The remainder of the NAIA’s 14 regional tournaments wrapped up Saturday, including one that was decided by criteria, not a final score. And five teams have a line on invitations to the NAIA World Series.
But perhaps the biggest news concerns a team that won’t be coming to Lewiston.
Top-ranked Lubbock Christian, Texas, which had lost only two games prior to the regional round, saw its season unceremoniously ended in the Region VI tournament. No. 5 Oklahoma City beat the Chaparrals twice, including 14-8 on Saturday in the title round. The Stars, who had been swept by Lubbock Christian in a three-game series in April, took control of Saturday’s game with an eight-run third inning.
So Oklahoma City (53-10) advances to the Mid-South Super Regional, where it will play host to Missouri Baptist (40-14-1) the Region V champion. The Stars will be trying to return to the Series after a two-year absence following their 2005 national championship.
Missouri Baptist benefited from a rare off-field ruling in the weather-interrupted Region V tournament at St. Charles, Mo. With a title-round game against Lindenwood, Mo., knotted 5-all in the bottom of the ninth inning, play was halted with one down. Field conditions prevented its continuation, so the game was ruled a tie. Since Missouri Baptist was the tournament’s last unbeaten team, Lindenwood needed two wins to claim the title and regionals had to be completed Saturday, the Spartans were declared the champion.
With Lubbock Christian’s ouster, the Series’ two at-large berths now rest with third-ranked Lee, Tenn. (57-8) and No. 4 Azusa Pacific, Calif. (48-5) - assuming the order established by the season’s final Top 25 remains intact through super-regional seeding. That process, in which raters establish a pecking order for the 14 super-regional participants, will take place today.
The two highest-seeded teams that lose in the super-regional round are extended at-large invitations.
That number will grow to three if second-ranked Lewis-Clark State (50-5) beats Azusa Pacific in the West Coast Super Regional. The Warriors are guaranteed a Series berth as the host team, but that spot will go to an at-large recipient if they qualify as a super-regional champion.
So the top five remaining teams all appear to be Series-bound. Oklahoma City would be next in line for an at-large claim, while No. 6 Embry-Riddle, Fla. (42-14) has a direct tie-in as Lee’s opponent in the Atlantic South Super Regional.
Among the teams still in contention are Spring Arbor., Mich. (35-7), last year’s Series runner-up; 2004 national champion Cumberland, Tenn. (45-19); and Series regulars Embry-Riddle, Bellevue, Neb. (50-13) and Ohio Dominican (36-14).
The seven super regionals, all best-of-three playoffs, are scheduled to start Wednesday.
The World Series’ 52nd annual edition will get under way May 23 at Harris Field.
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REGIONALS
Saturday, May 10
REGION III
At Mayville, N.D.
Northwestern 14, Jamestown 9
Jamestown 12, Northwestern 1
Jamestown wins regional title
REGION IV
At Hutchinson, Kan.
Bellevue 16, Park 7
Bellevue 9, Park 4
Bellevue wins regional title
REGION V
At St. Charles, Mo.
Lindenwood 3, Avila 2
Missouri Baptist 5, Lindenwood 5 (stopped due to rain in ninth inning)
Missouri Baptist declared regional champion
REGION VI
At Oklahoma City, Okla.
Oklahoma City 14, Lubbock Christian 8
Oklahoma City wins regional title
REGION VIII
At Huntington, Ind.
Spring Arbor 7, Huntington 0
Oklahoma City wins regional title
REGION IX
At Malone, Ohio
Ohio Dominican 5, Mount Vernon Nazarene 1
Ohio Dominican wins regional title
REGION XI
At Lebanon, Tenn.
Cumberland 5, Campbellsville 4
Cumberland wins regional title
REGION XII
At Kingsport, Tenn.
Union 8, Tennessee Wesleyan 4
Union 5, Tennessee Wesleyan 4
Union wins regional title
REGION XIII
At Cleveland, Tenn.
Lee 10, LSU-Shreveport 7
Lee wins regional title
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SUPER REGIONALS
Best-of-three, beginning Wednesday
WEST COAST
At Lewiston
Azusa Pacific (48-5) vs. Lewis-Clark State (50-5)
PLAINS
At Jamestown, N.D.
Jamestown (30-17) vs. Bellevue (50-13)
MID-SOUTH
At Oklahoma City
Missouri Baptist (40-14-1) vs. Oklahoma City (53-10)
HEARTLAND
At Chicago
Saint Xavier (37-18) vs. Spring Arbor (35-7)
EAST COAST
At Columbus, Ohio
Ohio Dominican (36-14) vs. Fisher (33-16)
SOUTH CENTRAL
At Lebanon, Tenn.
Cumberland (45-19) vs. Union (45-15)
ATLANTIC SOUTH
At Daytona Beach, Fla.
Lee (57-8) vs. Embry-Riddle (42-14)
