Schedule for the first two days of the 64^th NAIA Baseball National Championship, Friday-Saturday, May 28-June 4, Harris Field, Lewiston, ID (all times PDT):

8:30 AM: #8Keiser(36-16) vs. #9LSU-Shreveport (44-14)

Keiser (West Palm Beach, FL) is making their second trip to the Baseball National Championship. The first one was in 2017, and they went 1-2. Twitter: @KeiserBaseball
Nickname: Seahawks
Rankings: #17 in coaches' poll, #9 in Boyd Nation's ISR. Strength of Schedule: #10
Quality wins: 3-0 vs. South Carolina-Beaufort, 3-3 vs. Saint Thomas, 2-0 vs. Oklahoma City
Top position players: 3B Tim Bouchard (.403, 16 HR, 67 RBI), OF Matthew Catalfo (.389, 7 HR, 62 RBI), OF Ben McConnell (.356, 6 HR, 40 RBI), SS Mason Dineson (.330, 10 HR, 53 RBI), C Zach Mazur (.253, 14 HR, 53 RBI)
Top Pitchers: RHP Pablo Arevalo (9-3, 1.38 ERA, 114 K), RHP James Reynolds (7-3, 3.65 ERA, 57 K), RHP Deykel Reyes (8-1, 5.52 ERA, 72 K). Arevalo's 1.38 ERA is third-best in the NAIA. He has pitched 117 innings, which is the most in the NAIA.
Coach: Brook Fordyce, fourth season
Outlook: The Seahawks are not at the same level as the top four teams in this tournament.

Louisiana State-Shreveport is making their fourth trip to the Baseball National Championship. The most recent one was 2012, and they finished third. Twitter: @LSUS_Baseball
Nickname: Pilots
Rankings: #25 in coaches' poll, #11 in ISR. SoS: #24
Quality wins: Central Methodist, 2-2 vs. Oklahoma City, Mobile, 2-0 vs. Point Park
Top position players: 3B Payton Robertson (.417, 7 HR, 56 RBI), OF Kody Kolb (.408, 45 RBI), DH Taylor Fajardo (.345, 15 HR, 43 RBI)
Top Pitchers: RHP Trent Sholders (6-1, 3.04 ERA, 30 K), LHP Josh Fortenberry (8-2, 3.23 ERA, 63 K), RHP Sebastian Selway (6-3, 3.36 ERA, 86 K), RHP Kevin Miranda (6-3, 5.30 ERA, 70 K), RHP Luisdiego Quintana (4-3, 5.12 ERA, 70 K)
Coach: Brad Neffendorf, second season
Outlook: Either the Pilots or the Seahawks will get a win.

Schedule for the first two days of the 61^st NAIA Baseball National Championship, Friday-Saturday, May 26-27, Harris Field, Lewiston, ID (all times PDT):

8:30 AM: #7 seed Science and Arts of Oklahoma (47-15) vs. #10 The Master's (39-21)

Science and Arts of Oklahoma (Chikasha, OK) is making their second appearance at the Baseball National Championship. They went two-and-out last year, and were taken out by The Master's. The Drovers win the United Nations award for the second straight year; they have an Australian, five Puerto Ricans, and a Dominican Republican.
Nickname: Drovers
Rankings: #19 in coaches' poll, #27 in ISR. Strength of Schedule: #37
Quality wins: 3-1 vs. Bellevue, Davenport, 3-1 vs. Friends, Oklahoma Baptist
Top position players: UTL Christian Perez (.434, 10 HR, 59 RBI, Bayamon, Puerto Rico), RF Randy Ventura (.429, 10 HR, 52 RBI, Carolina, Puerto Rico), C Dillon White (.410, 15 HR, 80 RBI). White's 80 RBI are fifth-best in the NAIA.
Top pitchers: LHP Francis Ventura (10-1, 1.64 ERA, 88 K), LHP Jose Hidalgo (9-1, 2.04 ERA, 85 K), RHP Ruddy Estrella (1-1, 2.49 ERA, 29 K), LHP Carson Korff (8-0, 2.56 ERA, 52 K). Ventura's ERA is third-lowest in the NAIA, and lowest of the pitchers in this tournament. Hidalgo's ERA is 15^th-lowest.
Coach: Mike Ross, 13^th season
Outlook: The Drovers had to beat a really good Bellevue team twice and a good Davenport team to get here. This is a tough first round matchup for both teams.

The Master's (Santa Clarita, CA) is making their fourth appearance at the Baseball National Championship. They went 1-2 in last year's tournament. The win was 6-1 over Science and Arts of Oklahoma; RHP Brad Lohse pitched a complete game. They won the Golden State Athletic Conference tournament by winning five straight after losing the opening game.
Nickname: Mustangs
Rankings: Unranked in coaches' poll, #7 in ISR. SoS: #6
Quality wins: 4-1 vs. Menlo, 2-0 vs. Georgia Gwinnett. Defeated Hope International twice in GSAC tournament.
Top position players: C Jonah Jarrard (.413, 12 HR, 46 RBI), 3B Michael Sexton (.401, 16 HR, 59 RBI), CF Max Maitland (.351), SS Aaron Shackelford (.316, 14 HR, 50 RBI), 1B David Sheaffer (262, 8 HR, 59 RBI)
Top pitchers: RHP Danny Lutz (2-1, 2.53 ERA, 29 K), RHP Aaron Alexander (10-4, 2.84 ERA, 95 K), RHP Robert Winslow (8-5, 2.92 ERA, 97 K), RHP Jason Karkenny (5-2, 4.28 ERA, 49 K)
Coach: Monte Brooks, 21st season
Outlook: After a slow start, the Mustangs went 24-4 since March 25, and enter this tournament with a nine-game winning streak. Preview from The Master's College.

NAIA coaches' poll for May 2, 2017, with Boyd Nation's ISR. Recaps below.

NAIA coaches' poll for April 18, 2017, with Boyd Nation's ISR. Recaps below.

NAIA coaches' poll for April 4, 2017, with Boyd Nation's ISR. Recaps below.

NAIA coaches' poll for March 21, 2017, with Boyd Nation's ISR. Recaps below.

NAIA coaches' poll for March 7, 2017, with Boyd Nation's ISR. Recaps below.

In every conference listed here (except the the Southern States Athletic Conference, which had a winner-take-all final), the title was decided by an “if necessary” game. ISR's mentioned here are as of May 6.

Cal State San Marcos (ISR #13) won the Association of Independent Institutions championship for the third time in five years. They lost the first “final” to #1 Georgia Gwinnett 2-1. The Grizzlies out-hit the Cougars 11-5, and SS Ernesto Vasquez hit an RBI single for the winning run. CSUSM won the deciding game 11-5. The Cougars got five runs in the first inning, and added four more in the second. LF Clinton Perez hit an RBI single for the winning run. Emilio Esquibel got his second win of the tournament, and ran his record to 12-1, 2.43 ERA. Story Georgia Gwinnett will host an Opening Round bracket.

#2 Oklahoma City won the Sooner Athletic Conference tournament, defeating #3 Oklahoma Baptist twice, 9-6 and 7-5. The Stars trailed in the late innings of both games. They scored four runs in the eighth inning of the first one. In the second one, C Connor Lynch hit a grand slam home run in the bottom of the ninth. Story Both Oklahoma City and Oklahoma Baptist are hosting Opening Round brackets.

#9 Missouri Baptist split a double-header with Bryan at the beginning of the week, 4-3 and 3-4. The loss in the second game was their first of the season. The Spartans were outhit 8-5 in the first game, but they got two unearned runs, and a two-RBI single by DH Aaron Pangilinan. The second game was tied 2-2 going into the seventh and final inning. 2B Cody Rhinehart hit a two-RBI single in the top of the ninth to win it. RB Eli Roundtree hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth, but Lions reliever Zeke Colby recorded a strikeout to end it. Colby got the win; he and starter RHP Hunter Tipton held the Spartans to five hits. Story

The Spartans lost six games to weather. The host Missouri Valley March 3, and Lindenwood-Belleville March 6-7.

The Lions are 15-4, and two of their pitchers, Francisco Colin and Kenny Knudsen, have pitched no-hitters this season. They also lost games to weather, but replaced them with games against Division III Covenant, which they won, 5-1 and 5-2. Knudsen went the seven-inning distance in the second game, allowed four hits. He leads the NAIA with 46 strikeouts, and has an ERA of 0.56. The Lions host Judson March 2-3, and visit Point March March 6-7.

#2 Lewis-Clark State was off this week. They host Corban in a non-conference series March 7-8. (audio)

#3 Oklahoma Wesleyan got a pair of mid-week wins over Division II Rogers State, 7-1 and 7-5, then lost four scheduled games to weather. SS Avery Flores went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI in the first game against Rogers State. In the second game, 3B Zair Koeiman hit a two-RBI double for the winning run. Three Eagles pitchers held the Hillcats to four hits, but the Hillcats got two unearned runs on three errors by the Eagles. The Eagles host #4 Oklahoma Baptist March 3, and visit Bethany March 6-7.

#9 Missouri Baptist (#1 according to Perfect Game) had four scheduled games canceled. They will play in a tournament at Campbellsville Feb. 26-28, against Campbellsville and Saint Francis (IN), but it's not clear if those games will happen, either (video).

#1 Cumberland had five scheduled games canceled. They are scheduled to host Freed-Hardeman Feb. 24 (video), visit #6 Georgia Gwinnett Feb. 25, and host Marygrove, a new baseball program, Feb. 27-28 (video). Marygrove also lost some games to weather, so the series at Cumberland will be their first-ever baseball games.

#2 Lewis-Clark State split four games with Division II Western Oregon, 11-0, 4-6, 8-4, and 0-5. Beau Kerns pitched a complete game shutout in the first game. He allowed six hits, recorded nine strikeouts. It was his third straight complete game, and he has an ERA of 1.00. 2B Cabe Reiten and 1B Seth Brown both hit three-run home runs. Reiten also hit a double, and was 3-for-4. C Chadwick Ka'alekahi was also 3-for-4 with a double. Story The Wolves led the second game the entire way, starting with a two-RBI double by LF Matt Taylor in the first inning. Reiten went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in the third game, and he has had at least one hit in every game the Warriors have played this year. Story Michael Bennett, Shawn Domke, and Jacob Storedahl combined for the shutout in the fourth game. Three of the Wolves' runs came on a mis-played popup by Taylor. Story

The Warriors are now 10-5. They don't play again until March 7, when they host Corban.