Joe Staley
#1 Lubbock Christian won two of three against University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, and swept a double-header against University of the Southwest. The Chaparrals are now 13-6. Their leading hitter is C Joe Staley with a .455 average, and their ERA and strikeout leader is Paul Gonzalez, 2-1, 1.11 ERA, and 29 strikeouts with 24 1/3 innings pitched. Upcoming: at Northwestern Oklahoma State (11-3 with two wins over Wayland Baptist) March 5-6, Angelo State March 9. The Angelo State double-header will be televised by Stretch Internet.
#2 Lewis-Clark State is 12-1, and their two most recent wins were against in-state rival College of Idaho, 16-8 and 7-6. In the second game, RF Gino Casini drew a base-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth to bring in the winning run. Colby Hawk is 3-0, 0.00 ERA for the Warriors; Tyler Lichty is 2-0, 1.47 ERA, 17 strikeouts. Upcoming: Division II Central Washington March 6-7.
#3 British Columbia has started their season 10-1. They have yet to play a home game, and their only loss was 6-2 to #10 Fresno Pacific. 3B Keaton Briscoe is batting .400 for the Thunderbirds, CF Blake Carruthers is batting .387. RHP Taylor King is 1-0, 1.23 ERA with three saves, LHP Mark Hardy is 2-1, 3.00 ERA with 20 strikeouts. Upcoming: at Corban March 5-6.
Brandon Godfrey
#4 Azusa Pacific was 7-1 going into four games against Vanguard, and the Cougars lost all four of them. The Lions won the first of those four games 6-0, and LHP Brandon Godfrey, RHP Adrian Mendoza and RHP Robert Purpura combined for the shutout, holding the Cougars to two hits. Mendoza and Purpura retired nine straight batters. The Cougars recovered with a 14-4 win over Biola (see below), and are now 8-5. Vanguard is 14-1, and Godfrey is 3-0, 1.08 ERA with 17 strikeouts. Upcoming: Biola March 4, at Biola March 6.
#5 Embry-Riddle is 14-4, and won eight straight before dropping a game to Saint Xavier 3-1. Austin Quinn pitched a complete game in a 9-0 shutout of South Carolina-Beaufort on Feb. 20; he is 3-0, 0.96 ERA. Upcoming: Florida Memorial March 5-6, Jamestown March 8.
#6 Lee is 13-3. They swept a three-game opening series of their Southern States Athletic Conference season against Southern Wesleyan. Matthew Gilson (3-0, 0.00 ERA) and James Rechenbach (0-0, 0.90 ERA) combined for a four-hit shutout in the first game of the series. Upcoming: at Emmanuel March 5-6.
#7 Southern Polytechnic won the first 15 games of the season before losing the nightcap of a double-header to King 3-0. The Hornets are now 17-1, and David Harden is 4-0, 1.73 ERA, with 32 strikeouts, 12 of them in a 3-2 win over King. Upcoming: at Auburn-Montgomery March 5-6.
Vinnie Fayard
#8 Point Loma Nazarene is 11-3-1, but two of the losses were a double-header sweep by Madonna. They won two of three against Biola. In the 16-13 (10 innings) loss, CF Vinnie Fayard hit four home runs and batted in eight of the 16 runs, including the winning runs in the tenth. In the following game, a 7-6 win, the Sea Lions led 7-2 going into the ninth inning. The Eagles had the tying run at second with two outs, and Fayard at the plate. However, C Drew Bernard made a throw to second that caught the runner off base, ending the game. Biola is now 7-4, and Fayard is batting .385 with seven home runs. Upcoming: at San Diego Christian March 6, Concordia-Irvine March 10.
#9 Wayland Baptist is 11-6. They lost three of four against Bellevue, and two of three against Northwestern Oklahoma State. Upcoming: University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (12-2) March 5-6.
#10 Fresno Pacific is 11-1 and they got two easy wins at Concordia-Irvine. They also got a 3-0 exhibition win against Rikkio University of Japan. Tyler Prior is batting .485 for the Sunbirds. Upcoming: at Concordia-Irvine March 5.
Oklahoma City is 15-2.Upcoming: Cumberland March 6-8.
Cal Baptist is 15-5, and they won three of four against Concordia-Irvine. Drew Madrigal is hitting .452 for the Lancers, and LHP Taylor Siemens is 6-0, 1.59 ERA, 29 strikeouts. Upcoming: at Westmont March 4, Westmont March 6.
