Oklahoma City (11-4) defeated Northwood (TX) 13-5 and won two of three against U. of Science and Arts of Oklahoma 12-2, 8-5, and 2-4. RF Dane Phillips went 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI in the first game against USAO; Blake Schwartz and Allen Townsend combined for a two-hitter. 1B Miguel Beltran went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, and two RBI in the second game; Rich Hawkins got the win. 1B Zach Gonzales singled in the winning run for USAO in the third game. Adam Wilson got the win, held the Stars to five hits. The Stars host Oklahoma Wesleyan Feb. 28, visit Northwestern Oklahoma State March 1, and host Northwestern Oklahoma State March 3.
Concordia-Irvine (9-5) began their defense of their Golden State Athletic Conference championship by winning three of four against San Diego Christian, 5-4, 12-4, 6-1, and 5-6. RF Ty Holm stole home for the winning run in the first game. DH Tony Harkey hit a three-RBI double in the second game. Jake Hovis pitched a complete game in the third game, allowed five hits. The Eagles were done in by three unearned runs on the fourth game. They visit Vanguard March 1-2, and host Vanguard March 3.
Lee (16-2) defeated Rio Grande 12-1, Lindsey Wilson 10-8, and swept three games at U. of Mobile, 3-0, 12-1 and 8-4. Patrick Merckling pitched a two-hit shutout in the first game against U. of Mobile, struck out eight. 1B Roberto Reyes hit a three-run home run in the second game; Kris Hall went the mercy-rule shortened distance, allowed four hits, struck out six. Reyes hit another three-run home run in the third game. The Flames host Milligan Feb. 28, and Truett McConnell March 2-3.
Lubbock Christian (10-5) split a double-header with U. of the Southwest, losing 11-6, and winning 9-0; Ethan Murphy, Jose Gonzalez and Kyle Forsyth combined for the shutout. The Chaparrals then opened their Sooner Athletic Conference schedule by sweeping Oklahoma Christian, 5-4, 10-0, and 12-2. Tyler Rogers struck out 14 in the first game, allowed only one earned run on five hits, 2B Jordan Lewis scored the winning run on a bunt by SS Ryan Burnaman. Shane Ingram got a three-hit shutout in the second game, struck out ten. The Chaparrals have a major challenge coming up at Rogers State March 2-3; the Hillcats are 17-1.
Embry-Riddle (14-4) split a double-header with Brewton-Parker, losing 7-6 (nine innings, scheduled for seven) and winning 2-1 (nine innings, scheduled for seven). David Lidyard got the win in the second game, but starter Daniel Eaton went eight innings, allowed one run on five hits, struck out six. 1B Chris Page hit a home run to win it. The Eagles then swept a double-header at Edward Waters 11-5 and 11-2, giving Head Coach Randy Stegall his 200th win at Embry-Riddle in slightly more than four seasons. Page went 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored in the first game, and went 3-for-4 with a grand slam home run in the second game. The Eagles visit Savannah College of Art and Design March 2-3, host Bellevue March 4, and Cumberland March 5-7..
LSU-Shreveport (12-1) swept a double-header against Houston-Victoria 3-1 and 12-1, giving Head Coach Rocke Musgraves his 500th career win. LF Kyle Pearson scored on a wild pitch to win the first game. DH Greg Friesen went 2-for-2 with a home run and two RBI in the second game. The Pilots then won two of three against Bacone, losing 10-9, and winning 12-3 and 9-7. CF Tyler Alton went 4-for-5 with a home run and two RBI in the first game; CF Garland Norton hit a walk-off home run for the Warriors. Jared Mortensen got the win in the second game, struck out ten. The Pilots needed three runs in the top of the eighth to win the third game; 1B Pearson doubled in the winning run. The Pilots host Division III Louisiana College Feb. 28, and visit U. of the Southwest March 2-3.
Cumberland (7-5) split a double-header at Point Park, losing the first game 3-2 (eight innings, scheduled for seven); CF Tom Pasinski scored the winning run on a wild pitch. The Bulldogs won the second game 5-0, and Chipper Smith pitched a seven-inning no-hitter for the Bulldogs. Smith struck out 14 batters, and allowed only two baserunners; one walk, and one hit batter. Story from Cumberland site. The Bulldogs visit Tennessee Wesleyan Feb. 28, host Mid-Continent March 2-3, play Bellevue and Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach March 5, play Embry-Riddle March 6, and Aquinas and Embry-Riddle March 7.
Faulkner (12-4) won two of three at Brewton-Parker, winning 11-8 and 3-1, and losing 5-3. Will Dismukes went the distance in the second game, allowed three hits, struck out seven. Ben Gillespie got the win in relief for the Barons in the third game. He struck out nine of the 14 batters he faced. The Eagles host Reinhardt Feb. 28, Point (a program new to the NAIA) Feb. 29, and visit Southern Wesleyan March 2-3. Faulkner provides streaming video of their home games.
Okahoma Baptist (14-2) defeated Division II East Central 17-11, and won three of four against York, 5-3, 8-11, 6-3, and 15-6. Chad Hardison went the distance in the third game, struck out ten, The Bison then swept a double-header against Kansas Wesleyan, 3-0 and 20-3. Chris Witschi and Jesus Carlos combined for a pitching gem in the first game. Witschi pitched the first six innings, allowed two hits, struck out nine. Carlos pitched the seventh inning, struck out all three batters he faced with nine pitches. Carlos got his sixth save of the season against York, and his seventh against Kansas Wesleyan. The Bison host Mid America Christian March 1 and 3, and visit Mid America Christian March 2..
Biola (7-10) opened their GSAC season losing three out of four against Azusa Pacific, losing 16-7, 13-4, and 7-5, and salvaging an 11-7 win. Jacob Cage, Michael Finnigan, and Zachary Hedges got the wins for the Cougars. 12 of the 13 runs scored by the Cougars in the second game were unearned, as were two of the Eagles' runs. 1B Jordan Leyland hit four home runs in the series. The Eagles host Westmont March 1-2, and visit Westmont March 3.
More teams doing well: Georgetown C. is 13-0, Campbellsville is 9-1, Bryan and South Carolina-Beaufort are 14-2. Georgetown C. and Campbellsville play each other at Georgetown March 2-3.