Jarrod Jameson got the wins. SS Wes Minton had a good weekend; 5-for-7, two home runs, five RBI. The Bulldogs host #3 Lee on February 12, and Indiana Tech February 16-17.

#2 LSU-Shreveport swept Houston-Victoria 7-6, 3-0, and 3-2. Paul Barton got the win in the first game, stranded seven baserunners. Rory Young pitched a one-hit shutout in the second game, 1B Kyle Pearson hit a three-run home run in the first inning for all of the Pilots' runs. Jason Mouton got the win in the third game.

The Pilots and Jaguars play two more games in Victoria February 12. The Pilots host Culver-Stockton February 15-16.

#3 Lee defeated Bluefield 23-2, #20 Georgetown C. (KY) 6-1, and Rio Grande 9-0. 3B Roberto Duran went 2-for-3 with two home runs and four RBI in the win over Georgetown C. Four Flames pitchers combined for the three-hit shutout against Rio Grande; starter Jose Samayoa got the win. Duran went 2-for-3, got three more RBI.

The Flames then lost a game to #24 Madonna, 4-3. Starter Jeremy Gooding got the win for the Crusaders, went six innings, struck out seven. story. The Crusaders lost 8-3 to Georgetown C., and are 3-1. They don't play again until March 1.

The Flames host U. of Mobile February 15-16, and Rio Grande February 18.

Cal Baptistswept three close games from a Cal State San Marcosteam that was 6-1 going into the series. The Lancers won the first game 2-0 with a pinch-hit single by Josh Manzano. Drew Madrigal and Erik Wallace scattered four hits for the shutout; the Cougars outhit the Lancers 4-3. The second game was 4-3; the Lancers scored all four of their runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, and the winning run came in on a double by RF Zach Esquerra. Patrick Smith got the win in relief. The Lancers trailed 7-0 after 1 1/2 innings in the third game, but Travis Barnes was able to hold the Cougars to two runs on four hits the rest of the way. The Lancers took a 9-7 lead in the fifth inning on a two-run home run by LF Jake Johnson, and the Cougars tied it 8-8 in the eighth when Smith walked in two runs. However, the Lancers loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth, and the winning run came in when C Sharif Othman was hit by a pitch by  Johnny Omahen.

The Lancers are now 10-1. They host La Sierra on Tuesday, and host British ColumbiaFeb. 18-19. The Cougars visit Point Loma Nazareneon Tuesday, and play Azusa Pacifichome-and-away Feb. 18-19.

Cumberlandopened their season with a pair of wins over Missouri Baptist,3-2 and 7-1. The first game was scheduled for seven innings, but it took a home run by Cory Farris in the eighth inning to decide it. Keith Kirby got the win in relief. In the second game, Mike Mandarino allowed two hits over six innings, and Christian Jennings finished with a perfect seventh inning. Farris went 2-3 with an RBI double.

NAIA baseball action during the past week, with Boyd Nation's ISR ranking.

#1 Lewis-Clark Stateswept #8 College of Idaho,8-0, 6-2, 10-2, and 9-3. Michael Noteware, Colton Wright, and Joe Mello combined for a one-hitter in the first game; Noteware went six innings, allowed the only hit, struck out five. The four Coyotes' runs in the second and third games came from two two-run home runs by SS Mitch Skaggs. Dillon Keene got the win in relief in the fourth game, allowed one hit in two innings. The Warriors visit Menlo March 21, 22, and 24.

#2 British Columbiaswept a four-game series at #6 Concordia-Portland,3-1, 11-2, 2-1, and 14-6 (12 innings). Sean Callegari got the win in the first game, went seven innings, allowed one run on five hits, struck out eight. The Thunderbirds got all the runs they needed in the second game in the second inning, with a bases-loaded triple by 2B Matt Spillman. Conor Lillis-White got the win, allowed one hit in five innings. C Cam Firth hit an RBI double with two out in the top of the ninth for the winning run in the third game. Curtis Taylor got the win, pitched a perfect eighth inning. Bryan Pawlina pitched the first seven innings, allowed one run on three hits, struck out eight. It took the Thunderbirds 12 innings to complete the sweep. They left the go-ahead run on third in the top of the ninth. Curtis Taylor got the Thunderbirds out of a jam in the bottom of the ninth. He was greeted with a double by SS Christian Lichtenhale. Taylor struck out the next batter, then got a ground out, which moved the potential winning run to third base. Taylor intentionally walked the next batter, and struck out the one after that to send it into extra innings. The Cavaliers ran out of pitchers in the 12th inning.

Oklahoma City (ISR #1) has won 23 straight. They defeated Division II Southwestern Oklahoma State 5-3 in mid-week, then swept U. Of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, 8-4, 3-2, and 4-2. The Stars came from behind in the first game, and had to shut down late rallies by USAO in the second and third games. Corey Theriot, Allen Townsend, and Rich Hawkins got the wins.

The Stars lead the NAIA in fielding, with a .980 average. They host Division II Southeastern Oklahoma State on Tuesday, Hastingson Wednesday, and Saint Gregory'son Thursday. They visit Saint Gregory's on March 26.

Fresno Pacific (#2) won three of four against Cal Baptist(#3), and two of the wins were shutouts. Jesse Darrah pitched the first one, allowed two hits, walked none, struck out 12. The Sunbirds won 3-0 on home runs by 1B Wes Dorrell and C Michael Vaughn. The second shutout was 6-0; Aaron Lynn also allowed only two hits, struck out nine, and had a no-hitter going into the seventh inning. DH Michael Rivera hit a three-RBI double. Rivera got a save in the fourth game of the series, a 4-2 win for the Sunbirds. The Lancers' win was 4-3 in the second game of the series. 1B John Manzano hit an RBI double in the bottom of the eighth to win it; Patrick Smith got the win in relief.

The Sunbirds are 17-9. Biola(#13) leads the Golden State Athletic Conference with an 11-4 record, and the Sunbirds and Lancers are tied for second place with an 11-5 record. The Sunbirds host Point Loma Nazareneon Wednesday, and visit Point Loma on March 26.

Oklahoma Citygot 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.

The NAIA Coaches' poll for April 10, 2012, with Boyd Nation's Iterative Strength Rating (ISR):

First place votes: LSU-Shreveport 17, Oklahoma City 1, Azusa Pacific 1

Azusa Pacific is #1 in Strength of Schedule

LSU-Shreveport (17-3 RRAC) swept Houston-Victoria9-0, 3-1, and 8-0. Matt Lackie pitched a three-hit shutout in the first game, and Jared Mortensen pitched a seven-inning three-hit shutout in the third game, struck out eleven. Logan Norris nearly got a third shutout, but the Jaguars scored a run in the last inning. SS Manny Estrada hit a two-RBI triple. A scheduled game at Division II Southern Arkansas was rained out. Mortensen has an ERA of 1.09, third-best in the NAIA. The Pilots host Texas-BrownsvilleApril 13-14. The Pilots have won 14 straight, and lead the Red River Athletic Conference; Texas-Brownsville is second with a with a 15-6 conference record.

Lee(21-3 SSAC) defeated Cumberland6-3, and swept three games against Southern Polytechnic, 9-7, 6-5, and 7-0. 1B Roberto Reyes hit a grand slam home run with two out in the bottom of the ninth to win the first game against Southern Polytechnic. LF Mike Moore hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh of a seven-inning game for the winning run in the second game. Vince Spilker, Kyle Briner, and Andy Hillis combined for the shutout in the third game; 2B Blake Barber batted in three runs. The Flames host Tennessee WesleyanApril 11, and Auburn-MontgomeryApril 13-14. The Flames and #4 Faulknercontinue to be tied for the Southern States Athletic Conference lead.

Oklahoma City(18-3 SAC) won two of three games against Rogers State, 5-3, 1-3, and 6-5 (eight innings, scheduled for seven). SS Chris Muñoz scored the winning run in the first game on a sacrifice fly by RF Dane Phillips; Muñoz went 3-for-4 with a home run. Brandon Bargas went the distance for the Hillcats in the second game, held the Stars to five hits, struck out ten. All three of the Hillcats' runs came on a home run by 2B Hector Rivera in the third inning, and Bargas had a shutout going into the seventh. 1B Miguel Beltran batted in the winning run with a fielder's choice in the third game; Patrick Goelz, who held the Hillcats scoreless over the last 2 2/3 innings, got the win in relief. The Stars host Oklahoma ChristianApril 12 and 14, and visit Oklahoma Christian April 13. The Stars lead the Sooner Athletic Conference; #x Oklahoma Baptist is in second place with a 13-5 record.

The NAIA Coaches' Top 25 for April 12, with Boyd Nation's ISR rankings. Recap below the fold:

First place votes:Lee 14, Embry-Riddle 2, Oklahoma City 7

The NAIA Coaches' Top 25 for April 5, with Boyd Nation's ISR rankings. Recap below the fold:

First place votes:Oklahoma City 21, Lee 1

The NAIA Coaches' Poll for April 1, 2014, with Boyd Nation's ISR ranking.

First place votes:Oklahoma Baptist 11, Lewis-Clark State 5, Faulkner 4, Georgia Gwinnett 1
Westmont (ISR #6) is #1 in Strength of Schedule

#1 Oklahoma Baptistwon two of three at Texas Wesleyan, 3-4, 13-1, and 13-0. The Rams took advantage of five Bison errors to score three unearned runs in the first game. Sam Martin went the seven-inning distance for the Rams, allowed six hits, walked four. Martin is 6-1, 2.17 ERA. C Garrett Gallacher went 2-for-3 with three RBI and a double in the second game. He is batting .444 for the Bison. Jordan Morales got the win, went five innings, allowed three hits, struck out five. He is 8-0, 2.03 ERA. Kelvin Rivas and Andrew Milner combined for a mercy-rule-shortened no-hitter in the third game. Rivas pitched the first five innings, struck out four and walked two. Milner retired all six batters that he faced, struck out four of them. RF Tyler Melton went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI.

Wayland Baptist continues to lead the Sooner Athletic Conference. The Bison are 1 ½ games behind, and #12 Oklahoma City is two games behind. The Bison visit Division II East Central April 9, host Mid America Christian April 10 and 12, and visit Mid America Christian April 11.

#2 Lewis-Clark State swept Concordia-Portland (ISR #21), 7-4, 6-0, 8-7 (10 innings), and 14-6. The Warriors got away with five errors in the first game; only one of the Cavaliers' runs was earned. The game was tied 3-3 after three innings, but Steve Thompson held the Cavaliers to two hits in a five-inning relief appearance, got the win. CF Ryan Sells hit an RBI single for the winning run. Michael Noteware pitched eight shutout innings in the second game, scattered seven hits, struck out seven. Noteware is 4-0, 0.99 ERA, 48 K. The Warriors trailed the third game 6-0 after 2 ½ innings, but tied it with six runs in the bottom of the third. RF Cody Lavalli hit the second pitch of the tenth inning over the left field fence to win it. The fourth game was tied 4-4 at the seventh-inning stretch, but LF Tariq Staton hit a grand slam home run in the bottom of the seventh to break it open.

The Warriors have opened up a three-game lead over British Columbia (ISR #2) in NAIA West. The Warriors visit Simpson April 12-13.

The NAIA Coaches' poll for April 9, with Boyd Nation's ISR ranking. Recap below the fold.