NAIA recap for March 5

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#1 Oklahoma City lost their first game of the Season on March 2, but it took 13 innings to do it. The loss was 4-3 to Iowa Wesleyan, who is 9-6. Starter Jorge Martinez pitched ten innings for Iowa Wesleyan, allowed 13 hits, but only three runs. Hector Acevedo held the Stars to two hits over the remaining three innings. Edwin Jimenez hit a sacrifice fly to bring in the winning run.

The Stars are now 18-1. They play a Rogers State team that is 10-6 away-and-home March 5 and 7.

#2 Lee is 18-1, but they trailed going into the bottom of the ninth at Tennessee Temple on March 3. The Flames ended up winning 10-6 in ten innings. Elvis Sosa is hitting .508 with eight home runs for the Flames. Matthew Gilson is 3-0, 0.46 ERA. Next up for the Flames is Emmanuel March 6-7. They get a stiffer test against Trevecca Nazarene on March 10.

#3 Point Loma Nazarene visited #12 Fresno Pacific on Feb. 28, and they split a barnburner of a double-header. The Sunbirds won the first game 5-4 in ten innings, and the Sea Lions won the second game, originally scheduled for seven innings, 2-0 in 11 innings. In the second game, Andrew Bovich pitched nine scoreless innings for the Sea Lions (six hits), and David Hawes pitched eight scoreless innings for the Sunbirds (two hits). 1B Steven Winnick batted in the winning run in the top of the 11th.

The Sea Lions host San Diego Christian (who beat them last week) on March 5, and Cal Baptist on March 7.

The Sea Lions, #8 Azusa Pacific, and #19 The Master’s are tied for the lead in the Golden State Athletic Conference with 7-2 records.

#4 Spring Arbor didn’t play any of four scheduled games last week. There’s no indication on their site as to why the games weren’t played. The Cougars aren’t scheduled to play again until March 14.

#5 Union (KY) got their first loss on March 3 when they split a double-header with Bluefield. They defeated Spalding to run their record to 12-1-1. The Bulldogs travel to Covenant March 6-7, and host #20 U. of the Cumberlands March 10.

#6 Bellevue has started their season 2-3. They split with William Carey, defeated #13 Embry-Riddle, and lost to #10 LSU-Shreveport and #13 Cumberland. The Bruins’ schedule gets much easier this week; they play in a tournament at Lake Wales, FL March 5-7, and visit Webber International March 9-11.

#7 Lewis-Clark State got a quality win against Gonzaga, and swept Corban. They will be getting a challenge this weekend when #24 British Columbia, with a 10-2 record, comes to Lewiston for a visit.

#8 Azusa Pacific defeated #12 Fresno Pacific, and split a double-header with Vanguard. They defeated D-III La Verne 10-0; RHP Matt Stone went seven innings for the Cougars, allowed only two hits, and had a no-hitter going into the seventh inning. The Cougars host Fresno Pacific March 5, and Westmont March 7.

#9 Lubbock Christian swept three games against Oklahoma Baptist, and won two more against U. of the Southwest. The score of the second game against U. of the Southwest was 25-5; the Chaparrals scored 12 runs in the first inning, and the game was stopped after five innings. The Chaparrals are now 13-1; they visit D-I Houston Baptist March 6-7.

#10 LSU-Shreveport is 20-3. They swept three games against Loyola-New Orleans, holding the Wolfpack to a total of ten hits. They defeated #6 Bellevue 12-6; Justin Ennis pitched a complete game for the Pilots. Ennis is 4-0, 2.85 ERA with 35 strikeouts. John James is 6-0, 3.86 ERA. The Pilots host Spring Hill March 7-8, and Texas College March 10.

#13 Embry-Riddle swept three games against Webber International, and two games against #15 Cumberland. They lost a game to #6 Bellevue. They split two games with Saint Xavier. In the second game, a 6-0 loss, Kyle Zilis of Saint Xavier pitched a seven-inning shutout, held the Eagles to one hit, and struck out 14 of the 23 batters he faced. The Eagles are now 14-8. They face Milligan and Cumberland on March 5, and Jamestown on March 9.

#25 Park is now 10-0. Nick Kouratou is hitting .529 for the Pirates. They host Sioux Falls March 7-8.