May 29, 2008

(Official Bracket) (Championship Central) (Watch it Live)

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME - Thursday, May 29 (Harris Field)
7:05 p.m. PST - No. 3 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) (56-7) vs. No. 1 Lee (Tenn.) (63-8)
The stage is set for a 2008 AVISTA-NAIA World Series rematch. The No. 1 seed and undefeated Lee (Tenn.) University Flames are out to win its first ever World Series as they are one victory away. The Flames match up against power-house and two-time defending national champion No. 3 Lewis-Clark (Idaho) State College. Championship first pitch from Harris Field on the campus of Lewis-Clark State is set for 7:05 p.m. PST. Lee took down Lewis-Clark on Tuesday, 5-2 and forced the Warriors into the loser bracket. Because of the one loss in the World Series, LCSC has to win twice against Lee to claim its NAIA record 16^th Championship.

If Lewis-Clark wins tonight, the second Championship game is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. PST on Friday.

FUN FACTS
No. 1 Lee (Tenn.) University (63-8)
...lists possible starting pitcher as David Mason. He has one appearance in the World Series logging just 1.1 innings in the start against Union. He allowed five runs, four earned on three hits. On the year, Mason is 9-1 with a 3.08 ERA in 74.1 innings. He has struck out 58 and walked 16.
...holds a 5-4 record in World Series action and appearing in first Championship game.
...searching for its first World Series title (in third appearance); first ever team NAIA Championship in any sport.
...stands 1-2 against Lewis-Clark State in World Series.
...looking to become the first No. 1 seed to win the World Series since teams were seeded beginning in 2003.
...its pitching staff has allowed just 26 base hits in 36.0 innings thus far. They own a 3.25 ERA, just .33 points below Lewis-Clark State for the lowest mark.
...Starting pitcher Pablo Lopez earned the complete-game, four-hitter in the opening round win over Bellevue. He struck out nine batters. Three days later, he sat down Lewis-Clark State in three innings of shut-out ball. Overall in two appearances this World Series, he owns a 0.75 ERA in 12.0 innings giving up one run and five base hits.
...Brian Bistagne is among the leaders in the World Series batting 9-for-16 (.563) with seven RBI and four runs scored.
...Chris Warters leads the remaining participants with two home runs. He has a team-high 19 on the season.

No. 3 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) College (56-7)
...lists Matt Fitts as their probable starting pitcher. He earned the win against Embry-Riddle in the opening round tossing 4.0 innings of one-hit ball. In just 48 pitches, he did not walk a batter and struck out three. On the year, he stands 12-0 in 15 starts (94.0 innings) and sports a 3.00 ERA.
...holds a 15-5 title game record all-time; has won its last four title National Championship game appearances.
...in facing Lee, the Warriors have now taken on 17 different opponents in the title game.
...has won 13 of their last 15 World Series games overall.
...had their seven-game World Series winning streak snapped in the loss to Lee.
...searching for a shot at its NAIA record 16^th National Championship - needs to beat Lee twice to do so.
...Lester Ikaika is the World Series leader in runs scored (7), total bases (15), doubles (4) and among the best in hitting (8-for-19) and average (.421).
...leads the Tournament field in runs scored per game (9.1) and extra-base hits with 19 (11 2Bs, 3 3Bs, 5 HRs).
...owns the most Championships (15), wins (114) and appearances (27) than any other baseball program.

DAY 5 SCORES
No. 3 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) (56-7) def. No. 7 Spring Arbor (Mich.) (40-9), 9-4 
No. 1 Lee (Tenn.) (63-8) def. No. 2 Oklahoma City (57-12), 6-5

DAY 5 RECAPS
Junior Chris Valencia tied a season-high with three RBI in a game and Ikaika Lester added three hits and three RBI to help two-time defending champion Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) College remain alive after a 9-4 win over Spring Arbor (Mich.) University in the first game on Wednesday. LCSC sent Spring Arbor in the loser-out game. Valencia, a right-fielder who hits eighth in the Warrior lineup, came into the contest with only 19 RBI and three multi-RBI games this season. He had an RBI single in a three-run fourth inning when the Warriors broke a scoreless tie. He then hit a two-run triple in the sixth inning to make it 6-1 for the Warriors. It was his second triple of the Series and he's now 6-for-16 in the Series for a .375 batting average.

Josh Guy smacked a decisive two-run home run in the eighth and lifted No. 1 Lee (Tenn.) University (63-8) to a 6-5 triumph over No. 2 Oklahoma City University (57-12) in the second game of the day. Guy, who broke a 12-game homerless drought, delivered a 1-0 pitch from Brad Riddle into the night sky over the fence in left. His blast was the difference after Oklahoma City snatched a 5-4 lead one-half inning earlier.