Nine of the NAIA's top ten teams have started their seasons.
#1 Tennessee Wesleyan swept three games against West Virginia Tech, 6-5, 5-2, and 13-2. Brady Frey, Zach Fleshman, and Jarrod Jameson got the wins. SS Wes Minton had a good weekend; 5-for-7, two home runs, five RBI. The Bulldogs host #3 Lee on February 12, and Indiana Tech February 16-17.
#2 LSU-Shreveport swept Houston-Victoria 7-6, 3-0, and 3-2. Paul Barton got the win in the first game, stranded seven baserunners. Rory Young pitched a one-hit shutout in the second game, 1B Kyle Pearson hit a three-run home run in the first inning for all of the Pilots' runs. Jason Mouton got the win in the third game.
The Pilots and Jaguars play two more games in Victoria February 12. The Pilots host Culver-Stockton February 15-16.
#3 Lee defeated Bluefield 23-2, #20 Georgetown C. (KY) 6-1, and Rio Grande 9-0. 3B Roberto Duran went 2-for-3 with two home runs and four RBI in the win over Georgetown C. Four Flames pitchers combined for the three-hit shutout against Rio Grande; starter Jose Samayoa got the win. Duran went 2-for-3, got three more RBI.
The Flames then lost a game to #24 Madonna, 4-3. Starter Jeremy Gooding got the win for the Crusaders, went six innings, struck out seven. story. The Crusaders lost 8-3 to Georgetown C., and are 3-1. They don't play again until March 1.
The Flames host U. of Mobile February 15-16, and Rio Grande February 18.
#4 Oklahoma City was shut out twice at home by Northwood (TX), 1-0 and 4-0. In the first game, the Stars had two hits, and the Knights one. Both starters went the seven-inning distance, and Derek Howell of the Stars had a no-hitter going into the seventh inning. The only run was scored when SS Elvin Rodriguez was hit by a pitch in the fifth inning, was bunted over the second, and scored on a throwing error. Cody Gray got the win, struck out six.
Roman Gomez got the complete (seven inning) game shutout in the second game, recorded 11 strikeouts. 3B Isaac Maturino hit a two-run home run for the winning run.
The Stars recovered by sweeping Benedictine (KS) 8-0, 16-1, and 18-3. Davis Henderson and Ryan Gibson combined for the shutout in the first game. C Kale Gaden hit a double and a triple, and batted in four runs. In the second game, 1B Forrest Smith went 2-for-4 with a home run and five RBI. In the third game, LF Josh Dickey went 3-for-4 with a home run and seven RBI.
The Stars are now 8-2. They host Bethany (KS) February 13, MidAmerica Nazarene February 15-16, and #17 Bellevue February 16-17. Streaming video (for a price)
#5 Rogers State lost 3-1 to UT-Tyler, defeated Dallas Christian 5-4, and split with Tabor, losing 1-0, and winning 1-0. The Hillcats out-hit the Bluejays 8-3 in the first game, but Josh Stone effectively scattered the eight hits. Kyle Duncan and Jesus del Rosario combined for a one-hitter in the second game. Duncan pitched five hitless innings, struck out five. 1B Cody Campbell hit an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh to win it.
The Hillcats host Baker February 16-17. streaming audio
#6 Point Park starts their season February 22.
#7 Embry-Riddle swept Southeastern, 4-3, 4-3, and 3-1. SS Jordan Romero drew a walk to bring in the winning run in the first game. 1B Matt Jacobs hit an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to win the second game. Stetson Nelson went the nine-inning distance in the third game, allowed no earned runs on four hits, struck out eight.
The Eagles visit South Carolina-Beaufort February 15-16. streaming video
The Jeremiah Robbins era at #8 Lewis-Clark State started with four wins over two teams that were decent last year, 11-0 and 6-3 over British Columbia, and 15-0 (twice) over Concordia-Portland. Anthony Armanino and Carsen Nylund combined for the shutout against the Thunderbirds. Michael Noteware, Seth Haehl, and Sal Arena combined for the first shutout against the Cavaliers, Garrett Wilson and Steve Thompson combined for the shutout in the second one. Brady Steiger went 9-for-16 with five RBI for the weekend.
The Warriors host another tournament February 15-17. The guests for this one are C. of Idaho, Concordia-Portland, and Division II Central Washington. streaming audio
#9 Faulkner swept Shawnee State 9-2 and 8-1, and swept U. of the Cumberlands 11-2 and 4-0 to run their record to 9-1. Johnny Shuttlesworth and Will Dismukes got the wins against Shawnee State; Dismukes recorded eight strikeouts. Julian Esquibel got the first win against U. of the Cumberlands, and Labradford Griffis pitched the three-hit shutout.
The Eagles host Belhaven February 15-16. streaming video
#10 Oklahoma Baptist lost three of four against York, 8-6, 2-1 (eight innings), and 4-1, and salvaged the fourth game 4-0. In the second game, the Panthers pulled off a squeeze play in the seventh to send it into extra innings, then C Tyler Helms hit a home run to win it. John Knoll went the seven-inning distance for the Panthers in the third game, held the Bison to two hits, struck out seven, and had a no-hitter going into the sixth inning. In the fourth game, Johnathan Christensen pitched 5 1/3 no-hit innings, struck out eight. Chris Rogers completed the two-hit shutout.
The Bison host Peru State February 15-16.
Biola, The Master's, and Arizona Christian are tied for the Golden State Athletic Conference lead with 5-4 conference records. Independent Cal State San Marcos had rainouts against Division III Chapman and San Diego Christian. The rainout against Chapman was made up February 11, and Cougars trailed 4-5 going into the bottom of the seventh (and last) inning. RF Marcos Meraz hit a two-RBI double to give the Cougars a 5-4 win. The Cougars play Chapman again February 12, and host Bethesda February 15.
More teams with good starts: U. of Science and Arts of Oklahoma is 8-1. Lubbock Christian and Saint Thomas (FL) are 7-1.
Finally, a professional baseball note: Yaquis de Obregon, champions of Mexico's Pacific League, defeated Leones del Escogido of the Dominican Republic 4-3 in the final of the Caribbean Series, played in Hermosillo, Mexico, but it took 18 innings and seven hours, 28 minutes to decide it. Doug Clark hit a home run that barely made it over the right field fence in the top of the 18th to win it. The two teams used 21 pitchers. Clark was in the Giants, A's, and Braves organization from 1998 to 2007. He had a football scholarship at Massachusetts, but he walked on to the baseball team, and ended up with a career record of .366 with 21 home runs, 137 RBI, and 49 stolen bases.