2007 NAIA World Series

By DENNY GRUBB
of the Tribune

Numerical nuggets from the Czar of Series Statistics:

- The Series will go the maximum 19 games for the 15th time in 53 years. It’s also only the sixth time the two remaining teams will have played each other three times. In 1983 Lubbock Christian fell to Lewis-Clark State in their first meeting, then defeated the Warriors two straight times to take its only title.

- The Sea Lions and Chaps have scored nine runs in their two games against each other. The record for the lowest total runs scored between two teams that have met three times is 22. On the other end of the spectrum, in 1983, Lubbock Christian and L-C combined to scores 63 runs in their three games.

Championship game tibdits:

- William Jewell (Mo.) defeated Georgia Southern 4-3 in 1968 in 13 innings in the longest title game by innings.

- There have been six shutouts in the championship game. The last one was in 1996 and it was the largest winning margin when L-C defeated St. Ambrose (Iowa) 9-0 in Sioux City, Iowa.

- In the 1958 title game San Diego State beat Southwestern Oklahoma 23-9, still the record for most runs scored in a game by the winner, loser (tied) and combined. The 14-run margin remains the largest margin of victory for a title game. L-C matched the most runs scored by a losing team in 1983 when the Warriors lost to Lubbock Christian 12-9.

- It’ll never be bettered: In 1970, Eastern Michigan defeated Northeastern Louisiana in Phoenix, Ariz., 1-0 in the lowest scoring championship game.

- Point Loma is trying to become the 31st different team to win a championship. A total of 25 have won it once. David Lipscomb and Linfield have won two titles, Lewis, Ill. three, Grand Canyon four and Lewis-Clark State 16.

- The visiting team on the scoreboard has won 29 of 52 title games. Lubbock Christian will be the visitor Friday

- In Game 18, Lubbock Christian’s Rene Garcia threw a complete game. The last complete game in a championship was in 2004 when Cumberland’s Eddie Ortega bested Oklahoma Ciy 10-3.

- Five of the 52 title games have been decided in extra innings. The last game decided in extra frames was in 2006. That year the Warriors defeated Cumberland (Tenn.) 5-4 in 11 innings. The one before that was in 1986 when Grand Canyon dropped a single into shallow right field with two outs and the bases loaded to defeat L-C 6-5 in 10 innings, the last Series game decided by a walk-off hit.