Schedule for the first two days of the 56th NAIA
Baseball National Championship, Friday, May 25, Harris Field,
Lewiston, ID (all times PDT):
9 AM: #7 seed Point Park (51-9) vs. #10 College of Idaho
(41-19)
Point
Park (Pittsburgh) is making their first appearance at the
Baseball National Championship since 1998.
Nickname:
Pioneers
Rankings:
#12 in coaches' poll, #17 in ISR. Strength of schedule:
#160
Significant
wins: Campbellsville
Top
position players: OF
Tom Pasinski
(.351), IF Tom Birko (.343)
Top pitchers: RHP
Derek Peluso (9-1, 2.23
ERA, 73 K), RHP Manny Perdomo (7-0, 1.47 ERA), LHP Nathan Spohn (8-0,
2.29 ERA), RHP Sean Clark (7-0, 2.55 ERA)
Coach:
Loren Torres, third season
Outlook:
The Pioneers are happy
to be here.
College
of Idaho (Caldwell, ID) is making their first trip to the
Baseball National Championship since 2002. They won the championship
in 1998.
Nickname: Coyotes
Rankings:
Unranked in coaches'
poll, #28 in ISR. SoS: #31
Significant
wins: 1-1
vs. Azusa Pacific, 3-1
vs. British Columbia, 2-3 vs. Lewis-Clark State
Top
position players: LF
Izaac Garsez (.396, 8 home runs, 52 RBI), Jarel Lewis (.374, 6 home
runs, 56 RBI), Tanner Hodges (.373, 66 RBI), 3B/RHP Todd Griffiths
(.258), DH Jesse Dodd (.369).
Top pitchers: RHP
Taylor Nicholson (9-2, 2.47 ERA, 63 K), LHP Zachary
Fabricius (5-4, 4.04 ERA, 39 K), RHP Chad Yeggy (8-3, 3.71 ERA), LHP
Joshua Orr (7-4, 4.09 ERA), RHP Todd Griffiths (4-1, 2.58
ERA).
Coach: Shawn
Humberger, 12th season
Outlook:
The
Coyotes played well all season in a good conference, and got a win at
Azusa Pacific to get here. They should get a couple of wins in this
tournament.
Noon: #8 South Carolina-Beaufort
(40-17) vs. #9 Rogers State (45-14)
South
Carolina-Beaufort is making their first trip to Lewiston, in the
fourth year of their program..
Nickname: Sand
Sharks
Rankings:
#15
in coaches' poll, #14 in ISR. Strength of schedule: #29
Significant
wins: Faulkner,
3-3 vs. Saint Thomas, 2-2 vs. Embry-Riddle
Top
position players: OF
Ty Main (.317, 5 HR), C Dylan Nasiatka (.335), OF Conald Mansfield
(.311)
Top
Pitchers: LHP
Michael Heesh (9-2, 2.13 ERA, 108
K),
RHP Miles Galvin (6-0, 3.66 ERA), LHP Adam Miller (9-5, 3.12
ERA)
Coach:
Bryan
Lewallin, first season
Outlook:
The
Sand Sharks are happy to be here.
Rogers
State (Claremore, OK) is making their first trip to
Lewiston.
Nickname: Hillcats
Rankings:
#23
in coaches' poll, #15 in ISR. Strength of schedule: #40
Significant
wins: 2-0
vs. Tabor
Top
position players: OF
Eric Baker (.391), 2B Hector Rivera (.365), 1B/OF Colton Campbell
(.362, 7 HR, 54 RBI)
Top
Pitchers: LHP
Shawn Spainhoward (9-2, 2.87 ERA), RHP Kyle Duncan (8-1, 3.28 ERA),
LHP Brandon Bargas (6-3, 3.79 ERA, 90 K)
Coach:
Ron
Bradley, ninth season
Outlook:
The
Hillcats will get one win.
3 PM: #4 Tennessee Wesleyan
(48-11) vs. #5 Embry-Riddle (43-16)
Tennessee
Wesleyan (Athens,
TN) is making their third straight appearance in Lewiston. They won
the Appalachian Athletic Conference championship. They went
two-and-out in last year's tournament.
Nickname:
Bulldogs
Rankings:
#6
in coaches' poll, #4 in ISR. SoS: #23
Significant
wins: 2-0
vs. South Carolina-Beaufort, Indiana Tech
Top
position players: IF
Stephen Branca (.442, 16 HR, 65 RBI), IF Taylor Oldham (.361, 19 HR,
83 RBI), OF Drew Levi (.347, 10 HR, 55 RBI), 1B Jake Stone (.409, 68
RBI). Branca's batting average is fifth-best in the NAIA. Oldham is
third in the NAIA in home runs; Branca is tied for eighth. Oldham
leads the NAIA in RBI.
Top
Pitchers: RHP Jeremy
Fitzgerald (10-0, 3.75 ERA, 73 K), RHP Corey Rhoney (9-0, 2.50 ERA),
LHP Josh Culler (9-2, 2.56 ERA)
Coach:
Billy Berry, 7th
season
Outlook:
Wesleyan should win a
game or two.
Embry-Riddle
(Daytona Beach, FL)
is making their eleventh appearance in Lewiston, and their ninth in
the past ten years. They were 1-2 in last year's
tournament.
Nickname:
Eagles
Rankings:
#8 in coaches' poll,
#8 in ISR. SoS: #10
Significant
wins: Tennessee
Wesleyan, 1-1 vs. Lewis-Clark State, 2-2 vs. South Carolina-Beaufort,
2-0 vs. Auburn-Montgomery, 2-1 vs. Indiana Tech
Top
position players: OF
Frankie Arias (.351), IF Ben Kline (.345), OF Ian MacGeorge (.332, 60
RBI), IF Chris Page (.316, 53 RBI)
Top
pitchers: LHP Kevin
Maloney (9-0, 1.68 ERA), RHP Adam Palencu (8-2, 2.49 ERA, 73 K), LHP
Daniel Eaton (7-5, 2.68 ERA, 84 K). Maloney's RBI is the tenth-best
in the NAIA..
Coach:
Randy Stegall, 5th
season
Outlook: The
Eagles should win a game or two.
7 PM: #3 Oklahoma City (47-10)
vs. #6 Lewis-Clark State (41-12)
Oklahoma
City is making their 14th appearance in this
tournament. They won it in 2005. They were 1-2 in last year's
tournament.
Nickname: Stars
Rankings: #3 in
coaches' poll, #5 in ISR. SoS: #26
Significant wins:
Missouri Baptist, 2-1 vs. Oklahoma Baptist, 2-1 vs. Rogers State
Top
position players: IF Miguel Beltran (.395, 25 HR, 71 RBI), C Dane
Phillips (.423, 14 HR, 66 RBI), IF Chris Muñoz
(.398), C Chad Carman (.391). Beltran leads the NAIA in home
runs, and is sixth in RBI.
Top Pitchers: LHP Rich Hawkins
(11-2, 1.96 ERA, 85 K), LHP Ryan Gibson (4-0, 1.00 ERA, 35 K), RHP
Davis Henderson (7-0, 1.84 ERA), RHP Blake Schwartz (11-3, 3.55 ERA,
103 K), RHP Cody Crabaugh (10-2, 3.70 ERA, 58 K)
Coach:
Denney Crabaugh, 22nd season
Outlook: The Stars come into
this tournament with a phenomenal three straight shutouts. If any
team can get in the way of LSU-Shreveport, it's this one.
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, 2010,
and 2011. They won the NAIA West regular season pennant.
Nickname:
Warriors
Rankings:
#10 in coaches' poll,
#10 in ISR. SoS: #24
Significant
wins: 2-0
vs. Western Oregon, 3-2
vs. College of Idaho, 1-1 vs. Embry-Riddle, 6-0 vs. British Columbia.
Top
position players: IF
Alfonso Casillas (.372, 10 HR, 62 RBI), IF Trent Bridges (.396), C
Braxton Miller (.314, 9 HR), OF Kyle Knigge (.357)
Top
Pitchers: RHP Seth
Haehl (2-0, 1.98 ERA), RHP Michael Noteware (9-2, 2.03 ERA), LHP
Anthony Armanino (9-1, 2.10 ERA, 83 K), RHP Sal Arena (3-0, 3.58
ERA), RHP Austin Pentecost (6-3, 2.78 ERA)
Coach:
Gary Picone, second
season
Outlook: The
Warriors shound win two games this time. This first-round game will
get the crowd going.
3 PM Saturday: #2 Lee (54-9-1)
vs. Point Park-C. Of Idaho winner
Lee
(Cleveland, TN) is
making their sixth straight trip to Lewiston under Head Coach Mark
Brew. They finished third last year.were runners-up in 2008 and 2010.
They won the Southern States Athletic Conference
tournament.
Nickname:
Flames
Rankings:
#2 in coaches' poll,
#3 in ISR. SoS: #8 (highest in tournament)
Significant
wins: Faulkner,
2-1 vs. Tennessee
Wesleyan, 2-1 vs. Missouri Baptist, 2-1 vs. Auburn-Montgomery
Top
position players: IF
Blake Barber (.416), 1B/C Corey Davis (.340), IF/OF Mike Moore
(.326), 1B/3B Roberto Reyes (.311, 15 HR, 82 RBI). Reyes is third in
the NAIA in RBI.
Top
Pitchers: RHP Kris
Hall (11-0, 1.52 ERA, 115
K), LHP Patrick
Merkling (8-2, 2.15 ERA, 96 K), RHP Jose Samayoa (8-0, 2.36 ERA).
Hall's RBI is the fifth-best in the NAIA, and he is seventh in
strikeouts.
Coach:
Mark Brew, 6th season. His record is a phenomenal 324-75-1.
Outlook:
The Flames play well in this tournament every year. They had a lot of
ninth-inning wins against a strong schedule. They should finish in
the top four again.
6:30 PM Saturday: #1
LSU-Shreveport (51-4) vs. South Carolina-Beaufort-Rogers State winner
LSU-Shreveport
is making their
third trip to Lewiston. They won the Red River Athletic Conference
championship. They were 2-2 in last year's tournament.
Nickname:
Pilots
Rankings: #1
in coaches' poll, #2 in ISR (highest in tournament). SoS:
#21
Significant
wins: 2-0
vs. Lindsey Wilson
Top
position players: Greg
Friesen (.394, 12 HR, 60 RBI), Kade Billeaudeaux (.381), Stephen
Hobbins (.393), Kyle Pearsen (.377, 13 HR, 64 RBI)
Top
Pitchers: RHP Logan
Norris (8-1, 3.36 ERA), RHP Jared Mortensen (11-1, 1.48 ERA, 125
K), Matt Lackie (11-0,
2.37 ERA, 104 K), Drew Middleton (6-0, 2.63 ERA). Mortensen's RBI is
the fourth-best in the NAIA, and he is second in the NAIA in
strikeouts.
Coach:
Rocke Musgraves, 12th
season
Outlook: The
Pilots have defeated everything that's come their way. They are a
clear favorite to win this championship.
Predicted order of
finish
LSU-Shreveport
Oklahoma
City
Lee
Lewis-Clark State
Tennessee Wesleyan
College of
Idaho
Embry-Riddle
Rogers State
South
Carolina-Beaufort
Point Park
If the top four seeds all win their
first games, Monday's matchups will be LSU-Shreveport vs. Tennessee
Wesleyan and Lee vs. Oklahoma City.
All games are webcast by KOZE
Radio (audio and free) and nmnathletics.com
(video and $39.95 for the series). Live stats are available for all
games by clicking here.
