Preview: Avista-NAIA World Series from May 28-June 4
May 25, 2010
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – For the 54th time in the history of NAIA baseball, the Avista-NAIA World Series will play out from May 28-June 4 in Lewiston, Idaho. Lewis-Clark State (Idaho), hosts for the 11th straight year and 19th overall, is the No. 1 seed. The Warriors are owners of an NAIA-record 16 World Series titles, have appeared in 29 World Series and hold a 117-33 all-time Series record.
No. 7 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) and newcomer No. 10 Tennessee Wesleyan square off in the tournament’s first game at 8:30 a.m. PDT on Friday. No. 2 Cumberland (Tenn.) faces the winner of the Embry-Riddle and Tennessee Wesleyan game. No. 8 Belhaven (Miss.) and No. 9 Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) will follow with a Noon game. The winner of that contest advances to play Lewis-Clark State.
Defending national champion and No. 5 seed Lubbock Christian (Texas) will tangle with No. 4 Lee (Tenn.) in the third game of the first day at 3 p.m. The final contest of Day 1 has No. 3 California Baptist going against No. 6 Oklahoma City.
Two teams are making their first World Series appearance, Belhaven and Tennessee Wesleyan. Eight conferences are represented in the 10-team field led by the Golden State Athletic Conference and the Sooner Conference. California Baptist and Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.), the national runners-up last season, hail from the GSAC. Lubbock Christian and Oklahoma City are members of the SAC.
The World Series is a double-elimination tournament with the winner being crowned either June 3 or June 4, dependent upon if the Champion team has to play in the Loser or Winner’s Bracket.
The World Series will be video-streamed live by NeuLion, the parent company of JumpTV. Users can purchase the All-Tournament pass, which includes every game for $24.95, or the day pass for $8.95.
Did You Know?
• No. 1 seed Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) is hosting its 11th straight World Series and 19th overall. The 11th consecutive is a World Series record for straight host berths surpassing the eight of St. Joseph, Mo. from 1962-69 and LCSC during 1984-1991.
• Behind Lewis-Clark State’s NAIA record 117 World Series wins, Oklahoma City is next with 30 victories followed by Cumberland (Tenn.) (20) and Lubbock Christian (Texas) (19). (Note: Games include only World Series and not Opening Round).
• Among the current World Series field, four programs have won at least one World Series title, Lewis-Clark State (16), Lubbock Christian (2), Cumberland (1) and Oklahoma City (1). Those same teams are the most recent winners going back to 2002, Lewis-Clark State (2002-03; 2006-08), Cumberland (2004), Oklahoma City (2005) and Lubbock Christian (2009).
• This was the second year for the National Championship Opening Round tournaments – prior to 2009, there were seven Super Regional tournaments with those champions, plus two-to-three at-large bids (dependent upon if Lewis-Clark State won) heading to Lewiston for the 10-team Avista-NAIA World Series.
• Two teams, Belhaven (Miss.) and Tennessee Wesleyan, are making their first appearance in the World Series.
• The Bulldog mascot is associated with two World Series teams, Cumberland (Tenn.) and Tennessee Wesleyan.
• Three teams from the state of Tennessee will compete: Cumberland, Lee and Tennessee Wesleyan.
• Embry-Riddle (Fla.) has the largest enrollment (4,358). Three other schools have over 4,000 students. The smallest student population is Tennessee Wesleyan with 1,070 student.
• Oklahoma City is making its 12th trip and third straight while Cumberland is competing in its 11th overall World Series and first since 2007. Those are the second and third most among this year’s field.
• Cumberland (Tenn.) owns the most wins this year in the 10-team field with a 53-9 record. The team with the fewest wins is Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) with a 38-18-1 mark.
• There are four coaches among the 10-team field that have over 800 career wins and three of them have over 1,000. Lewis-Clark State coach Ed Cheff is the active NAIA wins leader with a 1,704-428 mark in his 34th season. Woody Hunt of Cumberland (Tenn.) is 1,279-523 in 29 seasons. Oklahoma City skipper Denney Crabaugh is 1,088-336-2 in his 22nd season. Hill Denson, in his 24th season overall and 11th at Belhaven (Miss.), is 822-629-2.
• Conversely, Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) coach Joe Schaefer is just in his second season as a collegiate head coach and is 83-31-1.
• Lubbock Christian (Texas) is looking to become the first team, other than Lewis-Clark State (Idaho), to win back-to-back World Series titles since Grand Canyon (Ariz.) from 1980-82.
Team Notes
No. 1 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) (47-3)
• Lewis-Clark State is on pace to break the NAIA single-season record for best winning percentage of .935. The Warriors currently own a .940 clip, which would better the mark held by Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) during the 1996 season (.935).
• Ranked No. 1 in every regular season poll this year (seven times).
• Guaranteed of doing no worse than tying a single-season record for fewest losses in a season -- would tie the 2007 club that went 58-5 and won its 15th World Series title.
• Ranked second in the NAIA in team earned run average at 2.65.
• Had regular-season win streaks of 16, 14 and current 17.
• The average margin of defeat is a mere six runs in three games (2.0 rpg). The largest loss was a 4-1 defeat at British Columbia on April 16.
• Ranks second in the country in doubles per game (2.82), led by Brian Gaylord’s average per game (.512).
• Henry Buenrostro set a Lewis-Clark State single-season record with 10 saves.
• Warrior head coach Ed Cheff has now won 40 games or more in 33 of his 34 years and has a NAIA-best (among active coaches) 1,704 career victories.
• Cheff won his 1,700th career game in the 7-6 victory over Oregon Tech on May 2.
• The Warriors are playing host to the World Series for the 11th straight year and 19th overall year (1984-1991).
• Holds an 83-18 record when the WS is played in Lewiston.
• Lewis-Clark State boasts the most Championship titles (16), wins (117) and appearances (29) of any NAIA baseball program.
• Has now appeared in 12 straight World Series. During that stretch (since 1999), is 45-13 (.779) with seven titles to its credit.
• Has appeared in 21 World Series title games (16-5).
• Has won 20 of their last 21 First Round games (loss in 2006). Overall in the First Round, they are 23-5.
• Has not been shut-out in the last 24 games (5-0 loss vs. Embry-Riddle in 2005.)
No. 2 Cumberland (Tenn.) (53-9)
• Cumberland has won 13 of a possible 22 TranSouth Conference Player and Pitcher of the Week awards this season, including four each for Matt Greener and Shawn Schaefer. Greener won three straight from March 22-April 5.
• Schaefer was named the NAIA National Pitcher of the Week on March 23.
• Cumberland hit more than 100 home runs on the season for the 10th time in school history. The Bulldogs reached the 100 plateau in a doubleheader on April 30 against Lyon College (Ark.).
• It marks the fifth time in 10 years the Bulldogs have reached the century home run mark.
• Cumberland reached the 40-win mark for the 21st time in 27 seasons since the university became a four-year institution, including 18 of the last 20 campaigns.
• Cumberland had eight players on the TranSouth All-Conference team, all on the First Team, including David Fanshawe (C), Greg Appleton (1B), Sam Kikla (SS), Matt Greener (3B), Troy Frazier (OF), Kris Miller (OF), Shawn Schaefer (SP) and Aaron Wilkerson (SP).
• The Bulldogs won the TranSouth regular season title for the third time in the last five seasons and the second consecutive year.
• Making first appearance since 2007. The Bulldogs are one of four teams among the World Series field to have at least one title.
• Looking for its first win since 2006 (went 0-2 in its last appearance).
• Holds the fourth-most wins (20) amongst the 2010 participants.
No. 3 California Baptist (48-13)
• Finished the season ranked No. 3 in the Coaches’ Top 25 poll -- its highest ranking this year. The Lancers were ranked in the top 5 in all seven regular season polls, after not getting ranked in the Preseason.
• CBU has had five 30-win seasons in Adcock’s seven years Coming into 2010, Adcock is the program’s all-time winningest coach with 189 career wins.
• Adcock picked up his 200th career victory with a 14-4 win over then No. 17-ranked Azusa Pacific (Calif.) (March 13).
• CBU became just the second team ever to win 30 GSAC games, joining Azusa Pacific in 2007.
• Brian Sharp, Drew Madrigal and Gary Adcock were named GSAC Player, Pitcher and Coach of the Year, respectively. CBU had 7 players named to the 2010 All-GSAC Team, tying a program-record.
• Sharif Othman (catcher) and Garrett Rau (shortstop) were named to the GSAC Gold Glove Team. Othman is a two-time GSAC Gold Glove catcher and two-time All-GSAC.
• On the final day of the regular-season, Brian Sharp set the program’s single-season and career records for stolen bases. He is 34-out-of-42 on stolen base attempts this season.
• Making its second ever World Series appearance and first since 1997.
• The Lancers are one of two schools from the Golden State Athletic Conference (Point Loma Nazarene). Both schools are very familiar with each other and California Baptist won all five previous regular season meetings in 2010.
No. 4 Lee (Tenn.) (49-11)
• Coach Mark Brew is taking his fourth straight team into World Series competition.
• Brew was named the Southern States Athletic Conference Coach of the Year for the second time in three seasons.
• After winning the regular-season SSAC title, the Flames were rained out in the tournament championship game with Brewton-Parker. It marks the first time Lee has won (or shared) the tournament title. In 2008, coach Brew and the Flames finished second and in 2009, third.
• JJ Costantino has stolen 50 bases and broke the old Lee record (46) set by Johnny Page (1997).
• Tanner Moore has 21 home runs. He has tied Kevin Young for the single-season homer mark.
• Costantino and Moore were joined by Junior Rodriguez, Jose Cuevas and pitchers Scott Swinson (10-0) and Matt Gilson (10-0) on the All-SSAC First Team.
• Team ranks second in the NAIA with 162 total doubles. Three players have 20-plus two-baggers led by Junior Rodriquez with 25.
• Second baseman Trey Burstrom and Swinson were SSAC Gold Glove winners, while pitcher David Eskew was selected as the conference freshman of the year.
• Lee has now won over 40 games for the last nine seasons.
• Making its fourth straight appearance in the World Series and fifth in the last six years.
• Has advanced to the Semifinal round in each of the past two World Series.
• Is 0-1 all-time against First Round opponent Lubbock Christian in the World Series. The Flames lost 11-0 to the eventual national champions in the 2009 Second Round -- that margin of loss was their largest in 16 World Series games.
No. 5 Lubbock Christian (Texas) (46-14)
• Four Chaps received First Team All-Sooner Athletic Conference honors with Joe Staley (catcher), Richard Bohlken (second team), Frank Corolla (Starting Pitcher) and Hunter Scott (Relief Pitcher) recognized.
• Joe Staley became the program’s fifth player to claim SAC Player of the Year honors and the second under head coach Nathan Blackwood (in seven seasons).
• Chaps set a school record with a streak of three consecutive games with 20 or more runs (April 20, April 23) and eight consecutive games with 10 or more runs (April 16 - April 30).
• Led the NAIA in conference homers, as 78 of the Chaps homers hit this season were smashed in SAC competition.
• Ranked second in the NAIA in runs scored per game (10.1), batting average (.375) and slugging percentage (.656).
• Richard Bohlken leads the country with 26 home runs. He has a team-best 75 RBIs on the season, including nine in four games in the Opening Round Group 4 Tournament.
• Three pitchers have 10 or more wins led by Frank Corolla’s 12-2 record on the mound.
• Playing in its ninth World Series and third in the last five years.
• It’s First Round opponent, Lee (Tenn.), was the foe in the First Round last year. Lubbock Christian prevailed 11-0 en route to its second title.
• Since 1983 when they won their first Series title, the Chaps are 16-6 in four appearances.
• Has won at least two games in each of their last four events.
No. 6 Oklahoma City (49-14)
• Brad Riddle set the Oklahoma City career appearances record with his 96th against Wayland Baptist on May 1.
• Has out-scored the opponent 86-45 overall in the first inning of 63 games played.
• Matt Presley picked up Sooner Athletic Conference player of the week for March 15-21 after hitting .500 with four home runs and 17 RBIs in five games that week.
• Mike Richard was named SAC pitcher of the week for March 29-April 5 after striking out 10 in 8.1 shutout innings against Oklahoma Christian on April 2.
• The Stars exploded for 33 runs at Northwestern Oklahoma State on March 18, banging out 27 hits and nine home runs. Presley went 6-for-6 with five runs scored and six RBIs.
• Coaches Denney Crabaugh and Keith Lytle were the university’s employees of the year for 2008-09.
• Have posted 11 50-win seasons in a row entering 2010.
• Ranks first in the NAIA in runs scored per game (10.5). The Stars are tops in eight other offensive team statistical categories.
• OCU is tied for the most wins in college baseball since 1991.
• Kirk Walker is first in the NAIA with 30 doubles and is second with 96 total hits.
• Making 12th World Series appearance and third straight.
• The 30 World Series wins is second amongst the 2010 participants.
• Has won six straight First Round games and is 9-2 in 11 previous First Round games.
• During its current six-game First Round winning streak, the Stars have put up 73 runs for an average of 12.2 runs. In five of those games, they have notched at least 10 runs.
No. 7 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (44-17)
• Coach Randy Stegall won his 100th game at Embry-Riddle when the Eagles defeated St. Xavier (Ill.) 13-3 on March 1. He went on to win his 200th career collegiate game in the 4-2 victory over Rio Grande (Ohio) on May 19.
• Austin Goolsby hit three home runs in one game against Webber International on Mar. 27. That marked the first time in ERAU’s 21-year history that a player blasted three round-trippers in one game.
• Eagles rank first in the NAIA in fewest runs allowed per game (3.1). They have posted six shut outs on the season.
• ERAU is riding a 6-1 stretch heading into the World Series.
• Austin Quinn, the team leader in wins (11) has been a workhouse this season. He has logged 116.1 innings, which is second most in the country.
• Making its third straight appearance in the World Series and all nine trips have been since 1999 (in 12 years).
• With a First Round win against Tennessee Wesleyan, the Eagles would face Cumberland (Tenn.) in the Second Round. ERAU has already faced Cumberland three times during the regular season dropping two of three games.
No. 8 Belhaven (Miss.) (43-15)
• Won the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Regular Season Championship and was the No. 1 seed in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament.
• As a team, Belhaven leads the NAIA in total triples with 39 and has 222 total extra base hits, including 51 home runs heading into the World Series.
• Shawn Diehl and Drew Dillard top the team with eight triples apiece, good for fourth in the NAIA.
• Timmy Foster has 30 doubles on the season, which is first in the NAIA and set a Belhaven single season record for most doubles in a season previously held by Thomas Royals who had 25 in 2007.
• Belhaven pitcher Brandt Hinton is third in the NAIA in wins with 12 and Wade Broyles is third in the nation in saves with 13.
• Head Coach Hill Denson also surpassed the 1,000 win mark for his coaching career. The win total includes games at the collegiate and high school levels. He is 822-629-2 in 24 years of collegiate coaching.
• Blazers ended the season ranked No. 14 in the Coaches’ Top 25 Poll -- reached as high as No. 10 on two occasions.
• Team averages 8.4 runs per game and has been close to that mark in its last 10 games averaging 8.3 runs.
• Making first appearance in the World Series and is playing in its second NAIA postseason making it to the 2009 National Championship Opening Round.
• Is the first team from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference to make the World Series since 2003 when LSU-Shreveport went 3-2.
No. 9 Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) (38-18-1)
• Two Sea Lions were named to the All-Golden State Athletic Conference Team, Steven Winnick and Allen Boyer. Winnick went 8-3 and led the GSAC with a 2.28 ERA. Winnick also led PLNU with a .364 batting average. Boyer, a transfer from San Diego Mesa College, hit .344 with 13 homeruns, 53 runs scored and 31 RBI.
• Winnick and second baseman Alex Cameron were GSAC Gold Glove honorees. Cameron made just four errors in 214 chances for a .981 fielding percentage. In addition, Cameron was in on 35 double plays.
• Tyler Kuehl had four doubles in three Opening Round Tournament games. He leads the club with 24 total doubles on the season.
• The Sea Lions were NAIA Runner-Ups last season, winning the GSAC regular season, the GSAC tournament, all of their games at the Opening Round site and four consecutive in Lewiston.
• Two other PLNU hurlers put together outstanding seasons. Chad Blauer was 11-2 with a 3.90 ERA while Brandon Dixon went 10-0 and had a 3.43 ERA.
• PLNU has qualified for the postseason (conference, regional or NAIA) for nine consecutive seasons.
• After losing five straight games, the Sea Lions have gone 5-2 heading into the World Series.
• Sea Lions are making their second straight World Series trip and fifth overall.
• In last two World Series trips, Point Loma Nazarene is 7-4 making it to the title game last season.
No. 10 Tennessee Wesleyan (46-16)
• Billy Berry was named the Appalachian Athletic Conference Coach of the Year while Cody Gaskill was honored as the Appalachian Athletic Conference Player of the Year.
• Cody Gaskill is tops in the NAIA with 94 RBIs. In six Opening Round games, Gaskill tallied 12 RBIs, which was the most of all players in the Opening Round.
• Members of the All-AAC Team were Hamilton Bennett, Cody Gaskill, Max Loveland, Johnny Smith.
• Bulldogs were the only team in nine Opening Round Tournaments to win five straight games en route to the Group 8 Championship in Columbus, Ga.
• Heads into the World Series winners in 11 of its last 12 overall games.
• Team ranks second in the NAIA with 165 total stolen bases. Max Loveland has swiped 49 bases, which is good for third in the country.
• Through 62 games, has posted a 83-34 scoring advantage in the first inning.
• Making first appearance in the World Series and is playing in its second NAIA postseason making it to the 2009 National Championship Opening Round.
