Schedule for the first day of the 55th NAIA Baseball National Championship, Friday, May 27, Harris Field, Lewiston, ID (all times PDT):
8:30 AM: #8 seed Faulkner (48-13) vs. #9 Concordia-Irvine (38-18)
Faulkner (Montgomery, AL) is making their first appearance at the Baseball National Championship.
Nickname: Eagles
Rankings: #12 in coaches' poll, #7 in ISR. Strength of schedule: #29
Significant wins: 2-2 vs. Brewton-Parker, 1-1 vs. Tennessee Wesleyan, 2-1 vs. Union C. (KY)
Top position players: LHP/OF Tucker Willard (.391), IF Daniel Cayton (.371), IF Michael Clayton (.355, 15 HR, 69 RBI)
Top pitchers: LHP R.L. Eisenbach (14-1, 1.36 ERA, 112 K), RHP Jacob Simmons (10-3, 3.70 ERA), RHP Colby Broussard (4-0, 4.29 ERA, 8 saves). Eisenbach leads the NAIA in wins. He made two starts for Lubbock Christian in the 2009 BNC. One of them was a complete-game 2-1 loss to Point Loma Nazarene, one of the best games played in Lewiston in recent years. He allowed five hits, struck out eight. (Click here and scroll down for story.)
Coach: Patrick McCarthy, second season
Outlook: Faulkner will probably go 1-2.
Concordia-Irvine (Irvine, CA) is making their second trip to Lewiston; the first one was in 2006. They won the Golden State Athletic Conference tournament, and come into this tournament with an eight-game winning streak.
Nickname: Eagles
Rankings: Unranked in coaches' poll, #12 in ISR. SoS: #1
Significant wins: 2-0 vs. British Columbia, 2-4 vs. Cal Baptist, 3-2 vs. Fresno Pacific, Cal Poly Pomona
Top position players: 1B Bryan Nicholson (.423, 9 HR, 61 RBI), OF Kyle Konicek (.380)
Top pitchers: RHP Blake Harrison (7-1, 2.67 ERA, 60 K), RHP Dean Persinger (6-4, 3.82 ERA, 56 K), RHP Brent Clapper (8-4, 4.20 ERA, 61 K), RHP Ryan Day (1-1, 4.00 ERA, 7 saves)
Coach: Mike Grahovac, third season
Outlook: Concordia had a strong finish in a tough conference, and won the Opening Round bracket with the strongest field. They can finish in the top four. The first game will be tough if Faulkner starts Eisenbach.
Noon: #4 LSU-Shreveport (45-13) vs. #5 Lee (47-12)
LSU-Shreveport is making their second trip to Lewiston; the first one was in 2003. They won the Red River Athletic Conference championship.
Nickname: Pilots
Rankings: #6 in coaches' poll, #11 in ISR. SoS: #49
Significant wins: Faulkner, Oklahoma City, 1-1 vs. Belhaven, Cumberland
Top position players: IF Kevin Smith (.449, 15 HR, 149 RBI), OF Chase Wentz (.374), C/OF Andrew Brouillette (.297, 14 HR), IF Shawn Moy (.314, 11 HR). Smith is tied for tenth for the best average in the NAIA.
Top Pitchers: RHP Logan Norris (3-1, 1.56 ERA), RHP Jared Mortensen (9-1, 4.14 ERA, 63 K), RHP Jared Mata (6-4, 4.97 ERA, 61 K), LHP Cody Bouette (6-2, 5.67 ERA, 67 K)
Coach: Rocke Musgraves, 12th season
Outlook: The Pilots played a weak schedule, but should finish in the top four.
Lee (Cleveland, TN) is making their fiftth straight trip to Lewiston under Head Coach Mark Brew, sixth appearance overall. They were runners-up in 2008 and 2010. They won the East division of the Southern States Athletic Conference in the regular season, but went two-and-out in the conference tournament.
Nickname: Flames
Rankings: #7 in coaches' poll, #10 in ISR. SoS: #33
Significant wins: 2-1 vs. Tennessee Wesleyan, 3-0 vs. Brewton-Parker
Top position players: OF Michael Brown (.376), 3B Preston Scoggins (.366), OF Chris Grayson (.365), 1B/3B Roberto Reyes (.321, 11 HR, 57 RBI)
Top Pitchers: LHP Shay Crawford (10-2, 1.26 ERA, 111 K), RHP Maxx Catapano (8-3, 2.01 ERA), RHP Curtis Camilli (7-2, 2.85 ERA). Crawford's ERA is third-best in the NAIA.
Coach: Mark Brew, 5th season. His record is a phenomenal 266-64.
Outlook: The Flames got here by winning the Opening Round bracket with the weakest field. They probably won't make the top four this time.
3 PM: #3 Oklahoma Baptist (45-12) vs. #6 Lubbock Christian (46-12)
Oklahoma Baptist (Shawnee, OK) will be making their third trip to the Baseball National Championship, and the first since 1996. They were the runner-up in the Sooner Athletic Conference for both the regular season and the tournament.
Nickname: Bison
Rankings: #4 in coaches' poll, #5 in ISR. SoS: #21
Significant wins: 2-2 vs. Lubbock Christian, 2-0 vs. Biola, 2-0 vs. Southeastern Oklahoma State
Top position players: IF Anthony Lopez (.404, 15 HR, 72 RBI), OF Michael Sliger (.400), 1B Daniel Baptista (.380, 13 HR), C Bam Davis (.341, 66 RBI), IF Alan Trayler (.301, 14 HR)
Top Pitchers: RHP Kyle Brule (6-1, 1.58 ERA, 5 saves), Chad Hardison (7-2, 2.44 ERA, 86 K), Richie Mirowski (11-1, 3.42 ERA, 102 K), Ryan Plum (8-1, 4.20 ERA)
Coach: Bobby Cox, 26th season. He got his 1,000 win this year.
Outlook: The Bison should finish in the middle of the pack.
Lubbock Christian (Lubbock, TX) won the championship in 2009. They are making their tenth appearance in this tournament.
Nickname: Chaparrals
Rankings: #9 in coaches' poll, #4 in ISR. SoS: #20
Significant wins: 2-2 vs. Oklahoma Baptist, Northwood (TX)
Top position players: OF/2B Richard Bohlken (.397, 22 home runs, 75 RBI), 1B/OF Ryan Meade (.456, 16 HR, 79 RBI), IF/RHP Ryan Burnaman (.421), OF Brent Leslie (.410), 1B/RHP Mike Marshall (.339, 15 HR). Meade's average is eighth-best in the NAIA. Bohlken is second to Tennessee Wesleyan's Bergin in home runs. Meade is second in the NAIA in RBI, and Bohlken is fifth.
Top Pitchers: RHP Mike Marshall (8-2, 5.02 ERA, 93 K), LHP Lucas Whitmore (9-2, 3.84 ERA), RHP Ryan Burnaman (4-0, 5.60 ERA, 4 saves)
Coach: Nathan Blackwood, 8th season
Outlook: The major shock of last year's tournament was the Chaparrals going two-and-out. That won't happen again, but they won't make it into the top four.
7:30 PM: #7 Lewis-Clark State (37-15) vs. #10 Tennessee Wesleyan (40-19)
Lewis-Clark State (Lewiston, ID) is the host team. They have won 16 national championships, most recently in 2008. They were 1-2 in 2009 and 2010.
Nickname: Warriors
Rankings: #12 in coaches' poll, #3 in ISR. SoS: #14
Significant wins: 1-1 vs. Seattle U., 4-4 vs. British Columbia, 7-2 vs. College of Idaho. The Warriors are the only team in the field to record a win against a Division I team.
Top position players: IF Alfonso Casillas (.441, 9 HR), IF Trent Bridges (.398), C Braxton Miller (.333), OF Gino Casini (.313), IF Kevin Lovelace (.304)
Top Pitchers: RHP Tyrell Poggemeyer (7-2, 2.85 ERA), LHP Tyler Barrett (7-2, 2.70 ERA, 72 K), RHP Casey Edelbrock (4-3, 2.52 ERA), LHP Jorge Sanchez (4-0, 2.60 ERA)
Coach: Gary Picone, first season
Outlook: The Warriors are going two-and-out.
Tennessee Wesleyan (Athens, TN) is making their second straight appearance in Lewiston. They won the Appalachian Athletic Conference tournament.
Nickname: Bulldogs
Rankings: Unranked in coaches' poll, #23 in ISR. SoS: #23
Significant wins: 2-2 vs. Cumberland, 1-1 vs. Faulkner, 2-2 vs. Union C. (KY)
Top position players: DH/RHP David Bergin (.430, 23 HR, 67 RBI), IF Jonathan Smith (.352), IF Cody Gaskill (.365, 12 home runs, 71 RBI), IF Rafael Carlot (.323). Bergin leads the NAIA in home runs and slugging (.993).
Top Pitchers: RHP David Bergin (9-2, 3.43 ERA, 73 K), LHP Josh McDaniels (7-2, 3.18 ERA, 71 K), RHP Noah Piard (7-2, 3.92 ERA, 6 saves)
Coach: Billy Berry, 6th season
Outlook: Wesleyan is bringing a considerably better team than the one that went two-and-out last year. They should win a game.
3:30 PM Saturday: #1 Embry-Riddle (50-9) vs. Faulkner-Concordia-Irvine winner
Embry-Riddle (Daytona Beach, FL) is making their tenth appearance in Lewiston, and their eighth in the past nine years. They finished in the top four at last year's tournament. They are the champions of the Sun Conference.
Nickname: Eagles
Rankings: #1 in coaches' poll, #1 in ISR. SoS: #12
Significant wins: 2-0 vs. Tennessee Wesleyan. Florida Southern, 3-2 vs. Brewton-Parker, Tampa, 1-1 vs. Flagler
Top position players: IF Steve Sabins (.382), IF Ben Kline (.374, 8 HR, 61 RBI), OF/1B Keaton Stroud (.371), IF Tyler Robbins (.319), IF Chris Page (.312, 60 RBI)
Top pitchers: RHP Steve Ortman (1-0, 1.77 ERA), RHP Tucker Jensen (13-1, 1.81 ERA, 5 complete games), LHP Ryan Vigue (12-2, 2.97 ERA, 106 K), LHP Kevin Maloney (10-0, 3.21 ERA). Jensen is second in the NAIA in wins, Vigue is tied for third.
Coach: Randy Stegall, 4th year
Outlook: The Eagles have three of the best pitchers in the NAIA. They are the obvious favorite to win this tournament.
7 PM Saturday: #2 Oklahoma City (46-10) vs. Lewis-Clark State-Tennessee Wesleyan winner
Oklahoma City is making their 13th appearance in this tournament. They won it in 2005, and were 1-2 in last year's tournament. They won the Sooner Athletic Conference regular season championship.
Nickname: Stars
Rankings: #2 in coaches' poll, #2 in ISR. SoS: #9
Significant wins: 3-0 vs. Lubbock Christian, 2-1 vs. Oklahoma Baptist, Northwood (TX), 2-1 vs. Belhaven
Top position players: IF Austin Messerli (.494), OF Ruben Sosa (.394), IF Julien Pollard (.387, 15 HR, 74 RBI), IF Miguel Beltran (.350, 13 HR, 66 RBI), C Chad Carman (.331), IF Kirk Walker (.438, 72 RBI), OF Mark Purser (.336), OF Matt Presley (.336), OF/LHP Terance Jackson (.289). Pollard is tied for sixth in the NAIA in RBI, and Walker is tied with Lopez of Oklahoma Baptist for ninth.
Top Pitchers: LHP Rich Hawkins (10-4, 1.53 ERA, 60 K), RHP Corey Theriot (10-1, 4.39 ERA), LHP Allen Townsend (7-1, 4.57 ERA), LHP Mike Richard (3-0, 4.73 ERA), LHP Terrance Jackson (5-0, 4.78 ERA)
Coach: Denney Crabaugh, 22nd season
Outlook: The Stars will finish in the top four.
Predicted order of finish
Embry-Riddle
Oklahoma City
Concordia-Irvine
LSU-Shreveport
Oklahoma Baptist
Lubbock Christian
Tennessee Wesleyan
Faulkner
Lee
Lewis-Clark State
If the top four seeds all win their first games, Monday's matchups will be Embry-Riddle vs. LSU-Shreveport and Oklahoma City vs. Oklahoma Baptist.
All games are webcast by KOZE Radio (audio and free) and watchnaia.com (video and $8.95/day, or $24.95 for the series). Live stats are available for all games by clicking here.