Oklahoma City, Lee, South Carolina-Beaufort, and the College of Idaho have qualified for the Baseball National Championship tournament. Results from the fifth day of the NAIA Baseball Opening round:
At Oklahoma City, OK:
Oklahoma City 3, Sterling (KS) 0: The Stars finished this tournament with a phenomenal three straight shutouts. Sterling had the tying run at the plate with no outs in the top of the ninth, and Patrick Goelz came in, threw nine straight strikes to end it.
The winning run came in the third inning, on an RBI double by 1B Miguel Beltran. Beltran went 3-for-4 for the game. Starter Blake Schwartz got the win, went six innings, allowed five hits, struck out seven.
At Hardeeville, SC:
South Carolina-Beaufort 11, Saint Thomas (FL) 2: The Sand Sharks scored eight runs in the fourth inning. 1B Brandon Collins went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, and three RBI.
The Sand Sharks earned this trip to Lewiston in only the fourth year of their program.
At Azusa, CA:
College of Idaho 7, Azusa Pacific 6: CF Tyler Andazola hit a ground ball in the bottom of the ninth to score SS Tanner Hodges from third base to give the Coyotes their first trip to the National Championship tournament since 2002.
Todd Griffiths, who pitched a complete-game shutout against Menlo on Friday, went 8 1/3 innings in this one, allowed 11 hits. He was relieved by Taylor Nicholson after the Cougars tied it with two runs in the top of the ninth. Nicholson threw eight pitches, got the win.
At Cleveland, TN:
Lee 8, Missouri Baptist 5: The Flames scored five runs in the top of the third inning to break a 2-2 tie. 1B Roberto Reyes hit a three-RBI double.
This will be the sixth straight trip to Lewiston for the Flames since Mark Brew took over as Head Coach.