NAIA Archive

St. Francis Gordie Gillespie Retires after 59 Years

– June 1, 2011Posted in: NAIA

FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
JOLIET, Ill. – After 59 years and a college baseball-best 1,893 coaching victories, University of St. Francis head coach Gordie Gillespie is finally calling it quits.

The coaching legend – who has amassed 2,402 victories in four sports which also included a highly-successful run as football coach at Joliet Catholic High School from 1959-85 – informed Saints’ athletic director Dave Laketa of his decision following USF’s 41-14 season which ended in the semifinals of the NAIA National Baseball Championship Tournament Opening Round on May 14. He will remain a part of the USF family and will serve as a Special Advisor to the Athletics Department and Baseball Program. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Gordie Gillespie, NAIA, University of St. Francis

College of Southern Nevada Coach facing Allegations

Brian Foley

– November 3, 2010Posted in: NAIA

UPDATED AT 11:00PM on November 3rd

Chris Sheff has been relieved of his duties according to a report tonight by the Las Vegas Review Journal. (Link)

UPDATE #1 at 3:00AM on November 3rd

The school has hired an independent reviewer to look at the situation according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. (Link)

My full article from this weekend is below.

College of Southern Nevada first year head coach Chris Sheff is facing an in-house investigation regarding allegations that players were charged $125 for a mandatory conditioning program in addition to making players pay for post-practice meals and the coaching staff bringing drugs into the locker room.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal report:

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: College of Southern Nevada, NAIA

College Baseball Players Representing in 2010 MLB World Series

Brian Foley

– October 26, 2010Posted in: ACC, Big 12, Big West, MLB Draft, MLB Players, NAIA, Pac 12, SEC, West Coast Conference

The 2010 MLB World Series starts up on Wednesday with the San Francisco Giants hosting the Texas Rangers. Cliff Lee (Arkansas) will take the ball for the Rangers while the Giants will send Tim Lincecum (Washington) to the hill. The best conference this season with getting players into the World Series is the SEC as they have six alums of universities. The University of Miami, UC-Santa Barbara, and LSU are the leaders in alums participating with two each. Miami has Aubrey Huff and Pat Burrell while UC-Santa Barbara has Barry Zito and Michael Young. The LSU Tigers have both Mike Fontenot and Brian Wilson participating in the fall classic. The full list is below.

Read the rest of this entry »

Lewis-Clark State Coach Ed Cheff to retire

Bob Broughton

– July 1, 2010Posted in: NAIA, New Coach

FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE

Ed Cheff, who led the Lewis-Clark State College baseball team to an unprecedented 16 NAIA World Series title and is the NAIA’s all-time leader in victories at one school, announced Wednesday that he will be stepping down after 34 years at the Warrior helm.

The veteran coach will be replaced by Gary Picone, who will also keep his duties as athletic director, incoming LCSC interim president J. Anthony (Tony) Fernandez announced. Picone, however, will relinquish his duties as Tournament Director for the Avista NAIA World Series to LCSC assistant athletic director Brooke Cushman.

The changes officially begin on Sept. 1.

Cheff has been the face of the LCSC baseball program since his arrival in 1977. He posted a 1,705-430-2 record with LCSC for a .799 winning percentage. His win total ranks second only to Wichita State’s Gene Stephenson’s 1,724 wins with the same program in all of college baseball. His win total also is fourth all-time among all college baseball coaches.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Lewis-Clark State, NAIA, New Coach

NAIA National Championship Recap for June 3rd – Cumberland wins

Bob Broughton

– June 3, 2010Posted in: NAIA

Cumberland University, in Lebanon, TN, won the 54th NAIA National Championship.

Results from day five of the NAIA Baseball National Championship in Lewiston, ID:

Cumberland 13, Point Loma Nazarene 7
Lee 10, Embry-Riddle 7
Cumberland 4, Lee 3

Cumberland 13, Point Loma Nazarene 7 (Point Loma Nazarene eliminated)

The Bulldogs hit four home runs, including a grand slam by 3B Matt Greener, to move to the championship game of this tournament.

The Bulldogs will play Lee for the championship.

Greener and RF Kris Miller entered this game with 26 home runs apiece, tied with Richard Bohlken of Lubbock Christian for the NAIA lead. Greener and Miller are now tied for the lead with 27 home runs. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Cumberland, Embry-Riddle, Lee, Point Loma Nazarene

NAIA National Championship Recap for June 1

Bob Broughton

– June 1, 2010Posted in: NAIA

Results from day four of the NAIA Baseball National Championship in Lewiston, ID:

Point Loma Nazarene 8, Oklahoma City 5
Embry-Riddle 10, Lewis-Clark State 7
Cumberland 11, Lee 9

Point Loma Nazarene 8, Oklahoma City 5 (Oklahoma City eliminated)

Another complete game by a pitcher in this tournament, but this one wasn’t an artistic masterpiece. Chad Blauer of the Sea Lions allowed three earned runs on nine hits, struck out 11, and threw 166 pitches. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Cumberland, Embry-Riddle, Lee, Lewis-Clark State, Oklahoma City, Point Loma Nazarene

NAIA National Championship Recap for May 31st

Bob Broughton

– May 31, 2010Posted in: NAIA

Results from day three of the NAIA Baseball National Championship in Lewiston, ID:

Embry-Riddle 8, Belhaven 4
Point Loma Nazarene 7, Cal Baptist 6
Cumberland 8, Oklahoma City 1
Lee 8, Lewis-Clark State 0

Embry-Riddle 8, Belhaven 4 (Belhaven eliminated)

The Blazers took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first when CF Jimmy Gilford hit an RBI triple, then scored on a ground out. They chased Embry-Riddle ace Jonathan Kountis in the third inning when 2B Lake Eiland scored on a passed ball, and DH Brandon Benton hit an RBI single. The game was tied 4-4 at that point. Kountis was replaced by Cory Bevis, and the Blazers got only two hits the rest of the way. Bevis went 6 1/3 innings, held the Blazers scoreless, struck out five, and walked only one. The Blazers didn’t have a baserunner beyond second base. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Belhaven, Cal Baptist, Cumberland, Embry-Riddle, Lee, Lewis-Clark State, Oklahoma City, Point Loma Nazarene

NAIA National Championship Recap for May 29th

Bob Broughton

– May 29, 2010Posted in: NAIA

Results from day two of the NAIA Baseball National Championship in Lewiston, ID:

Belhaven 3, Lubbock Christian 2
Cal Baptist 10, Tennessee Wesleyan 3
Cumberland 9, Embry-Riddle 1
Lewis-Clark State 10, Point Loma Nazarene 5

Belhaven 3, Lubbock Christian 2 (Lubbock Christian eliminated)

The Blazers pulled off a major upset in their first trip to the Baseball National Championship, and the defending champions went two-and-out in two one-run games. The Chaparrals held the Blazers to five hits, but three of them were home runs.

Three Belhaven pitchers, Chris Bennett, Paul Faulkenberry, and Wade Broyles, combined to hold the Chaparrals to six hits. Bennett started and went 5 2/3 innings, was charged with both of the Chaparrals’ runs, and struck out six. Faulkenberry got a popup after entering the game to end the sixth inning, and got a big strikeout of the Chaps’ best hitter, C Joe Staley, to end the seventh inning. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Belhaven, Cal Baptist, Cumberland, Embry-Riddle, Lewis-Clark State, Lubbock Christian, Point Loma Nazarene, Tennessee Wesleyan

NAIA National Championship Recap for May 28th

Bob Broughton

– May 28, 2010Posted in: NAIA

Results from Day 1 of the NAIA Baseball National Championship in Lewiston, ID:

Embry-Riddle 3, Tennessee Wesleyan 2 (12 innings)
Point Loma Nazarene 9, Belhaven 1
Lee 7, Lubbock Christian 6
Oklahoma City 8, Cal Baptist 0

Embry-Riddle 3, Tennessee Wesleyan 2 (12 innings)

The fans who showed up on Friday morning for the first game of the tournament were treated to three extra innings and an excellent ball game.

The Bulldogs took a 2-1 lead in the top of the 12th on a sacrifice fly by 1B Brad Pippa. The leadoff batter in the bottom of the 12th, Josh Krummel, pinch-hitting for RF Dane Beaudette, reached first on an error. Beaudette then re-entered the game, and stole second. He tied the game on a single by 1B Branden Roper-Hubbert. Roper-Hubbert moved to second on the unsuccessful throw to home, then went to third on a single by 3B Steve Sabins. He scored the winning run on a single by LF Aaron Glaum. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Belhaven, Cal Baptist, Embry-Riddle, Lee, Lubbock Christian, Oklahoma City, Point Loma Nazarene, Tennessee Wesleyan

NAIA National Championship Preview

Bob Broughton

– May 27, 2010Posted in: NAIA

Schedule for the first day of the 54^th NAIA Baseball National Championship, Friday, May 28, Harris Field, Lewiston, ID (all times PDT):

8:30 AM: #7 seed Embry-Riddle (44-17) vs. #10 Tennessee Wesleyan (46-16)

Embry-Riddle (Daytona Beach, FL) is making their ninth appearance in Lewiston, and their seventh in the past eight years. They were 0-2 at last year’s tournament. They are the champions of the Sun Conference.
Nickname: Eagles
Significant wins: Florida Southern, 5-3 vs. Saint Thomas, 1-3 vs. Cumberland
Strength of schedule: #30
Top position players: Austin Goolsby (.329, 12 home runs, 54 RBI), Branden Roper-Hubbert (.294, 10 home runs, 50 RBI), Steve Sabins (.340), J.T. Warmoth (.340)
Top pitchers: Justin Zinkovich (10-2, 2.69 ERA, 86 strikeouts), Jonathan Kountis (7-4, 3.23 ERA, 87 strikeouts), Austin Quinn (11-2, 1.70 ERA)
Coach: Randy Stegall, 3rd year
Outlook: The Eagles won’t go two-and-out again, but they don’t have enough talent to win this tournament. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Belhaven, Cal Baptist, Cumberland, Embry-Riddle, Lee, Lewis-Clark State, Lubbock Christian, Oklahoma City, Point Loma Nazarene, Tennessee Wesleyan

NAIA Opening Round Recap for May 21st (final)

Bob Broughton

– May 21, 2010Posted in: NAIA

The field for the NAIA Baseball National Championship has been completed with Cumberland, Lubbock Christian, Embry-Riddle, and Tennessee Wesleyan.

Cumberland defeated #21 Campbellsville in Joliet, IL, in a game postponed by rain from Thursday. These two teams went into extra innings on Wednesday, and this one was close, too; the Bulldogs won 3-0. Aaron Wilkerson got the complete-game shutout; he allowed only three hits, and struck out 17. The Tigers’ starter, Rusty Devitt, had a perfect game going into the seventh inning, but Sam Kikla of the Bulldogs hit a double to end the perfect game, then scored the winning run on a double by Matt Greener. Devitt also went seven innings, allowed only three hits, struck out 12. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Campbellsville, Cumberland, Embry-Riddle, Lubbock Christian, Mount Marty, Southern Polytechnic, St. Thomas (FL), Tennessee Wesleyan

NAIA Opening Round Recap for May 20th

Bob Broughton

– May 20, 2010Posted in: NAIA

Five of the nine slots for the NAIA Baseball National Championship in Lewiston, ID were filled today, with Oklahoma City, Cal Baptist, Lee, Belhaven, and Point Loma Nazarene.

#3 Cal Baptist defeated #10 Madonna 11-4 at Riverside, CA. The Crusaders led 4-1 after three innings, but Mike Barro came in as a reliever for the Lancers, and allowed one hit during the last six innings. DH Drew Madrigal batted in the winning run in the fifth inning; he was 2-5 with two RBI for the game. This will be the Lancers’ second trip to the National Championship.

#4 Lee defeated William Jewell 9-6 in Cleveland, TN. The game was tied 6-6 going into the bottom of the sixth; J.J. Costantino hit a triple, then scored on an error to get the winning run for the Flames. This will be Lee’s fourth straight trip to Lewiston. William Jewell is moving to Division II. Read the rest of this entry »