Warner

The South defeated the North 11-2 in the 2014 Sun Conference All-Star Game, played Jan. 18 in Babson Park, FL. Four of the South's runs were batted in by Ave Maria C Conor Sullivan, three of them on a bases-loaded double in the sixth inning. The winning run was also scored in the sixth, by Warner RF Justin Burgess on a single by Northwood (FL) DH Angel Garcia. Garcia went 2-for-5 with an RBI for the game.

Sullivan earned a Rawlings Gold Glove for the 2013 season. He batted .277, and wasn't charged with a single error.

The South used ten pitchers for the game, the North nine. The best pitching performance was turned in by Webber International RHP Josh Ganus of the North, who gave up an unearned run, but struck out three of the four batters he faced. Ganus is a transfer from North Carolina A&T, had a good summer with Leesburg of the Florida Collegiate Summer League.

Box score

The Bellevue Bruins are ranked #1 by Perfect Game.This makes sense. The Bruins are 17-4, despite playing most of their games on the road, and have quality wins over Oklahoma City, Tabor, and Mount Vernon Nazarene.

Last week, they played six games in a tournament hosted by Warner, and won five of them, including the tournament championship game against host Warner. One of the wins was 23-0 over Saint Ambrose. Braulio Torres-Perez pitched a no-hitter for the Bruins. He struck out ten of the 23 batters he faced, and walked two batters. On the offensive side, C Jake Browne hit two home runs and a double, and batted in ten runs. RF Colton Nash, who leads the Bruins in hitting with a .443 average, went 3-for-3 with a double and four RBI. Story

The Bruins won the tournament final 4-3 in ten innings. SS Connor Garrison hit an RBI single for the winning run. Kevin Rodriguez got the win in a 4 2/3 innings relief appearance; he allowed only one hit, and struck out five. Story

Torres-Perez is 4-0 for the season, has an ERA of 1.47, and has struck out 32.

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.

#1 Tennessee Wesleyan defeated Georgia Gwinnett 2-1, and won two of three against Saint Andrew's, 2-0, 6-5, and 2-3. The winning run against Georgia Gwinnett came on an RBI single by SS Wes Minton in the bottom of the ninth. Corey Rhoney and Noah Piard combined for the shutout in the first Saint Andrew's game; Rhoney went eight innings, allowed four hits, struck out seven. In the second game, the Knights out-hit the Bulldogs 12-7; the Bulldogs scored all six of their runs in the first inning. CF Travis Burnside hit a two-RBI single, then scored the winning run on a misplayed ground ball. In the third game, the defending champions were held to six hits by Joe McCarty and Evan Tucker. RF Michael Durig batted in all three of the Knights' runs.

The Bulldogs are now 15-5. They visit Belhaven March 5-6, host Milligan March 9-10, and host Ohio Christian March 11.

#2 LSU-Shreveport got an easy 15-5 mid-week win over Division III Louisiana College, but was swept by Texas Wesleyan, 5-1, 12-8, and 6-5. Derek Vaughn got the win for the Rams in the first game; he went six innings, allowed one run on two hits, struck out four. Connor Zamora and Nolan Barbee kept the Pilots off the board the rest of the way, and Zamora struck out three of the six batters he faced. CF Trevor Moon singled in the winning run (story). In the second game, the Rams scored ten runs in the second inning, capped by a three-RBI double by SS David Kiriakos. The Pilots out-hit the Rams 11-7 in the third game. They got within one run in the top of the ninth, and had the go-ahead run on first with nobody out. However, reliever Patrick Stanley got two strikeout and a fly out to end the game and get a save (story).

Northwood (TX), who has won seven straight, has the lead in the Red River Athletic Conference. The Rams are two games back, and the Pilots are three games back. The Pilots visit LSU-Alexandria March 5, and host Huston-Tillotson March 8-9. Streaming audio

#1 Faulknerwon a midweek game against Point,5-4, and won two of three against Loyola-New Orleans, 4-5 (10 innings), 4-0, and 4-0. 2B Luis Sanchez hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh for the win over Point. 3B Peyton Senner hit an RBI single in the tenth for the winning run for the Wolf Pack in the loss to Loyola. Wolf Pack relievers Stewart Campbell and Connor Thurman held the Eagles to one hit over the final three innings. Jeremy Holcombe pitched a complete seven-inning shutout in the second game, allowed three hits; Sanchez batted in the winning run in the first inning. Julian Esquibel one-upped Holcombe in the third game; he also held the Wolf Pack to three hits, but he also recorded 10strikeouts, didn't walk a batter. Sanchez went 3-for-4 with an RBI.

The defending champions are 14-3. They visit #8 Tennessee Wesleyan March 5, and Spring Hill March 7-8.

#2 Lewis-Clark State played in the Porter Park Classic in Portland, OR, and won two of three. They defeated Division II Montana State-Billings 4-2, lost to British Columbia2-0, and defeated host Concordia-Portland8-6. RF Cody Lavalli hit a two-run home run for the winning run against MSU-Billings; David Murillo got the win in relief, pitched three shutout innings, allowed two hits. Jeremy Newton and Alex Webb combined for the shutout for the Thunderbirds in the second game. Newton pitched seven innings, scattered 11 hits, was helped by two double plays. Webb got out of a jam in the eighth. The Warriors had runners at first and second with nobody out, and they were bunted to second and third. Webb got a fly out (not deep enough for the runner on third to score) and a strikeout. He recorded two more strikeouts in the ninth to finish the game. Both of the Birds' runs were in the early going. 1B Vinny Martin hit an RBI single in the first, and SS Tyson Popoff hit an RBI single in the second. In the third game, 2B Brian Corliss hit a two-RBI double in the seventh inning for the winning run. Corliss added a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning for the insurance run. Carsen Nylund got the win in relief.

The Thunderbirds also defeated MSU-BIllings and Concordia; Sean Callegari and Tyler Gillies got the wins. The tournament final between the Warriors and Thunderbirds was rained out. However, the Warriors and Thunderbirds get a rematch in Lewiston March 7-9. (This series was moved from Vancouver due to weather considerations.)

11 South pitchers combined to hold the North to four hits in a game played in Daytona Beach, FL. The South led the game all the way, starting with two unearned runs in the top of the first. The South extended their lead to 4-0 with a two-RBI double by 2B Andy Ruiz (Florida Memorial) in the top of the second.

The North answered with a run in the bottom of the third on an RBI triple by CF Billy Farrell (Webber International), who then came home on a ground out by 2B Terry McClinton (South Carolina-Beaufort). The North got as close as 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh when LF Josh Longbrake (Webber International) was hit by a pitch, and scored on an error.

The South got the winning run in the top of the eighth. CF Brandon Kirby (Warner) walked, stole second and third, and scored on a throwing error.

NAIA coaches' poll for March 15, 2016. Recaps below.