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.
Menlo 6, Concordia-Portland 5 (13 innings): Oaks starter Derek Rodrigues had a shutout going for seven innings, and the Oaks went into the eighth with a 4-0 lead. The Cavaliers cut it to 4-3 in the top of the eighth with a two-RBI triple by pinch-hitter Jared Young and an RBI single by SS Jordan Keeker. The Oaks got an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth when CF Mickey Phelps hit a single, and scored on a throwing error.
1B Sean Myrom opened the ninth with a single, and was replaced by a pinch runner, who scored on a ground out by pinch-hitter C.J. Watson. That ground out was the second out of the inning. The bases were empty, and the Cavaliers were behind 5-4. 3B Carl Beckert hit a double, then scored on a single by C Ben Talbot.
The Cavaliers sent out one of their starters, Larsen Kohler, to pitch the bottom of the ninth, and he ended up going 4 2/3 innings. The Cavaliers had a good chance to end it in the tenth; SS Jordan Keeker drew a walk, and the next batter flied out to center field. the center fielder threw to first in an attempt to double up Keeker, and the throw went into the dugout. Keeker was awarded third base. The next batter, Myrom, was intentionally walked, and Keeker was stranded when the next batter grounded out to end the inning.
Alex Tenorio came in to pitch for the Oaks in the eleventh inning, and he allowed one hit and walked one the rest of the way. The winning run was scored by RF Aaron Suarez-Lopez, who hit a single with two out in the bottom of the 13th, and moved into scoring position on a balk. Pinch-hitter James Threw hit a single, and although it appeared to several spectators that Suarez-Lopez was tagged out at the plate, the umpire called him safe, ending the game.
Schedule for Saturday, May 5: 3:30 PM: College of Idaho vs. Menlo
In other NAIA tournament news:
Defending NAIA champion Concordia-Irvine won the Golden State Athletic Conference tournament, defeating Azusa Pacific 7-6.
Saint Thomas defeated Savannah College of Art and Design 4-3 to win The Sun Conference tournament. This will be SCAD's last baseball game for a long time. Their Head Coach, Doug Wollenburg, won 301 games in eleven seasons.
Lubbock Christian and Oklahoma Baptist are in the final of the Sooner Athletic Conference tournament.
Asbury won the Unaffiliated Group tournament in Kinston, NC, taking out #10 Point Park.