Results from Day 1 of the NAIA Baseball National Championship in Lewiston, ID:
Spring Arbor 7, Jamestown 5
A methodical win for the Cougars, who scored runs in the first and second innings on RBI singles by 1B Eric Vojtkofsky and C Lucas Rider. The Jimmies tied it at 2-2 in the third on a two-RBI double by 1B JordanDusanj, and took a brief lead on a run scored on an error in the fourth.
The Cougars went ahead for good on RBI by SS Bradley Baker and Vojtkofsky in the fifth, and got the winning run in the eighth on an RBI single by Rider.
Starting pitcher Jesse Bachman had a big day for the Cougars. He went seven innings, threw 129 pitches, allowed three earned runs on nine hits, and struck out six. He was also 3-4 at the plate, and drew a walk.
Vojtkofsky was 3-5 for the game. RF Cam McLachlan was 4-5 with a double for the Jimmies. Graham Campbell got the loss.
Story from NAIA site: No. 7 Spring Arbor Wins Opening Game of 2008 AVISTA-NAIA World Series
Bellevue 15, Ohio Dominican 3 (mercy-ruled after 8 innings)
It took three hours and 40 minutes to play this one. It was close for the first five innings, but the Bruins broke it open with five runs in the sixth on an RBI doubles by CF Dave Powell and RF Nick Damas, and a grand-slam double by 2B Andy Brown. The game was taken into mercy-rule territory in the eighth with an RBI single by Damas and a three-run pinch-hit home run by William Slade; it was Slade’s second home-run of the season.
Jon Ganzen got the win in relief for the Bruins; starter Brett Scarpetta was pulled after walking five batters and hitting one more over four innings. Ganzen went 2 1/3 innings, allowed no runs on two hits.
3B Shawn Lee went 3-3 with a triple for the Bruins. 1B Drew Farley was 2-4 with a home run. Damas finished the game 3-6 with 3 RBI.
C Joe Janusik was 2-3 for the Panthers. Jonathan Kountis got the loss.
Story from NAIA site: No. 8 Bellevue Run-Rules No. 9 Ohio Dominican at AVISTA-NAIA World Series
Union 9, Azusa Pacific 8
Marty Popham got his NAIA-leading 17th win of the season, and the Bulldogs got a win in their first-ever appearance in this tournament.
Popham went 7 2/3 innings, threw 146 pitches, allowed five runs on eight hits, and struck out nine.
The Bulldogs led 5-1 after four innings. They got two runs on a passed ball and a wild pitch in the first inning, and a two-run home run by C Justin Hart in the third. The Cougars tied the game at 5 in the top of the fifth on an RBI single by SS Matt Venegas, an RBI triple by CF Kirk Nieuenhuis, and a home run by DH Stephen Kohatsu.
The Bulldogs went ahead for good in the bottom of the fifth on a two-RBI double by 1B Trey Wheeler. The winning run came in the sixth on a double by Hart. That gave the Bulldogs a 9-5 lead but it wasn’t over yet. The Cougars got a run in the eighth, and scored two runs on a single by C Derrick Keeton off reliever Marcus White with two outs in the ninth. However, White struck out Evans to end the game.
White got his first save of the season; Christian Gagne got the loss. Wheeler went 3-4 for the Bulldogs, and Hart went 3-5. 3B Ryan Dowell was 2-3 for the Cougars.
Story from NAIA site: No. 5 Union (Ky.) Holds on for 9-8 Win Over No. 4 Azusa Pacific (Calif.)
Lewis-Clark State 19, Embry-Riddle 0 (mercy-ruled after 7 innings)
The Eagles managed only two hits, committed five errors. Eagle starter Jordan Roberts didn’t make it out of the first inning; six Embry-Riddle pitchers combined for seven walks and two hit batters, allowed 15 hits. Only nine Warrior runs were earned.
Warrior starter Matt Fitts was pulled after four innings and only 48 pitches so that he would be available later in the tournament. 1B Ikaika Lester was 4-5 for the Warriors, with a home run, a double, and five RBI.
Attendance: 3,290
Story from NAIA site: Host Warriors Roll Big in World Series Opener With 19-0 Triumph
Schedule for Saturday, May 24 (all times PDT):
8:30 AM: Azusa Pacific vs. Ohio Dominion (loser out)
Noon: Jamestown vs. Embry-Riddle (loser out)
3 PM: Oklahoma City vs. Spring Arbor
7 PM: Lee vs. Bellevue
All games are webcast by KOZE Radio (audio and free) and watchnaia.com (video and $6.95/game, or $23.95 for the series). Live stats are available for all games at CSTV Gametracker.
