May 11, 2011

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -(Brackets) The 2011 NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round will open Thursday at nine locations across the country. The five-team double-elimination bracket at each location will feature three games on Thursday and Friday, two games on Saturday and if necessary games on Sunday and Monday.

National Championship Opening Round winners punch their ticket to Harris Field, joining host Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) at the Avista-NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho, May 27 – June 3. The 10-team bracket for the 55th annual event will be released May 16.

Eight of last season’s squads that advanced to the World Series will be eying a return trip to Lewiston, including defending national champion Cumberland (Tenn.). The Bulldogs (43-14) are the top seed in the Paducah (Ky.) Bracket, but are also paired with 2010 World Series participant and third-seeded Tennessee Wesleyan. The other Bulldog squad sports a 37-18 record and will face second-seeded Southern Poly (Ga.) at 2 p.m. CDT. Fourth-seeded Bellevue (Neb.) (31-20) and fifth-seeded William Jewell (Mo.) (33-19) open action in Paducah at 10 a.m.

The Oklahoma City Bracket also features a pair of 2010 World Series teams in top-seeded Oklahoma City and third-seeded Belhaven (Miss.). The 43-10 Stars are eyeing a fourth-consecutive appearance in Lewiston, while the Blazers (43-16) look to advance to the final site for the second time in three trips to the National Championship. Action in Oklahoma City starts at 11 a.m. CDT with fourth-seeded Texas at Brownsville (35-24) meeting fifth-seeded Doane (Neb.) (34-17).

After finishing as the World Series runner-up a season ago, Lee (Tenn.) will look to clinch a spot in the 10-team bracket for a fourth-straight year. The Flames boast the top seed in the Cleveland (Tenn.) Bracket and own a mark of 44-12. They will take on the winner of the first game at 12 p.m. EDT between fourth-seeded Indiana Tech (34-18) and fifth-seeded Shawnee State (Ohio) (35-24). Second-seeded Missouri Baptist (38-11) and fifth-seeded Culver-Stockton (Mo.) 36-15) will take to the field at 3:30 p.m.

Lubbock Christian (Texas) captured the 2009 National Championship, but suffered back-to-back World Series losses in 2010 for an early exit. The Chaparrals are eyeing redemption by making their third-straight World Series appearance as the top seed in the Lubbock Bracket at 43-12. They await the winner of the 11 a.m. CDT game pitting fourth-seeded Kansas Wesleyan (34-15) against fifth-seeded Hastings (Neb.) (27-21). Second-seeded Rogers State (Okla.) (45-13) faces third-seeded Northwood (Texas) (38-16) at 2:30 p.m.

In the Daytona Beach (Fla.) Bracket, Embry-Riddle (Fla.) earned the top seed and will be playing for a trip to its fourth-straight World Series. The Eagles, who were No. 1 in the final three editions of the NAIA Baseball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, will put its 47-9 record on the line against the winner of fourth-seeded William Carey (Miss.) and fifth-seeded Edward Waters (Fla.) at 6 p.m. EDT. The Crusaders (30-25) and Tigers (33-24) take to the field at 9 a.m., followed by second-seeded Brewton-Parker (Ga.) (35-16) and third-seeded Campbellsville (Ky.) (32-19) at 2 p.m.

California Baptist (41-14) is the eighth World Series squad from 2010. After going 1-2 in its first World Series in over 10 years, the Lancers will vie for the chance to advance as the top seed in the Riverside (Calif.) Bracket. They will await the winner of fourth-seeded Cal State San Marcos (32-17) and fifth-seeded St. Thomas (Fla.) (25-30), who square off at 9 a.m. PDT. The second game will see second-seeded British Columbia (30-15) battle third-seeded Concordia (Calif.) (35-18) at 12 p.m.

Other teams earning top seeds are Oklahoma Baptist in the Joliet (Ill.) Bracket, LSU Shreveport (La.) in the Montgomery (Ala.) Bracket and Union (Ky.) in the Kingsport (Tenn.) Bracket.

Thirty-two teams earned an automatic berth to the 45-team National Championship Opening Round by winning their respective conference/independent/unaffiliated group tournament. Thirteen additional clubs earned at-large selections determined by the final NAIA Baseball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll released Sunday.

Among the 45 teams selected, 11 will be playing in their first NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round since the format was adopted in 2009. Oklahoma Baptist snaps a 15-year drought, last qualifying for the World Series in 1996. It has been a dozen years since Culver-Stockton has made a postseason appearance and 11 years for Shawnee State (Ohio).

Six teams are making their respective program’s debut in the NAIA baseball postseason. First-time qualifiers include: California State-San Marcos, Doane, Edward Waters, Hastings, Iowa Wesleyan and Rogers State.

Eighteen squads are playing in their third-straight National Championship Opening Round. Lee and Oklahoma City are 6-0 in three trips to the National Championship Opening Round. California Baptist is also undefeated, going 3-0 last season.

Nine qualifiers have previously taken home a World Series title, led by Lewis-Clark State with 16. The Warriors own a championship record mark of 118-35 in 29 previous appearances. Defending national champion Cumberland, who received an at-large bid, and Lubbock Christian have won two banners each.

For more information on the National Championship Opening Round, click here
For more information on the Avista-NAIA World Series, click here