Game Accounts

The NAIA Coaches' poll for April 3, 2012, with Boyd Nation's Iterative Strength Rating (ISR):

First place votes: LSU-Shreveport 15, Azusa Pacific 2, Lee 1, Oklahoma City 1

Azusa Pacific is #1 in Strength of Schedule

LSU-Shreveport (17-3 RRAC) defeated Division III Louisiana College 5-1, and swept three games at Southwest Assemblies of God, 18-2, 8-2, and 10-6. The Pilots outhit Louisiana College 15-3. They scored ten runs in the top of the ninth in the first game against SAGU, allowed three hits. C David Dorton hit an inside-the-park home run. 3B Devin Greco went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI in the second game, and 3-for-4 with three RBI in the third game. The Pilots visit Division II Southern Arkansas April 4, and host Houston-Victoria April 6-7. The Pilots lead the Red River Athletic Conference; Texas-Brownsville is second with a with a 13-5 conference record.

Oklahoma City (16-2 SAC) swept three games against Saint Gregory's, 7-2, 6-2, and 12-5. 1B Miguel Beltran, LF Kale Gaden, and SS Chris Muñoz hit home runs in the first game. RF Dane Phillips went 2-for-2 with a home run and two RBI in the second game. Phillips moved to catcher for the third game, went 3-for-3 with a double and three RBI. The Stars host Rogers State April 5, and visit Rogers State April 7. The Stars lead the Sooner Athletic Conference; #7 Oklahoma Baptist and Lubbock Christian are tied for second place with 11-4 records.

Lee (18-3 SSAC) got a midweek shutout against Trevecca Nazarene, 6-0, and five Flames pitchers combined to hold the Trojans to four hits. The Flames won the first game of a series at Southern Wesleyan 5-1; Kris Hall got the win, allowed four hits and struck out nine in seven innings of work. However, the Warriors won the next two games and the series, 12-10 and 5-4. In the first game, both teams committed five errors, but Flames pitchers walked five batters, and hit three more. The Flames out-hit the Warriors 12-5. Flames starter Patrick Merkling was chased after three innings, got his first loss of the season. The second game was scoreless for the first six innings. Both teams got four runs in the seventh; the Warriors got three runs on a home run by LF Kendall Ray. RF Cliff Alexander scored the winning run in the eighth when the Flames couldn't complete a double play on a ground ball by DH Tyler Lollis. The Flames host Southern Polytechnic April 6-7. The two conference losses put the Flames in a tie with #6 Faulkner for the Southern States Athletic Conference lead.

Embry-Riddle (16-2 The Sun Conference) swept three games at Southeastern, 7-4, 4-1, and 5-4. Robbie Ratliff got the win in a seven-inning relief appearance in the first game. Adam Palencu got the win in the second game, went eight innings, scattered seven hits, struck out six. 1B Chris Page batted in three runs in the third game. The Eagles play the Class A Daytona Cubs on April 4, and host South Carolina-Beaufort April 6-7.

Azusa Pacific (17-3 GSAC) swept four games against Vanguard 11-5, 17-4, 10-1, and 7-1. The Cougars trailed 5-3 in the eighth inning of the first game, but RF Brent Warren hit a grand slam home run. Ben Ruder went the distance in the third game, allowed four hits. 1B Jordan Leyland hit two home runs in the fourth game. However, they lost a conference game at The Master's 5-3. The Cougars committed four errors, and the winning run was unearned. The Cougars play the Class A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes April 3, visit Arizona Christian April 4, visit San Diego Christian April 7, and host San Diego Christian April 9. The Cougars lead the Golden State Athletic Conference; Concordia is second with a 14-6 record.

Faulkner (18-3 SSAC) swept three games against Loyola-New Orleans, 10-0, 3-2, and 13-0. Corey Black and Nathan Prokuski combined for the seven-inning three-hit shutout in the first game; Black struck out ten. The Wolfpack out-hit the Eagles 5-2 in the second game, but both of the Eagles' hits came in the third inning. Combined with two walks and a fielder's choice, the Eagles got the two runs they needed to win it. Will Dismukes went the distance for the Eagles. Matthew Guerry also went the distance for the Wolfpack, got the two-hit loss. Matt Creel, Zach Sterling, and Damon Porter combined for the two-hit shutout in the third game. The Eagles also got three unearned runs in the top of the ninth to defeat Division II West Alabama 6-5. The Eagles visit Mobile April 6-7.

Okahoma Baptist (11-4 SAC) won two of three against Southern Nazarene, 17-4, 3-4, and 12-6. 3B Jacob Inbody batted in the winning run for Southern Nazarene in the second game; Jake Bidelman went the seven-inning distance for the win. The Bison scored eight runs in the first inning of the first game. The Bison visit Wayland Baptist April 5-6.

Point Park swept four games against Houghton, 19-0, 10-7, 5-3, and 7-0. Derek Peluso got the win in the first game, struck out seven. RF Javier Marticorena hit two home runs in the fourth game, Nathan Spohn got the shutout. Marticorena leads the Pioneers in hitting with a .383 average and 29 RBI. The Pioneers host Malone April 6, and visit Malone April 7.

Spring Arbor (10-3 MCC) won three of four against Mount Vernon Nazarene, 9-2, 9-8, 2-1, and 1-7. They added a 5-4 win against Taylor, and this win was Head Coach Sam Riggleman's 900^th. Mark Weist is batting .484 for the Cougars. The Cougars visit Taylor April 5 and Saint Francis (IN) April 7, and host Saint Francis April 10.

Tennessee Wesleyan (11-1 Appalachian Athletic Conference) lost to Cumberland 10-8. and won two of three at Bluefield, 4-5, 4-0, and 9-4. Bluefield got two late unearned runs to win the first game. Jeremy Fitzgerald pitched the three-hit shutout in the second game. Stephen Branca hit a three-run home run in the third game. The Bulldogs visit Virginia-Wise April 4, and Point April 6-7.