Davenport

Players from NAIA schools taken in the 2016 Major League Baseball draft:

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.

Schedule for the first two days of the 59^th NAIA Baseball National Championship, Friday-Saturday, May 22-23, Harris Field, Lewiston, ID (all times PDT):

9 AM: #7 seed Lindsey Wilson (41-17) vs. #10 Vanguard (38-20)

Lindsey Wilson (Columbia, KY) is making their first appearance at the Baseball National Championship.
Nickname:Blue Raiders
Rankings: Unranked in coaches' poll, #31 in ISR. Strength of schedule: #105
Quality wins:2-1 vs. Auburn-Montgomery, 1-1 vs. Faulkner, 2-1 vs. Campbellsville, 2-1 vs. Tennessee Wesleyan
Top position players: RF Alex Bautista (.383, 19 HR, 72 RBI), 3B Ryan Harper (.400). Bautista's 72 RBI is fourth-best in the NAIA.
Top pitchers: LHP Scott Sebald (10-3, 1.07 ERA), LHP Ryan Hartman (10-2, 2.04 ERA, 103 K)
Coach: Jonathan Burton, fourth season
Outlook: Happy to be here.

Vanguard (Costa Mesa, CA) is making their second appearance at the Baseball National Championship; the first one was in 1985.
Nickname:Lions
Rankings: Unranked in coaches' poll, #16 in ISR. SoS: #12
Quality wins:4-2 vs. Westmont, British Columbia, Northwestern Ohio
Top position players: OF Brandon Sandoval (.291, 36 stolen bases), SS Jose Rojas (.333, 12 HR, 57 RBI), OF Paul Keating (.330)
Top pitchers:RHP Sean Isaac (9-5, 2.91 ERA, 92 K), RHP Scott Torrey (6-1, 3.07 ERA)
Coach: Rob Pegg, third season
Outlook: The Lions play in the very competitive Golden State Athletic Conference, and got to the National Championship by winning the toughest Opening Round bracket. They should do better than their #10 seeding, but won't be championship contenders.

Noon: #8 Concordia-Irvine (47-16) vs. #9 Saint Thomas (44-16)

Concordia-Irvine (CA) is making their third appearance at the Baseball National Championship. (It will be their final appearance; they are moving to Division II next year.) They won the championship in 2011.
Nickname:Eagles
Rankings: #19 in coaches' poll, #2 in ISR. SoS: #3 (highest in tournament)
Quality wins: 1-1 vs. Oklahoma City, 1-1 vs. Lewis-Clark State, 6-1 vs. Vanguard
Top position players: SS Ryan Goodman (.314), OF Robert Shiroky (.292), OF Mitchell Esser (.312, 52 RBI)
Top pitchers: RHP Tyler Mark (5-1, 1.30 ERA, 64 K), RHP Dillon Moran (9-4, 3.63 ERA, 64 K), RHP Isaiah Terrazas (6-2, 2.61 ERA). Mark has 23 saves, the most in the NAIA.
Coach: Mike Grahovac, seventh season
Outlook: The Eagles won the Golden State Athletic Conference tournament, and split with #1 Oklahoma City in the Opening Round to make it here. They should be a contender for the championship.

Saint Thomas (Miami Gardens, FL) is making their fifth appearance at the Baseball National Championship; the last one was in 2007.
Nickname:Bobcats
Rankings: #20 in coaches' poll, #22 in ISR. SoS: #25
Quality wins:2-1 vs. Northwood, 2-1 vs. Georgia Gwinnett, Westmont
Top position players:1B Eric Santamaria (.374, 53 RBI), 3B Paul Chacin (Maracuabo, Venezuela; .335, 69 RBI), LF Jerry Downs (.348, 7 HR, 51 RBI)
Top pitchers:RHP Marcos Barrios (9-2, 3.63 ERA, 78 K), RHP Alex Hernandez (3-1, 2.93 ERA, 43 K). RHP Chris Rodriguez (2-0, 3.00 ERA, 26 K, 12 saves)
Coach: Jorge Perez, sixth season
Outlook:The Bobcats are happy to be here.

British Columbia 1, Vanguard 0
Davenport 4, The Master's 0
San Diego Christian 12, British Columbia 2

British Columbia 1, Vanguard 0

RF Jerod Bartnik led off the eighth inning with a home run off RHP Clayton Voechting for the only run of the game. Voechting had struck out the side in the previous inning, and the home run was only the second hit he had allowed.

LHP Conor Lillis-White, LHP Sean Callegari, and RHP Matt Thornton combined for the shutout, and allowed a total of six hits; Callegari got the win. However, much of the credit should go to the Thunderbirds' defense, which has traditionally been among the best in the NAIA. The Thunderbirds and second in the NAIA with a fielding percentage of .975. (The Master's is first, at .978.)

The Thunderbirds had a double play in the first inning. 2B Matt Spillman made a good defensive play to prevent a run from scoring in the third inning. CF Bryan Arthur robbed 1B Ian Sakry of a hit in the fifth inning. In the bottom of the seventh, a bunt attempt with runners at first and second with nobody out resulted in a force out at third. C Brody Hawkins caught courtesy runner Justin Davis attempting to steal third for the second out of the inning, then threw out Sakry attempting to steal second to end the inning. Callegari picked off a baserunner at first in the eighth inning.

NAIA coaches' poll for April 14, 2015, with Boyd Nation's ISR. Recaps below.

NAIA coaches' poll for April 28, 2015, with Boyd Nation's ISR. Recaps below.

NAIA coaches' poll for April 7, 2015, with Boyd Nation's ISR. Recaps below.

NAIA coaches' poll for March 24, 2015, with Boyd Nation's ISR. Recaps below.

Oklahoma Baptist received all 21 first place votes.

NAIA coaches' poll for March 31, 2015, with Boyd Nation's ISR. Recaps below.