LEWISTON, Idaho – Senior third baseman Matt Greener, who earlier in the day was named the NAIA’s Player of the Year, hit a grand-slam home run and drove in six runs as No. 2 Cumberland University (Tenn.) continues its impressive power onslaught with a 13-7 win over No. 9 Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) at the 54th annual Avista NAIA World Series at Lewis-Clark State College’s Harris Field.

“We are a good offensive team, but we will face some good pitching tonight,” said Cumberland coach Woody Hunt. “We just have to keep doing it. It feels pretty good (to advance to Championship game). We have been here before. We have enough runner-up trophies so want to win this one.”

Greener, who led the NAIA in hits and RBI during the regular season, remained tied with teammate Kris Miller for the home run lead as both went deep in the game to help Cumberland advance to Thursday night’s title game against the winner of Thursday afternoon’s Lee (Tenn.)/Embry-Riddle (Fla.) contest. Because Cumberland, 57-9 overall, is undefeated in the 10-team double-elimination tournament, it can still claim the title on Friday if it should lose Thursday night.

Cumberland’s bats continue to be the talk of the tournament. The Bulldogs are averaging 10 runs a game and have hit 14 home runs in four games, nearly triple the total of anyone else in the field.

In the win over Point Loma, the Bulldogs hit four as Sam Kikla joined in the fun with two home runs to reach 20 on the season.

Kikla ignited the Bulldogs early when after Greg Appleton singled through the left side to start the bottom of the first, the senior shortstop hit a two-run home run to left field.

Point Loma scored its first run in the third on Tyler Kuehl’s RBI double, but a solo home run by Kikla and a two-run shot by Miller, who also was named to the NAIA All-America First Team, put the Bulldogs up 5-1.  Appleton added an RBI single to make it 6-1.

The Sea Lions, who finish the season at 41-20-1, made a run in the top of the sixth with three runs to cut the margin to 6-4. Jack Diamond started the scoring with an RBI single, while Alec Martinez added an RBI single. Allen Boyer’s RBI on a sacrifice fly cut the lead to two.

Cumberland, as it has all tournament, had a quick answer with four runs in the bottom of the inning for a 10-4 lead. Two Point Loma fielding errors and a walk loaded the bases and Greener unloaded with a grand slam to left field.

The Bulldogs then tacked on three more in the seventh for a 13-4 advantage. Brian Karahalios drove in a run with a single, while Greener came up again with the bases loaded and drove in two runs with a single to center.

Point Loma picked up two runs in the eighth on a two-run single by Alex Cameron, while Wes Kartch’s sacrifice fly in the ninth drove in the final run.

Greener finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while Kikla went 2-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored. Appleton went 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Appleton, Kikla, Greener, and Miller, the Nos. 1-4 hitters in the Cumberland lineup, went a combined 8-of-16 at the plate with 12 RBI and nine runs scored.

Cameron went 3-for-5 with two RBI to pace Point Loma, while Rashad Taylor, Steven Winnick, and Diamond added two hits apiece.

Adam Sprague picked up the win to improve to 8-2. He allowed 12 hits and six runs (three earned) in 7.2 innings. Brandon Dixon took the loss to fall to 10-2. Both losses came during the Series.

GAME NOTES: Cumberland improve to 24-18 in World Series action and won the 2004 title – of the three remaining teams, the Bulldogs are the only ones with a World Series title … Point Loma Nazarene falls to 13-10 in the World Series... The Sea Lions are eliminated but have won at least three games in each of their last World Series trips.