LEWISTON, Idaho -
Houston Baptist (Texas),
Spring Arbor (Mich.) and Lewis-Clark State
(Idaho) came away with wins Tuesday, while
Bellevue (Neb.) hangs around as the fourth
member of the remaining field after four
days of play at the 2007 Avista-NAIA World
Series at Harris Field in Lewiston.
HBU eliminated top-seeded
Azusa Pacific (Calif.) 5-1 in the day's
early game, smothering the APU side of the
scoreboard despite allowing the Cougars 10
hits in the game. APU's only run came on an
eighth-inning solo homer by Kirk Nieuwenhuis,
while HBU scored a single run in the second,
third and fourth innings before notching two
in the sixth to seal it.
In the loss, Azusa stranded
11 baserunners, due in-part to a masterful
performance by starting pitcher Jay Prigmore,
who tossed all nine innings, bouncing back
from his first outing of the series in which
he lasted only 1.1 innings in a loss to
Lindenwood (Mo.).
The Lions were bounced in
game two of the day, falling victim to three
big innings from Spring Arbor, including a
five-run sixth that all but ended the
Lindenwood threat. Spring Arbor had eight
doubles, one shy of an NAIA record, and
three players scored three runs in the 14-6
win.
Ryan Shockley and Matt
Pohlman combined for five Lindenwood RBIs in
the game, but Nate Eisenbeis was hit for the
Lion loss after lasting only four innings
and giving up six runs on eight hits. Spring
Arbor starting pitcher Andrew Paulun tossed
5.1 innings, surrendering six runs on 10
hits while striking out two and walking
three. Bobby Goike got an automatic save in
the win, tossing 3.2 innings of two-hit
shut-out baseball.
Spring Arbor had four
multiple-hit games in the win, led by a
3-for-4, five RBI outing for Jon Herbig.
Herbig also scored three in the win.
Shortstop Brad Baker nearly missed an NAIA
single-game World Series record, belting two
doubles in the game. Lucas Rider also had
two doubles for the Cougars.
In the day's third game,
Lewis-Clark State and Bellevue traded runs
between the second and third innings, and
Bellevue loaded the bases with an
opportunity to take a lead down one in the
top of the sixth.
The Bruins were unable to
move a run across, and in the next frame,
Lewis-Clark got its own chance at a
bases-loaded situation, plating four runs to
take a 6-1 lead heading to the stretch
inning. The Warriors had also scored a run
in the fifth to take an initial lead.
Ikaika Lester homered in the
win for the Warriors, who are the only
remaining undefeated team in the 2007 World
Series.
Two more runs came in the
seventh, as the Warriors moved into
Wednesday's 7 p.m. game against Houston
Baptist. Bellevue and Spring Arbor will
throw first pitch at 3 p.m. Wednesday.
Houston Baptist is the designated home team
in the nightcap, and in the early game,
Spring Arbor will hit in the home half of
the inning.