Thanks to a super-regional seeding process that closely adhered to the season’s final national poll, the field is already halfway complete for the NAIA World Series, which begins in 11 days.
Fourteen teams will compete in seven super regional playoffs this week, with the winner of each advancing to the Series, May 23-30 at Harris Field. The national-tournament bracket will also include two at-large invitees and the host team, Lewis-Clark State. The at-large berths go to the highest-seeded teams, according to the pecking order determined Sunday by NAIA raters, that lose in the super-regional round.
The way things happen to be arranged, the top five seeds have already clinched Series berths.
Two super-regional matchups - top-ranked Lewis-Clark State vs. No.3 Azusa Pacific in the West Coast, and No. 2 Lee vs. No. 5 Embry-Riddle in the Atlantic South - will see both teams qualify, regardless of the outcome. And fourth-seeded Oklahoma City, which will square off against No. 10 Missouri Baptist in the Mid-South, is guaranteed of at least an at-large bid.
If L-C prevails in the West Coast best-of-three, which begins Wednesday at Harris Field, the unused host bid will become a third at-large berth. But even if that occurs, No. 9 Cumberland is the lowest seed that could potentially earn an at-large invitation.
Of the nine remaining teams that were ranked in last week’s NAIA Top 25, the top eight drew corresponding seeds. But unranked Cumberland jumped ahead of Missouri Baptist, which was ranked 24th.
The Warriors (50-5) will get in a coveted super-regional tuneup tonight, traveling to Spokane to face Gonzaga (28-20) at 6. The game is a makeup of an April 23 weather postponement.
Junior right-hander Ryan Woods (7-1, 1.91 ERA) will take the mound for L-C, which beat Gonzaga 8-7 on March 2 in Lewiston.
The Warriors will attempt something similarly ambitious next week as they are scheduled to face Washington in Seattle on May 20.
Washington and Gonzaga are the only NCAA Division I teams on L-C’s schedule this year.
NAIA SUPER REGIONALS
Best-of-three, beginning Wednesday
WEST COAST
At Lewiston
No. 3 Azusa Pacific (48-5) vs. No. 1 Lewis-Clark State (50-5)
PLAINS
At Jamestown, N.D.
No. 13 Jamestown (30-17) vs. No. 6 Bellevue (50-13)
MID-SOUTH
At Oklahoma City
No. 10 Missouri Baptist (40-14-1) vs. No. 4 Oklahoma City (53-10)
HEARTLAND
At Chicago
No. 12 Saint Xavier (37-18) vs. No. 8 Spring Arbor (35-7)
EAST COAST
At Columbus, Ohio
No. 11 Ohio Dominican (36-14) vs. No. 14 Fisher (33-16)
SOUTH CENTRAL
At Lebanon, Tenn.
No. 9 Cumberland (45-19) vs. No. 7 Union (45-15)
ATLANTIC SOUTH
At Daytona Beach, Fla.
No. 2 Lee (57-8) vs. No. 5 Embry-Riddle (42-14)
