NAIA, May 2023

Series Leadoff

DOUBTERSBEWARE

Some might be surprised to see LCSC in this year’s Series field — but the Warriors’ faith in themselves never wavered / 12 Series field

2023 NAIA WORLD SERIES BRACKET

ALL GAMES PLAYED AT LCSC’S HARRIS FIELD, LEWISTON | DOUBLE

The pairings for Games 16 and 17 will be determined by tournament committee. Rematch games are generally avoided.

Let’s. Play. Ball!

Let’s. Play. Ball!

We are proud to be the longtime title sponsor of the Avista NAIA World Series. And, as we celebrate five decades of championship baseball at Harris Field inside Ed Cheff Stadium, we thank the loyal fans as well as the participants, partners and volunteers who help bring this exciting event to the Lewis-Clark Valley. Please enjoy the games

We are proud to be the longtime title sponsor of the Avista NAIA World Series. And, as we celebrate five decades of championship baseball at Harris Field inside Ed Cheff Stadium, we thank the loyal fans as well as the participants, partners and volunteers who help bring this exciting event to the Lewis-Clark Valley. Please enjoy the games

team are still alive after Games 16 and 17 ...

If

ON THE COVER: Lewis-Clark State baseball players, from left to right, Charlie Updegrave, Bryson Spagnuolo, Trevin Hope, Drake George and Isaac Haws gather around catcher Sam Olsson for a portrait earlier this week at home plate at Harris Field in Lewiston. | Photo by JORDAN

Can anyone cool off the Fire?

By TROY WARZOCHA FOR THE TRIBUNE

When asked what it would be like to have the chance to secure back-to-back championships at the 2023 Avista NAIA World Series, Southeastern University coach Adrian Dinkel cut right to the point.

“We haven’t talked about what we did last year,” Dinkel said. “It’s a new group. There’s a lot of new guys on this team.

“I think for us, we’re just looking forward to spending time out there. ... The mindset we have right now, is to enjoy it and see how far we can take this thing.”

To be fair, the seventh-year coach is correct.

Instead of rebuilding, the defending champion Fire from Florida reloaded — and that could prove problematic for the rest of the field at this year’s Series

as SEU enters the fray with the top seed in the tournament in tow after racking up a 55-4 record and finishing as the No. 1 team in the final NAIA regular-season rankings.

The Fire, who have a bye in the first round, are slated to face the winner of No. 9 Lewis-Clark State and No. 8 Indiana Wesleyan (Ind.) on Saturday.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. — and should L-C advance to face SEU, it would set up a rematch of last year’s title round.

Of the position players who started against Lewis-Clark State in SEU’s 11-5 victory in the winner-take-all final game of the 2022 Series, only three return — infielders Isaac Nunez, Gary Lora and Jose Mercano.

Nunez, a senior, leads the team so far this season with 96 hits and a .451

> See FIRE, Page 4

> Southeastern

Location: Lakeland, Fla.

Nickname: Fire

Coach: Adrian Dinkel (seventh season)

Season record: 55-4

Rank in final NAIA poll: No. 1

How qualified: Won Fayette Bracket

Number of appearances; best finish: fifth, two championships (2018, 2022)

> Juice (out of five stars)

STARTERS: «««««

Starters Robb Adams, Darien Smith and Danny Batcher led the NAIA in strikeouts per nine innings and SEU as a whole has the lowest ERA in the NAIA by a half a run.

RELIEVERS: ««««

Led by relievers Reese Wissinger and Andrew Long, SEU’s bullpen is overflowing with experience as five pitchers tallied more than 25 innings this season.

FIELDING: ««««

With a fielding percentage of .972 and only 52 errors on the season, the SEU defense improved significantly this season — committing almost 40 fewer errors than last year’s title team.

HITTING: «««««

As a group, SEU had the most home runs in the NAIA this season and was second in batting average, RBI and total hits — making them one of the most potent offenses in this year’s field.

SPEED: ««««

Similar to their improvement on defense, the Fire also showed progress on the basepaths. SEU is in the top 10 in the NAIA with 126 stolen bases while only being caught 24 times — a net increase of 30 bags after stealing 102 and being caught 30 times last year.

INTANGIBLES: ««««

With two titles in tow and seeking a third, it’s hard to argue that anyone else has a better chance than the topranked team in the NAIA this season.

Southeastern, the top seed and defending champion, probably won’t give up its throne easily in this Series

Zach Wilkinson/Tribune

Southeastern players hoist the national championship trophy after defeating Lewis-Clark State in the NAIA World Series championship game last season at Harris Field in Lewiston.

Dinkel

FIRE

Continued from PAGE 3

batting average in 213 atbats. He also knocked in 59 runs this season and led the team in stolen bases with 21 while only being caught three times.

And while those numbers would speak volumes for any player, Nunez’s growth as a leader in the clubhouse has paralleled his ascendance to the top of the lineup.

“He’s changed this program a ton in the last year,” Dinkel said of his senior infielder. “He’s completely changed as a player from last year to this year too.

“He’s grown up a ton so we’re excited to see the leadership he’s had. He went from a guy that we thought was a good player last year, but not our front-line guy, to becoming our front-line guy. He’s been a leader for us and made that intentional over the summer and the fall.”

Flanking Nunez is Lora, a senior infielder who tallied a team-leading 73 RBI while batting .408 and racking up 87 hits.

Another returnee who has

STATS

August Frank/Tribune

Southeastern third baseman Isaac Nunez recovers and makes a catch against Lewis-Clark State in the 2022 NAIA World Series. Nunez is back with the Fire in this year’s Series and leads the team with a .451 batting average.

elevated his production this season is senior infielder

Stephen Cullen. In 2021-22,

Cullen started 52 games for the Fire and tallied five hits in five games in the 2022 Series. In 2022-23, Cullen has 58 hits — 23 of which have been home runs.

Even if an opposing pitcher makes it past Nunez, Lora and Cullen, SEU is far from a three-man band.

As a team, SEU is first in the NAIA in home runs (145), second in the NAIA

in batting average (.358), second in total hits (710) and second in RBI (565).

On the hill, SEU is led by a pair of juniors in Robb Adams, Darien Smith and senior Danny Batcher.

In 45 total appearances between them, the trio of pitchers went 26-4 while tallying 287 strikeouts in a little more than 216 innings.

In the bullpen, Southeastern has a versatile and deep group that features five pitchers who logged more

than 25 innings this season.

All things considered, should Dinkel and the Fire add a third championship to their already impressive resume, they would be the first team not named Lewis-Clark State to win back-to-back titles since Grand Canyon (Ariz.) won three straight from 1980-82.

Additionally, collecting another banner in this tournament would lift Southeastern into a tie with Cumberland

(Tenn.) and Lewis University (Ill.) for the third-most NAIA World Series championships in the 66-year history of the event.

“This group is focused on what they’re able to do and that’s how we’ve built it in our program,” Dinkel said of getting the chance to achieve something very few programs have. “We’re not worried about what’s happened in the past.” 

Grizzlies quickly retooled, look more than ready

Georgia Gwinnett brought in 18 new players this season, and managed to maintain its recent high level of play

By COLTON CLARK FOR THE TRIBUNE

The Georgia Gwinnett Grizzlies rebuilt their roster during the offseason, adding 18 new faces after losing a bulk of their players to graduation.

“This is almost a brand-new team,” Grizzlies coach Jeremy Sheetinger said. “We have one full-time returning starter in our lineup from last year. Other than that, the whole vibe is new.”

Despite their roster turnover, the Grizzlies appear to be as strong as ever. Returning to the Avista NAIA World Series for the fifth consecutive season, Georgia Gwinnett seems primed to make another deep run.

The Grizzlies come to Lewiston with a big-hitting lineup and a deep pitching staff. The team’s talent level is comparable to — perhaps better than — its 2021 squad, which won the national championship.

Georgia Gwinnett has established itself firmly as a national heavyweight. Its elite reputation opened the door for an influx of standout players who will make their Harris Field debuts this weekend.

“This is easily the best group of people we’ve had in our program, and arguably one of the best teams,” Sheetinger said. “This is the group that really arose from our short histo-

> Georgia Gwinnett

Location: Lawrenceville, Ga.

Nickname: Grizzlies

Coach: Jeremy Sheetinger (fourth year)

Record: 50-6

Rank in final NAIA poll: No. 3

How qualified: Won Lawrenceville Bracket

Number of appearances; best finish: Six; national champions in 2021

> Juice (out of five stars)

STARTERS: ««««½

The Grizzlies have not one but a few aces in their rotation. Starters Ben Harris, Gage Williams and Cameron Repetti boast a 29-2 combined record with seven complete games between them, and each has an ERA of 3.50 or better.

RELIEVERS: ««««½

The bullpen is well-stocked with capable arms. The team’s top four relievers have combined for 136 strikeouts against 31 runs, 60 hits and 46 walks allowed over 87-plus innings.

ry of trying to cement our program at the top.

“When we won it in 2021, that only opened up our work ethic. To win it is great, but winning it once wasn’t our goal. ... We created the expectation that, every guy who wears a Grizzly uniform, he should play his last games at Harris Field.”

The second-seeded Grizzlies (50-6) open their tournament stay at 3:05 p.m. Saturday against the winner of today’s game between MidAmerica Nazarene and Taylor.

Georgia Gwinnett’s lineup broke several program records that the 2021 team had set. These Grizzlies

FIELDING: «««

Gwinnett isn’t the strongest defensive team in the Series. There have been occasional fielding miscues for the Grizzlies, who rank 32nd nationally in errors (55) and 18th in fielding percentage (97%).

HITTING: «««««

There aren’t any weak spots in this lineup — the most productive and efficient hitting group in the NAIA. The Grizzlies lead the nation in runs (672), batting average (.383), doubles (155), RBI (576) and on-base percentage (.481).

SPEED: «««««

The Grizzly hitters pack power, but they’re also exceptional bunters and bag-stealers. Georgia Gwinnett tops the nation with 256 stolen bases.

INTANGIBLES: ««««

It’s a rebuilt team, with 18 newcomers and just one returning starter in the lineup. But the program has established itself as a Series regular. Gwinnett has qualified for the Series in five consecutive seasons. The staff’s experience at Harris Field will prove valuable.

lead the nation in a handful of offensive stat columns, including runs scored and team batting average.

“The 2021 group was one of the most prolific offenses in NAIA history, and this group is ahead of it in a lot of categories,” Sheetinger said.

Georgia Gwinnett newcomer

Ajay Sczepkowski leads the NAIA in RBI (97) and ranks second in home runs (30) and runs scored (91). The junior also has stolen 36 bases in his first season with the Grizzlies, who bring a 50-6 record to Lewiston.

“The biggest piece for us is to score as many runs as we can. We don’t let off the gas pedal, we don’t hold back. ... It’s definitely a formidable lineup.” And it’s a well-rounded lineup that

> See GRIZZLIES, Page 6

Georgia Gwinnett

GRIZZLIES

Continued from PAGE 5

boasts an equal measure of power, speed and awareness — when to swing for the fences and when to play small ball.

“There are a lot of doubles and we set a school record for home runs, but we take walks and find new ways to get on base,” Sheetinger said. “It’s aggressiveness ... create pressure and create chaos.”

Five players are batting above .400. Setting the pace is transfer outfielder Ajay Sczepkowski, who leads the nation in RBI (97) and ranks second in home runs (30) and runs scored (91). The junior also has stolen 36 bases, and is

GEORGIA GWINNETT STATS

game while surrendering 3.7.

“We’ve had games where our offense has been so dominant, and we’ve had games where our pitching staff has stepped up and led the way,” Sheetinger said.

The Grizzlies boast four reliable starters and five or six capable arms in the bullpen. The staff ranks third nationally in ERA (3.27) and second in strikeouts (592). Pitching depth is crucial at the Series, and Georgia Gwinnett has plenty of it.

for us.”

The new-look Grizzlies jelled quickly and have been strong from the jump, but they’ve really hit their stride down the stretch.

Georgia Gwinnett has lost one game since the start of April.

“You have to trust that things are going to come together if you get the right people in the room,” Sheetinger said. “We certainly checked that box.

the first NAIA players to post a 30-homer/30-steal season.

Georgia Gwinnett has piled

up 112 runs over seven games in the postseason. Overall, the team is averaging 12 runs per

“That was something we addressed with this recruiting class,” Sheetinger said. “It’s the best pitching staff we’ve had here. ... It’s the middle bullpen and back-end guys that I feel like have been the separator

“We figured out how to consistently get the best versions of ourselves. ... We’ve been tested. We’ve been challenged. This is easily the toughest group we’ve ever brought to Lewiston, and I think we’re playing our best baseball at this point.”

All-time tally of NAIA World Series

Indiana Wesleyan and the University of the Cumberlands will be appearing in the Series for the first time. That brings the total number of schools to participate since the initial 1957 Series to 203. Southeastern, also in the field this year, was the last team to win a title in its first Series tournament. The Fire swept the field in 2018, the first time a newcomer went undefeated since Brewton-Parker in 1997.

THAT’S CUMBERLANDS, WITH AN ‘S’ — Don’t confuse this year’s participant, Cumberlands, with past Series participant Cumberland. The Patriots of the University of Cumberlands, the one with the “s” on the end, are from Williamsburg, Ky., and are competing in the Series for the first time. Cumberland University of Lebanon, Tenn., competed in 12 previous Series, and won three titles, all in Lewiston.

NEW FOES — The four matchups on opening day will have teams that have never met in Series play. Lewis-Clark State will meet the Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats in the nightcap. The Wildcats will be playing in their first-ever Series game while LCSC is making its 41st appearance. The Wildcats will be the Warriors’ 83rd opponent in Series play. L-C is 67-15 against first-time opponents, and 33-7 in its previous 40 opening games.

LONG TIME COMING — Taylor University is making just its second Series appearance, and first in 54 years, a Series record. The Trojans went 1-2 in the 1969 Series, played at St. Joseph, Mo. The previous record for years between appearances was 38 by Mayville State from 1964 to 2002.

ARDUOUS PATH — If you’re looking for a team to root for, choose the loser of the opening game of the tournament. In 65 previous tournaments, only one team has lost Game 1 of the bracket and came back to win it all.

Denny Grubb

West Liberty State lost the first game played in the 1964 World Series 2-1 in 16 innings. The Hilltoppers from West Virginia then won five straight to claim the title. West Liberty had to defeat Grambling twice on championship game day, and earned the crown with a 3-2 victory that ended at 12:10 a.m. in St. Joseph, Mo.

AT LEAST SCORE SOME RUNS — In 1978, Emporia State lost to Missouri Southern 4-0 in the second game of the tournament. Nothing unusual, except Emporia State is the only team to be shut out in its opening game of the tournament, then come back to win the championship. The Hornets defeated Missouri Southern 8-6 for the title. It is the only time in Series history that two teams have faced each other in their Series opening game, and then met again in the championship contest.

BACK HOME IN INDIANA — The state of Indiana is represented by two teams in the Series this year, Taylor and Indiana Wesleyan. Newcomer Indiana Wesleyan brings the total number of teams to represent Indiana to six. The Wildcats join Anderson, Indiana Tech, IU Southeast and Indiana State. The record for most teams from one state in a single Series is three. In 2010, three teams from Tennessee participated, and three from Oklahoma played in 2017.

Grubb is the official statistician of the NAIA World Series at Lewiston.

—Haab4,Houston4,SamHunt,Sewell,BenWeber,HunterMoody,Williams,White.

Westmont seems poised to make a breakthrough

California club returns to Lewiston hungry after 0-2 showing in Series debut last year

By MADISON GUERNSEY FOR THE TRIBUNE

The Westmont Warriors had their best season in program history last year, yet they might be able to top it.

Westmont, of Santa Barbara, Calif., made its first trip to the NAIA World Series last year and returns to Harris Field in search of its first Series victory. The Warriors set a program high with 45 wins a season ago, but went 0-2 in the Series. Win a few games this week, and they’ll get off the schneid and exceed their record win total.

They have some World Series experience on their side this time around, something their coach says is vital.

“They know what it’s going to take to win there now,” first-year skipper Tyler LaTorre said. “They obviously have a little bit of a bitter taste in their mouth with making it there last year but then losing the first two games. ... They know what that felt like and they don’t want to feel that again.”

The experience Westmont’s players can fall back on is missing for the head coach. LaTorre finds himself in an interesting position as a first-year head coach — and a first-time college head coach — on the heels of the program’s record campaign.

Robert Ruiz, who spent 13 seasons guiding Westmont’s ascent, took a job as the school’s athletic director after last season. He hired LaTorre, who promptly kept the train rolling.

The 40-year-old former minor league player was named Golden State Athletic Conference coach of the year.

“It’s a testament to the program, the culture that has been built here and is continuing to be built,” LaTorre said. “I just came in here and tried not to screw it up.”

A stocked cupboard didn’t hurt, either.

Westmont returned at least 16 players “that are getting avid playing time,” LaTorre said. They include Brady Renck and Eric Oseguera, who were All-GSAC players last year.

Renck was all-conference again after hitting a blister-

ing .422, good for tops in the league. He also stole a team-best 14 bases and earned his second straight Gold Glove award after compiling a fielding percentage of .982.

The senior second baseman, who’s also the program’s all-time leader in runs, helped the Warriors hit .300 as a team. Their 416 runs are six shy of last year’s school-record mark of 422.

“Throughout the season, we just continued to get deeper and deeper,” LaTorre said. “Our offense is based on who we are and knowing how each player in the lineup can help the team

score runs and help the team win.”

Westmont is even better on the mound.

The Warriors rank sixth in the nation with a 3.60 ERA and are holding opponents to a .241 batting average.

The three-man rotation of Oseguera, Bryan Peck and Chase Goddard have a combined 26-3 record and have eaten more than 56% of the team’s total innings.

Peck, a sophomore, has started all of Westmont’s series openers since he debuted on opening day last year. He earned all-conference and Gold Glove honors this season. 

WESTMONT STATS

>

Westmont

Location: Santa Barbara, Calif.

Nickname: Warriors

Coach: Tyler LaTorre (first season)

Season record: 43-8

Rank in final NAIA poll: T-No. 6

How qualified: Won Santa Barbara Bracket

Number of appearances; best finish: two; two-and-out in 2022

> Juice (out of five stars)

STARTERS: ««««½ Peck (9-1) leads qualified GSAC players in innings (95) and strikeouts (102) and is fourth in ERA (2.84). With Goddard (10-1, 3.05 ERA) and Oseguera (7-1, 4.18) rounding out the rotation, Westmont can almost always rely on a quality start.

RELIEVERS: ««««

Gabe Arteaga (2-1, 2.28 ERA) leads the GSAC with eight saves and opponents hit just .136 off him. Aidan Holly (4-0, 1.52), Sean Youngerman (3-0, 2.52) and Lucien Wechsberg (10, 3.38) have also been reliable regulars out of the bullpen.

FIELDING: ««««« Westmont leads its conference and ranks sixth nationally

Westmont second baseman Brady Renck catches a fly ball during the fourth inning of the Warriors’ NAIA World Series game against Webber International at Harris Field in 2022. Westmont lost that game and was eliminated from the tournament with a 0-2 record. The Warriors are back in the Series this year and are hoping for better results.

Zach Wilkinson/

Tribune

with a .976 fielding percentage. Shortstop Robbie Haw, right fielder Bryce McFeely, Renck and Peck all earned Gold Glove awards. All-conference catcher Shane Hofstadler and his fellow backstop Kaden Tsuji combined to throw out 15 of 43 would-be base stealers, best in the GSAC.

HITTING: ««« Westmont doesn’t have eye-popping power or a gaudy team average. But its lineup is balanced. Six starters are hitting .300 or better, led by Renck’s .422 clip. Hofstadler leads the club with 11 home runs.

SPEED: ««½

The Warriors don’t run often, with 51 stolen bases this season — one per game on average — but they’ve been successful 85% of the time. Renck (14) and McFeely (13) are the team leaders in steals.

INTANGIBLES: «««½ Westmont’s strengths are its pitching and defense. And if the Warriors can hit with consistency, they’ll be a force to be reckoned with.

Several players returned from last year’s World Series team that went 0-2 and will be hungry to get the program’s first Series victory.

Halford, Crusaders make elusive return to Series

Longtime William

Carey coach is third among active NAIA coaches in wins, but this will be just his team’s second trip to the national tournament

By THEO LAWSON FOR THE TRIBUNE

William Carey’s Bobby Halford ranks No. 7 all time, and No. 3 among active NAIA coaches, with 1,298 career victories. Halford’s averaged 34.1 wins per season since taking over William Carey’s program in 1986, yet the Crusaders return to Lewiston this week making just their second appearance at the national tournament in 54 years.

After breezing past three opponents last

week at the NAIA Opening Round in Hattiesburg, Miss., Halford and the Crusaders have left little question they belong.

William Carey opened with a 7-0 victory against University of Houston-Victoria before dispatching Ave Maria (Fla.) 11-2 and 27-4 to

punch a ticket to the Series for the first time since 2017. Of the 10 teams to qualify for this year’s tournament, only Georgia Gwinnett

(+55) had a bigger run differential than William Carey (+40) in the Opening Round.

“We knew when we started this season that

William Carey coach Bobby Halford, center, celebrates with his players following the Crusaders’ victory in an Opening Round at Hattiesburg, Miss.

Pine Belt News

we were going to be pretty good,” Halford said in a news release after the Opening Round. “These guys have worked so hard, not only on the field but in the weight room. They’ve gotten a lot bigger, a lot stronger and, of course, you’ve got guys who’ve played together two, three, four years. They’ve been there.”

The Crusaders (47-9) scored 27 runs on 20 base hits to bludgeon Ave Maria on May 18 and it still wasn’t the

> See CRUSADERS, Page 9

Our therapists have worked to achieve board certifications in Orthopedics, Sports, and

rehab so that we can create, promote and sustain a culture in our community in which the highest quality physical therapy services are provided to those in need.

CRUSADERS

Continued from PAGE 8

most dominant offensive outing they’ve had this season. That belongs to a 29-2 victory over Stillman College (Ala.) on March 25 in which the Crusaders shelled out 22 hits — including nine extra-base hits — and posted 19 runs in a single inning to invoke the mercy rule.

Halford’s team has scored at least 20 runs in four different games and William Carey enters the national tournament averaging 11.1 runs per game.

“The thing about this team is that one through nine, we don’t have any easy outs,” junior third baseman Brady Wilson, who accounted for three RBI against Ave Maria, said in the news release. “And we’ve got seven or eight more on the bench that can flat-out hit. This is the best hitting team I’ve ever been a part of.”

Those following the Crusaders in Lewiston will become acquainted with two Stinsons, AJ and RJ, who are unrelated but have both played significant roles in getting William Carey back to the Series.

RJ, a junior outfielder, is William Carey’s No. 1 of-

WILLIAM CAREY STATS

> William Carey

Location: Hattiesburg, Miss.

Nickname: Crusaders

Coach: Bobby Halford (38th season)

Season record: 47-9

Rank in final NAIA poll: No. 8

How qualified: Won Hattiesburg Bracket

Number of appearances; best finish: Four, NAIA champions in 1969

> Juice (out of five stars)

STARTERS: ««««

fensive threat, leading the Crusaders in batting average (.401), runs scored (91), hits (99), doubles (17), triples (5), RBI (74) and total at-bats (247).

AJ, a senior right-handed pitcher, is one of three starters who could see the mound at Harris Field and brings a 3.18 ERA to the Series. Junior righty Andrew Shirah is one of 23 NAIA pitchers with at least five complete games under his belt this season. Junior southpaw Dario Herrera, a native

of Panama City, Panama, has a 9-0 record in 12 starts this season.

The Crusaders posted a 3-2 record at the 2017 Series, bowing out with a loss to eventual champion Lewis-Clark State. As the No. 4 seed, they open tournament play at 3:05 p.m. on Friday against Bellevue (Neb.) and if William Carey wins that, Halford will be seeking the 1,300th win of his career in a second-round game against Southeastern, LCSC or Indiana Wesleyan. 

Andrew Shirah (3.83, 10-1), Dario Herrera (3.93, 9-0) and AJ Stinson (3.18, 7-2) won’t bring eye-popping ERAs to Lewiston, but the Crusaders seldom lose games when either of those three is on the mound.

RELIEVERS: «««½

William Carey hasn’t played in a one- or two-run game since the start of the month so there haven’t been many save opportunities, but John Snyder is still a reliable closer, with nine saves on the year.

FIELDING: ««

Nobody is perfect, even at the Series. Seven teams at

this year’s tournament have committed 60 errors or fewer this season, but William Carey ranks at the bottom of the list — and tied for No. 170 in the NAIA — with 89.

HITTING: ««««½

It’s typically a good day when you hold William Carey under eight runs. The Crusaders rank second nationally in runs scored (628) and they’re top-six in hits (628), doubles (133) and triples (23).

SPEED: «««

When the Crusaders take their chances on the base paths, it usually pays off. William Carey’s 95 stolen bases rank 37th in the NAIA, but the Crusaders have an outstanding success rate of 91%.

INTANGIBLES: «««««

It’s important not to overlook William Carey’s discipline at the plate. The Crusaders don’t mind taking pitches and nobody at the NAIA level has been walked more. WCU’s 357 walks are six more than second-place Concordia and 41 more than third-place Cumberland.

Well-rounded Bruins back for 16th go in Series

Bellevue brings experience, defense and an air guitar band to NAIA tournament

By CODY WENDT SPORTS STAFF

For a second consecutive season, fifth-seeded Bellevue heads into the Avista NAIA World Series boasting one of the top defensive records in the country.

The Bruins (48-8) currently sit at second nationally with a fielding percentage of .977 — and coach Duane Monlux will be quick to tell you that airtight defense is not where their excellence stops. A longtime regular at the Series, Bellevue will kick off its 16th appearance in program history facing No. 8-ranked and fourth-seeded William Carey at 3:05 p.m. today.

“Sixteen appearances overall, I think that says a lot about our program,” Munlox said. “We’re able to sustain some baseball.”

From their 15 past Series runs, the Bruins have claimed the title just once — that coming in 1995 — while they also managed a runner-up finish in ’97 and took third in 2016. They enter this year’s Series on a 10-game winning streak, having clinched their berth with a 3-0 run through their home Opening Round event.

At 48-8, Bellevue has the third-highest season winning percentage in the 10-team field.

Senior and returning second-team All-American Kanta Kobayashi highlights the roster with an error-free fielding record through his 116 career games as an outfielder with the Bruins. The transfer from Gonzaga, who is originally from Tokyo, has also reached base at least once in 113 of his games with Bellevue.

First-team All-North

Star Conference pitchers Alex Celiceo and Blake Crippen, who have a combined 45-9 career record, help form a deep pitching staff.

Monlux called the Bruins’ defense the “backbone of our team,” but noted that they also have a “balanced offense,” reflected in a .347 team batting average (11th nationally) and 88 home runs on the season (10th). Kobayashi leads the

Bellevue outfielder Kanta Kobayashi leaps up against the fence to make a catch in last year’s NAIA World Series at Harris Field. Kobayashi, who is originally from Tokyo and started his college career at Gonzaga, has never made an error in 116 career games with Bellevue.

August Frank/ Tribune

> Bellevue

Location: Bellevue, Neb.

Nickname: Bruins

Coach: Duane Munlox (13th year)

Season record: 48-8

Rank in final NAIA poll: No. 5

How qualified: Won Bellevue Bracket

Number of appearances; best finish: 16; won championship in 1995

> Juice (out of five stars)

STARTERS: 

The Bruins’ Alex Celiceo boasts a 24-3

BRUINS

Continued from PAGE 10

team in total hits with 86, while Nick Grade (15 home runs), Jake Lacey (13), Mathieu Sirois (13) and Logan Grant (11) have supplied Bellevue’s power at bat.

Off the field, members of the Bruins’ program have expanded their horizons to form an air guitar band — Schmidty and the Samurais, named for associate head coach Mitch Schmidt. Whether the group will provide any

career pitching mark, sitting in a tie for the program wins record.

RELIEVERS: 

Blake Crippen has joined Celiceo in the 20-plus win club at 21-6, and was named national pitcher of the week in March.

FIELDING: 

Having set an NAIA record for fielding percentage last year, the Bruins currently rank second in that category for this season with a .977 mark, narrowly trailing Tennessee Wesleyan’s .979.

mid-tournament entertainment for the public has yet to be announced, but its presence could add levity to a sometimes-stressful fortnight for the team.

“We all have the vision of dogpiling at the end,” Monlux said. “Every single team of the 10 has an ultimate goal of winning the whole thing. Now that we’re at the World Series, anything can happen; we feel like if we play like we’re capable, we can make a run just like anyone at the tournament can.

(We’ll) have fun, play loose, play competitive baseball and see where it takes us.” 

HITTING: 

Bellevue ranks 10th nationally in home runs with 88 and 11th in team batting average at .347.

SPEED: ½

Bellevue is tied for 90th out of 201 teams listed on the NAIA website with 68 stolen bases this season.

INTANGIBLES: 

An in-roster air guitar band might lift the Bruins’ spirits in challenging moments as they strive for their second national title.

BELLEVUE STATS

grand NAIA Series tour

> OUT OF THE BOX

Lewiston is one of 11 cities to host the NAIA World Series since 1957. The Bellevue Bruins are in their 16th Series, 12th in Lewiston. From 1997 to 2000, the Bruins played in four straight tournaments at four different sites. They competed in Sioux City, Iowa; Tulsa, Okla.; Jupiter, Fla.; and then Lewiston.

WAITING FOR THAT GRIZZLIES-WARRIORS TILT — Even though Georgia Gwinnett and Lewis-Clark State have played in the same Series five previous times, they have never met in the tournament.

THEY’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE — Five former champion teams are in the Series field this year. Lewis-Clark State has 19 titles, Southeastern owns two, and Bellevue, Georgia Gwinnett and William Carey each have one. William Carey earned its title in 1969 against La Verne. Last year, a record six past champs participated. The last time a Series was held without a previous champion was in 1994. Kennesaw State swept the field that year to take the title in its only Series appearance.

— Denny Grubb

Jordan Opp/Tribune

Lewis-Clark State College baseball players, from left, Bryson Spagnuolo, Sam Olsson, Isaac Haws, Charlie Updegrave, Trevin Hope and Drake George talk to each other in the dugout at Harris Field on Tuesday in Lewiston. It was touch-and-go at times for the Warriors this spring, but they managed to secure a spot in the NAIA World Series and will open pursuit of the 20th national title in program history at 7:05 tonight against Indiana Wesleyan.

By TEREN KOWATSCH SPORTS STAFF

On May 17, Lewis-Clark State College sophomore Isaac Haws, filling in at second base for an injured Pu’ukani De Sa, made the final catch in the infield to clinch a 19-7 win over Concordia — a second consecutive Opening Round win to send the Warriors to their 24th straight Avista NAIA World Series.

But for much of the year, it looked like Lewis-Clark State — the team that has become synonymous with the World Series — would not make it.

“We have learned never to count the Warriors out,” LewisClark State baseball statistician and de facto historian Denny Grubb said. “But this year, the count was nearer to 10 than ever in the past 20-plus years.”

Every trend for LewisClark State was pointing downward, especially after the first month of conference play. The Warriors lost two consecutive conference series, a first for the program, and finished fourth in the regular-season conference standings, failing to win the conference title. To cap it off, Lewis-Clark State finished the season unranked in the NAIA Top 25 poll, the first time that’s happened since the final poll of the 2020 COVID-shortened season.

Even with the knowledge that the Warriors would get an automatic bid to the Opening Round due to being a host site, one could not be blamed for thinking that, for the first time since 1998, there would be a World Series without them in it.

A few people who didn’t think that? The team with “Warriors” across its chest.

LCSC’s players and coaches throughout the season have had faith, even during the rough stretches, that this team is a World Series-caliber team. And despite what the season’s record might indicate, the Warriors don’t view themselves as underdogs — and don’t think other World Series teams do either.

‘We have learned never to count the Warriors out’ the

Despite a rare down season, Lewis-Clark State is back and raring to go in its 24th consecutive appearance in the NAIA World Series

doesn’t really affect our team and how we perceive ourselves going into it, because we know what we’re capable of.”

Coach Jake Taylor echoed Updegrave’s statements.

“Everybody is entitled to their own opinion and we don’t care at all about outside perception,” Taylor said. “I don’t believe, for one second, that it’s motivating to read social media about what others have to say. I highly doubt anybody will underestimate us. We respect and plan for each opponent the same and I suspect that others are doing the same.”

Throughout all the struggles the team has faced this season, it pulled through and is playing its best baseball at the perfect time. But the struggles it had this season mirror the town that it calls home. And in some ways, that’s apropos. For a town that has been synonymous with the baseball team and vice versa, it makes sense.

Johnson further stated that the involvement of the Warriors in the Series is a perfect opportunity for the town to get a little bit of an escape from the past few months and celebrate as LCSC attempts to make a deep run in the tournament.

Johnson, like many other citizens, volunteers during the Series, and said that the support the locals show not only LCSC, but the entire Series field, is

something that shows the passion and acceptance of the community toward the World Series.

Passion is the key word. It’s what every single team that will be playing on Harris Field starting today has; it’s what the Lewiston residents and fans in the stands will show every time there’s a home run or miraculous catch or strikeout; and it’s what has gotten the Warriors to this point through all of their trials and tribulations this season. It’s why, now that they’re in the World Series, they think they’ll bring home their 20th national championship.

“Anything can happen. It’s baseball,” LCSC senior Sam Olsson said. “On any given day anyone can beat anybody, so why would you not have that mentality to try and win the whole thing? Everybody’s going to have that mentality. And if they don’t, then they’re wrong.” That mentality is coupled with another that Olsson and other LCSC players and coaches have echoed all season — one that, if true, can result in this team being one of the greatest successes in program history.

“We haven’t played our best baseball yet,” Olsson said.

Kowatsch can be contacted at (208) 848-2277, tkowatsch@lmtribune.com or on Twitter @Teren_Kowatsch.

to claim the Opening Round title and clinch a berth in the NAIA World Series.

FAR RIGHT: Lewis-Clark State outfielder Nick Seamons celebrates after batting his way to second base during last week’s NAIA Opening Round tournament.

“Going into it, teams always know who L-C is and what we’re capable of,” Lewis-Clark State sophomore Charlie Updegrave said. “So, I feel as if the seeding going into this tournament

“I

“It’s been a tough year for Lewiston as a community,” Lewiston Mayor Dan Johnson said. “Starting out with some of the property taxes issues a lot of the residents were facing this year, and then on top of that we have to deal with issues like the reservoir failure, which impacted half of our citizens ... so I think the Warriors, coming through like they did, never

Let’s. Play. Ball! Let’s. Play. Ball!

We are proud to be the longtime title sponsor of the Avista NAIA World Series. And, as we celebrate five decades of championship baseball at Harris Field inside Ed Cheff Stadium, we thank the loyal fans as well as the participants, partners and volunteers who help bring this exciting event to the Lewis-Clark Valley. Please enjoy the games

We are proud to be the longtime title sponsor of the Avista NAIA World Series. And, as we celebrate five decades of championship baseball at Harris Field inside Ed Cheff Stadium, we thank the loyal fans as well as the participants, partners and volunteers who help bring this exciting event to the Lewis-Clark Valley. Please enjoy the games

giving up — they just kept swinging.”

Grubb Johnson

highly doubt anybody will underestimate us. We respect and plan for each opponent the same and I suspect that others are doing the same.”

LCSC COACH JAKE TAYLOR

NEAR RIGHT: Lewis-Clark State catcher Sam Olsson connects for a base hit during the NAIA Opening Round against Concordia University last week at Harris Field in Lewiston. The Warriors went 3-0

Austin Johnson/Tribune

Patriots roll into Series with a hot hand

Cumberlands (not Cumberland) qualifies for its first World Series by running two tournament tables

By BRIAN BEESLEY FOR THE TRIBUNE

After 22 years and 1,000 coaching victories, Brad Shelton and his Cumberlands Patriots have finally reached the promised land.

Cumberlands (with an “s” and not to be mistaken for the perennial Series entrant from Tennessee) rolled through both the MidSouth Conference tournament and the NAIA Opening Round to earn its first trip to the Avista NAIA World Series in Lewiston.

By rallying to beat Columbia College (Mo.)

8-6 in the Opening Round title game on May 18, the Patriots completed a 7-0 postseason performance that culminated in Shelton’s 1,000th victory as a college coach (810 of them coming at the UC helm).

“It’s really, really rewarding,” Shelton said by phone Sunday as he and his team prepared to fly across the country.

“I don’t know if I’d say it was overdue. Making it to Lewiston will not define me as a coach or a person, but it’s nice to get there.”

The sixth-seeded

Patriots (49-7) never suffered back-to-back losses during the season and were ranked No. 7 in the final NAIA coaches poll May 10. They did it with power at the plate and an extensive pitching arsenal.

UC rocked a school-record 141 home runs this season, second behind Southeastern (145) in

the NAIA, while batting .355 as a team (sixth).

First baseman Max Harper and catcher Charlie Muniz led the charge with 23 bombs each (tied for eighth in the NAIA), followed by six more hitters with double-digit dingers.

“Power through the lineup is our strength,” Shelton said. “Our of-

fense, we have a group of confident hitters — they don’t feel like they’re ever out of a ballgame.”

On the mound, UC has a .354 earnedrun average, with a “three-headed monster” of starters — Garrett DeClue (11-0).

Knicko Billings (8-0) and Hunter Rigsby (72) — and an exceptional

> Cumberlands

Location: Williamsburg, Ky.

Nickname: Patriots

Coach: Brad Shelton (22nd season)

Season record: 49-7

Rank in final NAIA poll: No. 7

How qualified: Won Williamsburg Bracket

closer, Cesar Avila, who has nine saves and a 1.91 ERA. Jared Shelton (no relation to the coach) hasn’t given up an earned run in 22 innings of work.

“Pitching depth has helped us make this run,” Shelton said.

“We’ve got a really deep bullpen, and some really good guys on the back end.”

The Pats were tested in the Opening Round decider vs. Columbia, trailing 5-3 in the seventh inning before Muniz smoked a two-out, three-run shot to center field to turn the tide. It was his second blast of the game and sixth in the tournament, setting a record.

RELIEVERS: 

Righties Cesar Avila and Jared Shelton can come in and lock down opponents.

FIELDING: 

Patriots are fundamental but not flashy.

HITTING: 

UC likes the long ball, but they can also play station-to-station. The Pats are patient at the plate, having worked 306 walks.

Number of appearances: First appearance

> Juice (out of five stars)

STARTERS: ½

With three stellar starters (Garrett DeClue, Knicko Billings and converted reliever Hunter Rigsby) who can go 5-6 innings, the Patriots are sitting pretty on the hill.

SPEED: ½

Pats can steal a base but it’s not their bread-and-butter.

INTANGIBLES: ½

UC is playing with confidence and has momentum entering the Series. Question is, how will the Patriots handle playing on the NAIA’s big stage for the first time?

University of the Cumberlands

Cumberlands coach Brad Shelton embraces two of his players after the Patriots won the Williamsburg bracket in the Opening Round to advance to the Avista NAIA World Series for the first time in program history.

> See PATRIOTS, Page 15

DeClue

The Series’ oldest record dates back to the tournament’s first-ever game

> OUT OF THE BOX

The oldest NAIA Series record still on the books occurred in the first game of the first-ever Series tournament. In 1957, Western Illinois pulled off a triple steal against Southwestern Oklahoma, a feat that has not been duplicated in the 1,086 games since.

NUMBERS OF NOTE — This is the 66th NAIA World Series and the 31st held in Lewiston. A total of 1,087 Series

PATRIOTS

>Continued from PAGE 14

“We’re not a team that gets intimidated,” Shelton said. “Our guys believe in each other, no matter the score. They always believe they have a chance to win. It’s an inner confidence. You don’t see us do bat flips after home runs; we play with some energy, keep our noses down and play hard.”

The coach noted the Patriots had great teams that came up just short three times in his 22 years at the helm.

“I have so many friends that have coached teams out there (at the Series),” Shelton said. “We’re all excited for the entire experience, but we’re not just happy to be there. We’re locked in and looking for a title.” 

games have been played, with 560 in Lewiston. A total of 12,750 runs have been scored in Series history, and 1,470 home runs have been hit. There have also been 60 grand slams, and 92 games have ended in “walk-off” fashion.

EARLY BLOWS — The earliest grand slam in a Series game happened in 2017. William Carey’s fourth batter of the game, James Land, hit a grand slam on the 20th pitch of the game.

The quickest home run to be hit in the Series belongs to Aquinas College’s Tim Muma. In 2005, the Saints’ center fielder hit the second pitch of the game over the left-center wall off Ohio Dominican’s Danny Bonilla. Ohio Dominican recovered and won 9-8. As for Muma, it was his only RBI in the tournament.

BYE NO GUARANTEE — Georgia Gwinnett and Southeastern are both playing in their fifth straight Series. The two

CUMBERLANDS STATS

teams have met twice in tournament play, with each winning once. Both teams receive a bye, and do not play until the second day of the Series. When the NAIA World Series returned to a 10-team field in 1999, the twoteam bye system was reinstated. Since then, the bye teams have never met in the championship game, and just seven teams receiving a first-round bye have won the title in 23 years.

— Denny Grubb

So where’s Woody? Not with Cumberlands

> SERIES NOTES

Cumberlands (Ky.) coach Brad Shelton is acutely aware of the other Cumberland team in the NAIA and joked about the confusion that springs from similar school names.

“People sometimes ask me if I’m the guy who replaced Woody,” Shelton said, referring to Woody Hunt, who retired as Cumberland (Tenn.) coach after the 2021 season.

Hunt coached 41 seasons and won three NAIA World Series titles. He won 1,630 games.

Taylor partying like it’s 1969 after making Series

By TREVAN PIXLEY SPORTS STAFF

The Taylor University (Ind.) baseball team will have a chance to be the NAIA’s top dog for the first time since 1969.

The last time the Trojans were in the NAIA World Series, it was held in St. Joseph, Mo., at Phil Welch Stadium and had just eight competing teams.

“You hate to say it, but just making it out there is incredible,” Taylor coach Kyle Gould said. “We’re going to be the happiest team in Lewiston. We finally broke through, and the guys deserve it.”

Gould has done it all during his 19-year coaching career. He coached draft picks, won the Crossroad Conference tournament and qualified for the NAIA Opening Round. This year, he was able to cross off his final achievement — a trip to Lewiston.

Taylor cruised through the Crossroads Conference tournament, notching a 12-9 victory over Huntington University in the championship game on May 9.

The Trojans advanced to the Upland Bracket for the Opening Round, where they finished 3-0 and beat Point Park (Penn.) 12-0 in the

championship game to earn a spot at the Series.

“I think for me, it just feels like a weight has been lifted,” Gould said. “We did it. I’m excited to see our guys compete and hopefully, we can find a way to win.”

Taylor finished the year ranked No. 19 in the final NAIA poll at 40-15 overall and 30-6 in conference play. This was the second time in program history that the Trojans notched 40 or more wins in a season.

Taylor wins games by relying on its defense — it has only allowed double-digit runs in four games this season.

TAYLOR STATS

The Trojans’ defense is led by freshman shortstop Ben Kennedy and senior first baseman Kade Vander Molen.

“(Kennedy) is one of three true freshmen in our lineup, and he sets the tone,” Gould said. “Vander Molen, who’s been a shortstop his whole life, covers a lot of ground. He’s extremely athletic.”

> Taylor

Location: Upland, Ind.

Nickname: Trojans

Coach: Kyle Gould (19th season)

Season record: 40-15

Rank in final NAIA poll: No. 19 How qualified: Won Uplands Bracket

Number of appearances: Two; didn’t place in 1969.

> Juice (out of five stars)

STARTERS: ½

All four of the Trojans’ starters are underclassmen, but the quartet finds ways to get it done. Matt Dutkowski, Dalton Swinehart and Alec Holcomb are a combined 17-5

Taylor’s defense is also aided by effective pitchers, namely the starters.

Junior Matt Dutkowski, sophomore Dalton Swinehart, and junior Alec Holcomb are the main three starters for the Trojans.

Dutkowski leads the Trojans in innings pitched at 75. During that time, he’s allowed 33 runs on 59 hits and has a 7-2 record. He also leads the team in strikeouts with 81.

Holcomb came back this season after battling with a Tommy John injury. In his return, he’s 6-2 on the mound and has retired 66 batters.

and have retired 219 batters.

RELIEVERS: 

Taylor comes in with 15 saves on the season. Leading the way is junior Jack Ross with eight. He also has solid strikeout numbers, sitting down 51 in 46 innings.

FIELDING: 

The Trojans’ defense has helped them get out of some sticky situations this year. Taylor finished the year with a .967 fielding percentage, which ranks 25th in the NAIA. The Trojans have also only allowed their opponents to score double-digit runs four times in 55 games.

Taylor senior first baseman Kade Vander Molen has bashed 13 home runs and driven in a team-high 58 runs. The Trojans, who have a team total of 85 home runs, will return to the NAIA World Series for the first time since 1969 when they play this morning at Harris Field.

Taylor University

Swinehart has the best velocity out of the three, according to Gould, and it shows in the stats. He’s 4-1 on the mound and has registered 72 strikeouts in 64 innings pitched. He’s allowed 48 runs on 83 hits.

“I think to be successful at any level, you have to have good starting pitchers,” Gould said. “We’ve had that all season. We’ve got three guys who are going to go out there and be competitive.”

No. 7 Taylor will open tournament play for the first time in 54 years at 8:35 a.m. today against MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) at Harris Field. 

HITTING: 

The Trojans have some powerful bats. They ranked 11th in the NAIA in home runs with 85 and tallied a total of 544 hits.

SPEED: 

While the Trojans don’t steal a lot of bases, only tallying 66 on the year, they are an athletic team. Taylor’s athleticism gives them an opportunity to beat any throw to any base.

INTANGIBLES: 

The Trojans have made it to the Series for the first time in 54 years. That, in itself, is an accomplishment. They also closed out the season on a high note by going 3-0. But Taylor is still a young team going into its first national tournament.

Trojans land in NAIA tournament for first time in 54 years and will be ‘the happiest team in Lewiston’

Gould Kennedy Dutkowski

Wildcats relish improbable postseason run

Unranked Indiana Wesleyan fashioned a handful of upset wins on its way to the first World Series berth in program history

By JOSH GRISSOM FOR THE TRIBUNE

In a tournament field of juggernauts and familiar faces, a new contender has emerged from the plains of the Midwest.

The Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats clawed their way to the first Avista NAIA World Series berth in program history last week by downing a trio of top-20-ranked programs in the Opening Round of the postseason. The improbable run culminated with a nail-biting 7-6 walk-off victory against No. 11 Missouri Baptist in the title game of the Kingsport (Tenn.) Bracket.

“Going into our Opening Round, no one expected us to win,” sophomore pitcher Drue Young said. “Our thought process was that as the four seed, we might as well have fun and play loose. ... I think our culture is what makes us a special group and is the reason why we’re in Lewiston.”

While the Wildcats (3918-1) may be the new kids on the block, they certainly have the offensive fireworks to hang with the traditional powerhouse programs.

Infielder Lucas Goodin leads the way at the plate for IWU with 79 hits, 66 RBI and 19 homers. Catching duo Bryce Ginder and Colby Jenkins have combined for another 91 hits while Ty Mathews has knocked in 44 runs in his role as the designated hitter.

“Lucas has been tremen-

> Indiana Wesleyan

Location: Marion, Ind.

Nickname: Wildcats

Coach: Rich Benjamin (eighth year)

Season record: 39-18-1

Rank in final NAIA poll: unranked

dous with peer leadership, he just has a way of encouraging those guys,” coach Rich Benjamin said. “He keeps the atmosphere loose but focused and helps his teammates stick to the game plan. As a fifthyear guy, he’s played a major part in the growth of our program.”

How qualified: Won Kingsport Bracket

Number of appearances: One

> Juice (out of five stars)

STARTERS: ½

The Wildcats probably have the youngest pitching rotation in the tournament led

Although the Wildcats have always felt comfortable at the plate, it was a shift in philosophy on the basepaths that ultimately proved to be

by sophomore Drue Young and his 91.1 innings on the bump. Freshmen Brock Buckley, Will Eldridge and Evan Fry all opened their collegiate careers with appearances against juggernaut Georgia Gwinnett in February and should be prepared for the elite level of competition at the World Series.

RELIEVERS: 

The bullpen will need to prove its chops after recording only eight saves during the regular season. Hunter Hoffman and Caleb Olsen will likely be the top arms in relief with a combined 80 innings of work.

a turning point following the offseason addition of assistant coach Steve Friend.

“In years past it’s been hit the long ball and score runs that way, but things have been different this year,” Goodin said. “Something we’ve learned to do is steal in creative ways. We might get thrown out time to time, but

FIELDING: 

Defense has been a point of emphasis in crunch time for the Wildcats, which is not necessarily reflected in the .962 fielding percentage and 26 double plays posted by the squad.

HITTING: ½

Five hitters boast a batting average above .300, while infielder Lucas Goodin owns a .698 slugging percentage. Offensive production shouldn’t be a concern for the tourney newcomers.

it’s a mentality where we are fearless in running the bags.”

This strategy propelled Indiana Wesleyan to 196 stolen bases on the season, a mark that stands as fifth overall in the NAIA. The aggressive approach, when combined with a stout defensive presence, has provided the program with some stability in relying on a starting pitching rotation that includes four freshmen.

> See WILDCATS, Page 19

SPEED: 

Speed is one thing the Wildcats have in surplus. With a total of 196 swiped bags on the year, opponents can expect baserunners to take full advantage of a green light to run at will.

INTANGIBLES: 

As far as Cinderella stories go, unranked IWU owns the most improbable postseason path with three upset wins to emerge atop the Kingsport Bracket. Can the squad continue the magical run in a hostile environment against the hometown favorites?

Indiana Wesleyan University

Indiana Wesleyan pitcher Drue Young leads the Wildcats with a 3.86 ERA and 6-2 record.

Goodin Benjamin Mathews Young

WILDCATS

>Continued from PAGE 18

“The bats have been there for a while, our coaches do a fantastic job of bringing in guys who can swing it,” Young said. “But it’s a relief to go out there as a pitcher and know that your guys have your back. We have a low batting average against us, and I think that’s a testament to our fielders — we don’t necessarily have to

go out there and pitch for strikeouts.”

The Wildcats have their work cut out for them with a marquee matchup against ninth-seeded Lewis-Clark State looming on the horizon. The Wildcats are the No. 8 seed.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 tonight at Harris Field.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, not everyone gets to go to Lewiston and play the home team,” Young said. “They will obviously pack the stands, so it’ll be a really fun experience.” 

INDIANA WESLEYAN STATS

All-time NAIA World Series champions

AT ALPINE, TEXAS

1957 — Texas Sul Ross St. (Texas)

1958 — San Diego St. (Calif.)

1959 — Southern-Baton Rouge (La.)

AT SIOUX CITY, IOWA

1960 — Whitworth (Wash.)

1961 — East Carolina (N.C.)

AT ST. JOSEPH, MO.

1962 — Georgia Southern

1963 — Sam Houston St. (Texas)

1964 — West Liberty St. (W.Va.)

1965 — Carson-Newman (Tenn.)

1966 — Linfield (Ore.)

1967 — New Mexico Highlands

1968 — William Jewell (Mo.)

1969 — William Carey (Miss.)

AT PHOENIX, ARIZ.

1970 — Eastern Michigan

1971 — Linfield (Ore.)

1972 — La Verne (Calif.)

1973 — U.S. International (Calif.)

AT ST. JOSEPH, MO.

1974 — Lewis (Ill.)

1975 — Lewis (Ill.)

1976 — Lewis (Ill.)

1977 — David Lipscomb (Tenn.)

1978 — Emporia St. (Kan.)

AT NASHVILLE, TENN.

1979 — David Lipscomb (Tenn.)

1980 — Grand Canyon (Ariz.)

AT LUBBOCK, TEXAS

1981 — Grand Canyon (Ariz.)

1982 — Grand Canyon (Ariz.)

1983 — Lubbock Christian (Texas)

AT LEWISTON

1984 — Lewis-Clark St. (Idaho)

1985 — Lewis-Clark St. (Idaho)

1986 — Grand Canyon (Ariz.)

1987 — Lewis-Clark St. (Idaho)

1988 — Lewis-Clark St. (Idaho)

1989 — Lewis-Clark St. (Idaho)

1990 — Lewis-Clark St. (Idaho)

1991 — Lewis-Clark St. (Idaho)

AT DES MOINES, IOWA

1992 — Lewis-Clark St. (Idaho)

1993 — St. Francis (Ill.)

1994 — Kennesaw St. (Ga.)

AT SIOUX CITY, IOWA

1995 — Bellevue (Neb.)

1996 — Lewis-Clark St. (Idaho)

1997 — Brewton-Parker (Ga.)

AT TULSA, OKLA.

1998 — Albertson (Idaho)

AT JUPITER, FLA.

1999 — Lewis-Clark St. (Idaho)

AT LEWISTON

2000 — Lewis-Clark St. (Idaho)

2001 — Birmingham-Southern (Ala.)

2002 — Lewis-Clark St. (Idaho)

2003 — Lewis-Clark St. (Idaho)

2004 — Cumberland (Tenn.)

2005 — Oklahoma City

2006 — Lewis-Clark St. (Idaho)

2007 — Lewis-Clark St. (Idaho)

2008 — Lewis-Clark St. (Idaho)

2009 — Lubbock Christian (Texas)

2010 — Cumberland (Tenn.)

2011 — Concordia (Calif.)

2012 — Tennessee Wesleyan

2013 — Faulkner (Ala.)

2014 — Cumberland (Tenn.)

2015 — Lewis-Clark St. (Idaho)

2016 — Lewis-Clark St. (Idaho)

2017 — Lewis-Clark St. (Idaho)

2018 — Southeastern (Fla.)

2019 — Tennessee Wesleyan

2020 — tournament canceled, pandemic

2021 — Georgia Gwinnett

2022 — Southeastern (Fla.)

Warriors put themselves in the hunt

LCSC on the upswing following struggles during regular season

By TEREN KOWATSCH SPORTS STAFF

For a large portion of the season, it looked like the impossible would happen: Lewis-Clark State might not make it to the Avista NAIA World Series.

But despite the unusual season that saw the underclassman-heavy squad lose almost a third of its games, LCSC would prove there are three constants in life: death, taxes and the Warriors making it to the World Series.

LCSC punched its ticket by going 3-0 in the Opening Round, capping it with a 19-7 blowout win against Concordia (Mich.) — the only conference champion in the Lewiston Bracket.

In the Opening Round, the Warriors looked like the team that Lewiston locals and the rest of the NAIA are accustomed to seeing. The team set the record for most runs scored in an Opening Round. This is, in part, because of the reintroduction of sophomore Charlie Updegrave to the lineup. Updegrave missed most of the season with an injury but came back just in time to give LCSC a spark at the plate, hitting four home runs during the Opening Round, including two grand slams.

“Losing Updegrave for the majority of the season, obviously, didn’t help us,”

> Lewis-Clark State

Location: Lewiston

Nickname: Warriors

Coach: Jake Taylor (fifth season)

Season record: 33-16

Rank in final NAIA poll: Unranked

How qualified: Won Lewiston Bracket

Number of appearances, best finish: 41; NAIA champions in 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2015, 2016, 2017

> Juice (out of five stars)

STARTERS: ½

August Frank/Tribune

Lewis-Clark State outfielder Charlie Updegrave makes a catch against Hope International in the NAIA Opening Round tournament at Lewiston. Updegrave, who missed much of the regular season with an injury, came up big in the Opening Round, bashing four homers, including two grand slams, in three games.

LCSC coach Jake Taylor said. “However, he is back in the lineup now and that’s all that matters. As with all good hitters, they not only perform at a high level but they make the others around them better, as well.”

Taylor’s last point was evident when — including Updegrave — five Warriors knocked one out of the park in the Opening Round.

But one of those five might

LEWIS-CLARK STATE STATS

not be available in the World Series. Junior Pu’ukani De Sa left the second game of the tournament in the fifth inning with a lower-body injury, and was held out of the last game of the bracket. Sophomore Isaac Haws filled in well for De Sa, both offensively and defensively, but there’s a chance LCSC might be without De Sa through the Series. De Sa led the team in RBI on the season with 46 before the injury.

On defense, the fielding and bullpen look to continue to be legitimate strengths of the team, as they have all season. The Warriors had 15 mound appearances through the Opening Round, but none of the relievers pitched more than 3ž innings. The team is also 14th in the NAIA and

LCSC’s Dallas McGill fires a pitch against Concordia in the Opening Round tournament last week.

August Frank/ Tribune

fourth in the World Series with a .972 fielding percentage.

The starting pitching, while solid, has been picked on by teams on-and-off throughout the year. The two pitchers on the team who have started double-digit games for LCSC, Trevin Hope and Dallas McGill, have ERAs of 3.81 and 4.70, respectively, and have given up a combined 43 earned runs in a combined 92ž innings pitched. The two both have 51 strikeouts on the year.

Lewis-Clark State, as it has all year, will have an upward climb throughout the Series as the No. 9 seed. But the team is currently clicking at the right time and can give any team a challenge. 

Only two LCSC starters have double-digit starts on the year — Trevin Hope and Dallas McGill, who have ERAs of 3.81 and 4.60, respectively. The three other pitchers with seven starts, Jace Hanson, Decker Stedman and Drake George, have ERAs of 4.74, 5.35 and 8.38, respectively. Opposing teams will look to get big leads early in games against the Warriors.

RELIEVERS: 

The bullpen has allowed LCSC to make comebacks and stay in games throughout the year, and that should be no different in the World Series. Greg Blackman, Jace Taylor, Joe Ball and Cam Smith have a combined 43 appearances between the four of them with nine wins and five saves.

FIELDING: ½

Lewis-Clark State is one of the most sure-gloved teams in the Series. The Warriors have a fielding percentage of .972, good for 14th in the NAIA and fourth amongst teams in the Series.

HITTING: 

The team has an ERA of .319 on the season, .52 better than opponents, and has a slugging percentage of .568, fourth amongst teams in the Series. The addition of Charlie Updegrave has helped the lineup substantially.

SPEED: 

Steals have very rarely been in the game plan in recent years, but when the Warriors do it, they’re efficient at it. The team has 36 stolen bags this season on 47 attempts. Isaiah Thomas has 11 steals on 14 attempts. Nick Seamons is 7-for-7.

INTANGIBLES: 

The Warriors struggled in a much-improved Cascade Conference this season but rebounded in the postseason, setting the record for the most runs scored in an Opening Round with 129.

—Smith3,Shubert3,Blackman2,Lucas2,Spagnuolo,JakeGreen,AlecHolmes, George.

His voice was part of the Series soundtrack

Jay McCall, who died in November, was LCSC’s radio broadcaster — to name just one of his numerous personas

“Great sports means being a good sport. Take care everybody, and God bless.”

Does that phrase bring any memories to Lewis-Clark State Warrior fans? It was the signoff line used by local radio personality and Warrior play-by-play announcer Terry Wright.

Well, that was his given name, but those who tuned in to LCSC athletics events knew him by Jay McCall. I say knew him, as we lost the familiar voice in November when he died at the age of 64.

I’ll refer to him as Jay, as that is the only name I called him, and chances are, if you are reading the Sports page, it is the only name you knew him by. And, many local sports fans, especially baseball fans, can probably recall a game they listened to that was called on the radio by Jay McCall. As far back as 1984, when the first NAIA World Series in Lewiston was played, Jay was part of the KOZE radio team that brought you the first sounds of national tournament play from Harris Field. Jay also traveled with the Warriors to Hawaii, Arizona and Nevada, to provide the valley with baseball coverage from far away.

He became well known in all sports, calling Lewiston Bengal football and basketball, college basketball, and even some rodeos, before moving to Walla Walla in 1993. While there he was the voice of the Tri-City Posse baseball team, and worked at KORD. Jay returned to Lewiston in 2007.

However, there was much more to Jay than calling sports on the radio — much more.

As a teenager, he won several ribbons around the area at dog shows with his Great Danes. In high school, he lettered in track and football, and played hockey in the Spokane League. He loved to talk hockey and often wore his New York Islanders jersey during broadcasts.

In junior high school, his love for music led him to form and join several bands. Singing Michael Jackson songs, he performed at high school dances, local events and even the Air Force officers club.

Denny Grubb

years ago. In 2011, Jay was diagnosed with kidney failure. Even though he was put on dialysis, he still tried to help out with Warrior games when needed, sometimes having to leave a game early to get a treatment. The only way a person found out about any of his illnesses was to ask him how he was doing. Even then he downplayed his struggles, and would usually just talk about sports. After five long years, he received the gift of a kidney. No longer needing dialysis, life became more normal, and it gave him more time for his obsession, radio, and the ability to help out with more Warrior games.

He was in the stage band, jazz band and marching band at University High School in Spokane. Jay was an accomplished trombone and horn musician. He performed with the Clearwater River Band as long as he was healthy.

After attending Eastern Washington University for two years, Jay changed course and graduated from Ron Bailey’s broadcasting school. After a short stint at KGA in Spokane, he found a home at KOZE radio in Lewiston. There, it was his love of music that brought Jay accolades that even his

closest friends never knew about. He was a Top-40 music programmer that radio stations across the country used as a guide to what songs were climbing up the charts. He helped the Sound of America determine the top songs of contemporary music, influencing record sales. At the time, there was no social media, so record sales were dependent on their spot on the charts.

While at KOZE, he began his double duties as disc jockey and sportscaster. Along with announcing home games, he would travel with

the Warriors. One year, Jay traveled to the NAIA World Series in Des Moines, Iowa. While there, he and Bert Sahlberg, Lewiston Tribune sports editor, were walking around the town between games and Jay saw a sign outside a bar for a karaoke competition. As Sahlberg relates, “Jay entered the contest, belted out the song ‘China Grove,’ and qualified for the finals.” Unfortunately, the Warriors’ next game coincided with the contest, and Jay had a broadcast to do.

He snow skied, water skied, played in a dart league, was a gourmet cook and an artist. Perhaps some people knew him only as a bowler, as he entered several bowling tournaments over the years. Maybe you were married by Jay, as he was also an ordained minister and performed weddings. Or maybe some only knew him as the bartender at Jonathan’s in downtown Lewiston, where he worked for several years.

Jonathan’s was also the venue of his marriage to his wife, Leslie, which turned him into an instant father of two teens, Constance and Elisa, another challenge, but he loved them both as his own.

All these adventures came to a sudden halt about 12

Much like the 3,000 fans that come out of hibernation to watch the Warriors in May, Jay reappeared each season, ready for another year of LCSC baseball. He was always at the ballpark an hour before a game. Driving up in his 1973 two-door Datsun 510, packing in his scorebook, wearing his 1990 championship ring and plaid jacket, Jay was always prepared for a game. He was as colorful as his multi-colored pens he used to keep track of the game. At least once a game, Jay would utter the phrase “that pitcher is a tall drink of water” whenever anyone over his height entered the game. Of course, that could be anyone taller than 5-foot-5.

He would make note of fans who brought radios to the game and drop a hello to them over the air. He was perhaps one of the easiest people to make laugh, or share inside jokes with, even after 14 hours at the ballpark. But, because of other health issues, Jay was not able to call as many games as he wanted over the past few years.

He would fill in occasionally for the current voice of the Warriors, Brian Danner. Danner replaced Jay as the lead play-by-play announcer in the late 1990s,

recalls the number of people who dropped by the radio booth asking where

“Jay is the reason I have a passion for broadcasting,” Danner said. “Any time you have an opportunity to meet

> See GRUBB, Page 22

and still

Jay was.

Contributed photo

Jay McCall, center, was a man of many talents — even occasionally helping out at practice with the Lewis-Clark State College baseball team. But he was better known as the primary radio broadcaster of the Warriors during the 1980s and ’90s, and occasionally called games up until his death in November. He was 64.

Tribune file

McCall broadcasted NAIA World Series games at Harris Field ever since the tournament first arrived in Lewiston in 1984.

Pioneers took tough path back to Series

MidAmerica Nazarene overcame two difficult stretches in the regular season to secure its second consecutive Series berth

By RANDY ISBELLE FOR THE TRIBUNE

Last season, Ryan Thompson led his MidAmerica Nazarene club to Lewiston for its first taste of NAIA World Series action. This year, he hopes to use that experience to help guide his team to greater success.

“We don’t have these big goals of ‘we have to make it back to the World Series, we have to win the Opening Round,’ we just really focus on getting better as a team,” Thompson said. “Every experience, win or loss, is an opportunity to learn and get better.”

The Pioneers had two stretches this season that really helped give themselves an opportunity to grow and Thompson believes they are stronger from it.

MidAmerica Nazarene did not get off to the best of starts. After a season-opening win, the Pioneers

MidAmerica Nazarene pitchers Zach Trevino (LEFT) and Tyler Frieders (RIGHT) have been workhorses for the Pioneers, making 30 of the team’s 60 pitching starts so far this season.

dropped eight straight games. The team persevered and improved its season record to 26-17 before another losing streak seemed to be the end of the season.

Dropping each of their last six regular season games and the first game of the conference tournament, the Pioneers were one loss away from seeing the season come to an end.

“You just have to stay with it and

keep competing. We won four straight elimination games to get to our conference championship game, which gave us the auto berth to the Opening Round,” Thompson said. “We had

> MidAmerica Nazarene

Location: Olathe, Kan.

Nickname: Pioneers

Coach: Ryan Thompson (17th season)

Season record: 34-26

Rank in final NAIA poll: NR How qualified: Won Shreveport Bracket Number of appearances; best finish: Second, 0-2 in 2022

> Juice (out of five stars)

STARTERS: 

Tyler Frieders and Zach Trevino have started 30 of the 60 games for the Pioneers. The two have combined for 194 strikeouts in 191 innings pitched. Behind that duo, the team has decent arms, but depth can be an issue.

RELIEVERS: ½

Reece Helland and Kristian Hurtado have been good stopgaps with sub-4.00 ERAs. Bryce Brecklin led the team with six saves and first baseman Noah Castillo might be asked to pull double duty.

GRUBB

> Continued from PAGE 21

someone who truly influenced you is incredible.”

Health issues overtook Jay last year, and true to form, it caught most people by surprise. Jay did not want sympathy, and shared very little about his suffering. There was no obituary for Jay, as he requested, but a memorial service was held. In attendance were fellow musical performers, bowlers, skiers, dart throwers, radio personalities, family and

some momentum going into the Opening Round and played really well there. I just think we are continually

> See PIONEERS, Page 23

FIELDING: 

The Pioneers have committed 82 errors, the 46th most out of any NAIA team. Their .957 fielding percentage is ninth out of the 10 World Series participants, ahead of only William Carey.

HITTING: ½

Noah Castillo, Brycen Sherwood and Javier Melendez anchor a balanced lineup that finished in the top 25 in doubles. Castillo and Sherwood both hit double-digit home runs this year.

SPEED: 

Only 54 stolen bases as a team that was caught 21 times; three players reached double figures in the category. The Pioneers collected only seven triples on the season.

INTANGIBLES: 

It is tough to replicate the grit it takes to come back from a 1-8 start to the season and battle through four straight elimination games. The Pioneers got a taste last year; now they are looking to get their first Series win.

close friends. His wife of 33 years, Leslie, was there to greet everyone, as was Danny, his 50-year-old Datsun 510.

With the NAIA World Series in town, let’s reflect on Jay’s contribution to our tournament experiences, and remind all the players and fans that “Great sports means being a good sport. Take care everybody, and God bless.”

Yes, God bless you, Jay, and play ball!

Grubb is the official statistician of the NAIA World Series at Lewiston.

MidAmerica Nazarene University

LEFT: MidAmerica Nazarene’s Noah Castillo, right, celebrates with a teammate at home plate after bashing a home run during last year’s NAIA World Series.

August Frank/Tribune

MIDAMERICA NAZARENE STATS

PIONEERS

>Continued from PAGE 22

improving.”

The momentum led MNU to the Opening Round championship game against host LSU Shreveport, where the Pioneers trailed 6-5 going

into the ninth inning. Again, the team did not give up and scored two runs in the top of the inning, capped by a bases-loaded walk by Javier Melendez, to earn the trip back to Lewiston.

“I think it feels a little more comfortable this time around. There are so many unknowns the first time,” Thompson said. “We know

what the travel is going to be like, what the event is going to be like, what the routine is. I think (we) are just a little more comfortable in what it’s all going to be like.”

Zach Trevino and Tyler Frieders will be the stalwarts on the mound for MNU as the duo combined for 30 of the 60 starts, and both were used in relief during postseason

play.

Noah Castillo leads an offense that will not scare you on the stat sheet, but any person on the lineup can come up with that clutch hit. Castillo, an NAIA World Series all-tournament team member as a freshman last season, hit .357 on the year with 11 home runs and 45 runs batted in.

“Our guys are just playing free and confident and just laying it on the line. If we are good enough, great, if we are not, so be it,” Thompson said. “It is not going to be fear or tension or pressure, we are just going to go for it.”

The Pioneers open tournament play at 8:30 a.m. today against Taylor (Ind.) in the first game of the Series. 