After splitting four double-headers, #1 Lubbock Christian finally moved above .500 with an 11-0 win over Lindenwood (8-2, with two wins over Auburn-Montgomery). Paul Gonzalez, Hunter Scott, and Tanner Vickers combined for the shutout. 2B Richard Bohlken went 2-3 with three RBI. Joe Staley leads the defending champions in hitting with a .435 average, and Paul Gonzalez is 1-0, 0.00 ERA, and 15 strikeouts with 12 1/3 innings pitched. Upcoming: Texas-Brownsville Feb. 19-20.
#2 Lewis-Clark State started their season the same way as 2009, with an opening weekend loss to Concordia-Portland. CF Calvin Nagy scored the winning run in the top of the ninth to give Concordia a 7-6 win, but the key performance for the Cavaliers was by reliever RHP Steven Taft, who came on in the fifth inning, and pitched four scoreless innings, scattering four hits, and picking off two baserunners. Taft got the win.
The Warriors won the other three games of the weekend, defeating College of Idaho 6-0, and Corban 18-1 and 6-0. Colby Hawk and Henry Buenrostro combined for the shutout in the College of Idaho game, and Tyler Lichty and Cody Fassold combined for the shutout against Corban. Upcoming: Linfield Feb. 18, Saint Martin’s Feb. 19, Western Oregon Feb. 20, Linfield Feb. 21.
#3 British Columbia starts their season at Simpson on Feb. 17. They visit Fresno Pacific Feb. 18, The Master’s Feb. 19-20, and Concordia-Irvine Feb. 21.
#4 Azusa Pacific has started the season 5-1; their loss was to Simpson. Brice Cutspec is hitting .565 for the Cougars. Upcoming: Bethany Feb. 17-18.
#5 Embry-Riddle started their season winning two of three against Brewton-Parker, a cross-divisional win at Florida Tech, and a double-header split at Thomas (GA). In a 7-1 win over Thomas, Austin Quinn allowed one run on six hits in eight innings. CF Alex Guzman scored the winning run on a throwing error. The Eagles are 4-2, and Thomas is 7-1. Upcoming: at South Carolina-Beaufort Feb. 19-20.
#6 Lee started the season 5-1, but a scheduled double-header at Virginia Intermont last weekend was cancelled due to snow. Their loss was the nightcap of a double-header against Milligan. Upcoming: Union Feb. 17, Georgetown College Feb. 19-20.
#7 Southern Polytechnic is 8-0, with three wins (one of them a 2-0 shutout, pitched by Blake Mainor) over Trevecca Nazarene. Jake Barrow is hitting .450 for the Hornets. Upcoming: at Thomas (GA) Feb. 19-20.
#8 Point Loma Nazarene is 8-0-1, and they swept a double-header against Division II Dixie State. The Sea Lions also got a dramatic 6-5 win over Division III Chapman. They trailed 5-2 going into the bottom of the ninth, but LF Rashad Taylor hit a walk off grand slam home run to win it. RHP Chad Blauer is 2-0, 1.80 ERA with 16 strikeouts for the Sea Lions. Upcoming: Madonna Feb. 20.
#9 Wayland Baptist started the season with a loss to Texas-Brownsville, and has won nine straight since then. The Pioneers swept four games against Culver-Stockton. 3B Brian Embery is batting .548 with five home runs and 18 RBI for the Pioneers. Upcoming: Bellvue Feb. 19-20.
#10 Fresno Pacific is 4-0, with wins against Division II Cal State Stanislaus and San Francisco State. Their last three wins have been shutouts. Case Rigby is batting .471 for the Sunbirds, RHP Kelyn Schellenberg is 1-0, 3.09 ERA. Highly-regarded Division I transfer Wes Dorrell has not played for the Sunbirds so far this season. Upcoming: British Columbia Feb. 18.
Concordia-Irvine is 6-1, with an 11-0 win over Division II Cal State Dominguez Hills and a 9-5 win over Cal State San Marcos. The winning pitcher in both games was LHP Bennett Whitmore, who is 4-0, 1.45 ERA. Whitmore, a tranfer from Oregon, was drafted by the Mariners in the 32nd round. Upcoming: British Columbia Feb. 21.
Oklahoma City has started the season 8-1, and three of their wins were shutouts. IF Steve Vitale is batting .500 with six home runs for the Stars, RHP Dustin Williams is 2-0, 1.74 ERA. Upcoming: Kansas Wesleyan Feb. 20, Missouri Valley Feb. 20-21.
Cal Baptist is 9-3. They defeated Division II Cal State San Bernardino 7-1, and won two of three against Cal State San Marcos. One of the wins against CSUSM was a 9-0 shutout, LHP Taylor Siemens went eight innings, allowed four hits. Cole Bullard is hitting .422 for the Lancers, Siemens is 3-0, 1.37 ERA. Upcoming: Patten Feb. 18-20.
