Shawnee State

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.

Oklahoma City (5-1) split a double-header with Missouri Baptist. The Spartans won their season opener 2-1; Bunk Coronado, a transfer from LSU-Shreveport, and Aaron Matula combined to hold the Stars to three hits, and Coronado recorded nine strikeouts. LF Joe Riley doubled in the winning run. The Stars won the nightcap 9-1; Blake Schwartz and Patrick Goelz combined to hold the Spartans to one hit, and Schwartz struck out ten of the 17 batters he faced. RF Chad Carman batted in three of the Stars' runs. A mid-week game at Central Oklahoma was canceled, and a pair of weekend games against Ottawawere also canceled. The Stars have a busy week ahead. They host Southern NazareneFeb. 16, MidAmerica Nazarene Feb. 17-18, and BellevueFeb. 18-19.

Concordia-Irvine (3-4) lost four games on the week to Division II teams; 11-1 to Cal State-Los Angeles, and 7-6 (11 innings), 14-8, and 6-4 to Cal Poly Pomona. The Eagles missed two chances to win the extra-innings game. They outhit Cal Poly Pomona in the second game, but Eagle pitched walked ten batters, and hit three more. The Eagles host Patten Feb. 17-18.

Lee(8-0) defeated Tennessee Temple 15-0, and recorded three shutouts against Shawnee State, 5-0, 2-0, and 4-0. Kris Hall and Joe Fabre combined for a two-hit shutout in the first Shawnee State game (Hall struck out twelve), Patrick Merkling pitched five hitless innings in the second game, and Jose Samayoa allowed one hit in the first five innings of the third game. 1B Roberto Reyes hit a three-run home run in the third game. The Flames host Union C. (KY) Feb. 13, visit Tennessee WesleyanFeb. 15, and visit EmmanuelFeb. 17-18.

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

ISR #1 Lewis-Clark State is also #1 in strength of schedule. They swept four games against Menlo, 10-3, 8-1, 2-0, and 11-7. 2B Brian Corliss was 2-for-4 with a bases-loaded triple in the first game (story). RF Cody Lavalli went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in the second game. Carsen Nylund and Steve Thompson combined for the shutout in the third game; Nylund went eight innings, allowed two hits, struck out eight. LF Jake Shirley scored the winning run on a ground out by CF Zach Holley in the first inning (story). Lavalli hit another home run in the fourth game, went 2-for-4 with four RBI (story).

The Warriors host Oregon Tech March 15-16 (streaming audio). They then travel to Daytona Beach, FL for six games, starting with Saint Thomas on March 18.

#2 Faulknerlost a mid-week game to Point, 3-2. All three of Point's runs were unearned, and Tommy Braddock got the win for the Skyhawks. The Eagles then lost the first game of a series at Spring Hill, 6-5 (ten innings). The Eagles trailed most of the game, but took a 5-4 lead in the top of the ninth on three unearned runs. The Badgers sent it into extra innings with an RBI single by 2B Brian Sims. The winning run came on a sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter Trey Marshall. Douglas Keller, who allowed only one hit the last three innings, got the win (story).

The Badgers didn't get another run in the series; the Eagles won the remaining two games 6-0 and 11-0. Will Dismukes and Julian Esquibel pitched the shutouts. 1B Ethan Williams hit a three-run home run in the first game, and C Zach Colby went 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI in the second game. (story).

The Eagles are 21-4, and Esquibel is 6-0 in six starts, with an ERA of 1.05. The Eagles visit Blue Mountain March 12, and host #18 William Carey March 15-16.

Oklahoma City (19-4, 10-1 SAC) defeated Southern Nazarene12-11, and swept three games against Mid-America Christian, 15-5, 8-1, and 11-0. 2B Brian Fisher went 3-for-5 with a home run, five RBI, and two runs scored against Southern Nazarene. CC/RF Dane Phillips hit a three-run home run in the first game against Mid-America Christian. Cody Crabaugh got the win in the second game, allowed two hits in five innings. Davis Henderson, Will Patrigo, and Allen Townsend combined for the shutout in the third game; Henderson recorded ten strikeouts. The Stars host Bethany March 12, Southern Nazarene March 13, and Briar CliffMarch 17-18.

Concordia-Irvine (15-6, 7-1 GSAC) won two of three in a non-conference series against Cal State-San Marcos, losing 7-3 and winning 8-7 (10 innings) and 6-5. James Dykstra went the distance for the Cougars in the first game, allowed three runs on six hits, struck out seven. LF Kyle Konicek hit an RBI single for the winning run in the second game. CF John Doering laid down a bunt to score 2B Chris Limus for the winning run in the third game. The Eagles visit Point Loma NazareneMarch 16, host Point Loma Nazarene March 17, and host Sioux Falls18 and 21. The Eagles are tied with Azusa Pacificfor the lead in the Golden State Athletic Conference.