Region I: At Nat Bailey Stadium, Vancouver, BC:
Lewis-Clark State 14, College of Idaho 4
The #2 Warriors got all the runs they needed in the first inning, and won their second straight Region I championship.
Region III – At Comet Field, Mayville, ND:
Jamestown vs. Northwestern
Postponed due to weather.
Region IV – At Hobart-Detter Field, Hutchinson, KS:
Bellevue 16, Park 7
Bellevue 9, Park 4
#11 Bellevue wins their 11th straight regional title. Story from Park University site: Bellevue Outs Park in Region IV Baseball Title Series
Region V – At Lindenwood University, St.Charles, MO:
Lindenwood 3, Avila 2 (Avila eliminated)
Missouri Baptist 5, Lindenwood 5 (tie)
The final ended in a tie due to unplayable field conditions. The game was stopped with two out in the bottom of the ninth. #24 Missouri Baptist advances to the super-regional against Oklahoma City because they were the highest remaining seed.
Region VI – At Jim Wade Stadium, Oklahoma City University:
Oklahoma City 14, Lubbock Christian 8
The #5 Stars took out the #1 Chaparrals. Oklahoma City has ten straight seasons with 50 wins.
Region VIII – At Huntington University, Huntington, IN:
Spring Arbor 7, Huntington 0
Cody Sharp got a three-hit complete-game shoutout; #19 Spring Arbor wins Region VIII.
Region IX – At Thurman Munson Stadium, Canton, OH:
Mt. Vernon Nazarene 13, Urbana 9 (Urbana eliminated)
Ohio Dominican 5, Mt. Vernon Nazarene 1
Ohio Dominican wins the Region IX championship.
Region XI – At Cumberland University, Lebanon, TN:
Cumberland 5, Campbellsville 4
Cumberland U. wins the Region XI championship. Story from Campbellsville University site: Tigers Come Up Just Short on NAIA Region XI Championship Day.
Region XII – At Hunter Wright Stadium, Kingsport, TN:
Union 8, Tennessee Wesleyan 4
#14 Union wins the Region XII championship.
Region XIII – At Lee University, Cleveland, TN:
Lee 10, LSU-Shreveport 7
#3 Lee wins the Region XIII championship.
What all this means
This is the last season for the regional and super-regional format. Starting next year, the NAIA will have nine sectional tournaments to determine the field for the national championship tournament, with conference champions getting automatic bids to the sectionals.
Lee, Azusa Pacific, Oklahoma City, and Embry-Riddle have qualified for the national championship tournament. Because of their ranking in the final Coaches’ Poll, they would receive an at-large bid even if they lose in the super-regional. Lewis-Clark State gets an automatic bid as the host team.
Lubbock Christian (ranked #1 for much of the season), U. of the Cumberlands, U. of Mobile, Tennessee Wesleyan, and Fresno Pacific will be staying home, while the winners of the Ohio Dominican-Fisher and Saint Xavier-Spring Arbor super-regionals will be going to Lewiston. This has a lot to do with why the NAIA came up with the new playoff arrangement.
#11 Bellevue is sponsored by DeMarini.
The College Baseball Blog will be providing first-hand coverage of the NAIA Baseball National Championship from Lewiston, ID May 23-30.
