Saturday, May 17
The final two super-regional playoffs concluded Friday, and that completed the list of 10 competitors for the 52nd NAIA World Series, which gets under way in six days at Harris Field.
Ohio Dominican closed out the East Coast Super Regional by beating Fisher, Mass., 13-2. And Oklahoma City, the 2005 national champion, wrapped up the Mid-South with a 10-7 victory over Missouri Baptist.
Oklahoma City, however, was already assured of a Series berth by virtue of its No. 4 super-regional seeding. So its triumph freed up the third and final at-large invitation, which will go to Bellevue, Neb. The Bruins, who lost to Jamestown in the Heartland, joined Azusa Pacific and Embry-Riddle as at-large participants - they were the three highest-seeded teams that lost in super regionals.
Lee, the No. 2 super regional seed behind Lewis-Clark State, is almost certain to be given the top seed in the Series. As the national tournament’s host team, L-C cannot be seeded higher than third; that, in fact, is the positioning the Warriors have received every year since the current format was instituted.
The Series’ seeding and first-round pairings will be announced Sunday.
L-C is vying for its 16th national championship and third straight. Oklahoma City and Bellevue (1995) are the only other former champions in the field, yet every competitor but Union has previously qualified for the Series.
> Series participants <
Azusa Pacific, Calif. (45-10)
Bellevue, Neb. (51-15)
Embry-Riddle, Fla. (42-16)
Jamestown, N.D. (32-17)
Lee, Tenn. (59-8)
Lewis-Clark State (53-5)
Ohio Dominican (39-14)
Oklahoma City (55-10)
Spring Arbor, Mich. (37-7)
Union, Ky. (47-16)
