NCCAA WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS CROWNED, NAIA BASEBALL PLAYOFFS CONTINUE

* NCCAA Championship *

In the championship game for Division 2 of the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) the 3rd seeded DALLAS CHRISTIAN COLLEGE CRUSADERS battled the top seeded defending champs, the TOCCOA FALLS COLLEGE EAGLES. The Eagles successfully completed their bid for a Threepeat in baseball crowns yesterday. The Crusaders came in sporting a loss already in Series play so they would have had to win just to force a deciding game against the still-perfect Eagles. DCC made it a fight but in the end lost to Toccoa Falls in a 4-3 game for the ages. Congratulations to TFC for winning three baseball titles in a row!

* NAIA Playoffs *

CLAREMORE BRACKET – The 4th seeded ROGERS STATE UNIVERSITY HILLCATS were a perfect 3-0 in Series play, so they were merely awaiting the winner of the game between the top seeded LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY CHAPARRALS and the 3rd seeded LYON COLLEGE SCOTS. The Chaparrals emerged with an easy 15-7 win.   ###   For the Bracket championship the Hillcats doubled-up on the Chaparrals 8-4 to send them home and to return themselves to the NAIA College World Series! Congratulations to RSU!

CLEVELAND BRACKET – To start yesterday’s play in this bracket the 2nd seeded MADONNA UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS fell to the 4th seeded AVILA EAGLES in a thrill-packed 3-2 elimination game.   ###   The title game for the bracket was pretty much of an anticlimax after all that drama. The top seeds, perennial baseball powers the LEE UNIVERSITY FLAMES, made Avila their prison brides in a FOURTEEN to nothing butt-kicking that will have the Eagles rethinking their lives. The Flames win the bracket and return to the NAIA World Series! Congratulations, Flames!   

HATTIESBURG BRACKET – The 2nd seeded OKLAHOMA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY BISON devastated the 3rd seeded WILLIAM CAREY UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS by a score of 13-5.   ###   The preliminaries over the Bison next faced the top seeded NORTHWOOD (TX) KNIGHTS for the right to advance to the NAIA World Series. The Knights scored 6 runs in the 1st inning and never looked back, winning by a final score of 7-4. Congratulations, Northwood!  

SANTA CLARITA BRACKET – The (4) TABOR COLLEGE BLUE JAYS were eliminated by the (3) SAN DIEGO CHRISTIAN EAGLES in a nail-biting 9-7 clash.   ###   The top seeded MASTER’S COLLEGE MUSTANGS then proceeded to come back from four runs down to win the Bracket with an 11-7 victory over those same Eagles. Congratulations to the Mustangs as they move on to the 2013 NAIA World Series!  

OKLAHOMA CITY BRACKET – The Bracket’s top seeds, the OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY STARS, shut out the 5th seeded JAMESTOWN COLLEGE JIMMIES 4-0 to move on to the title game.   ###   The 2nd seeded STERLING COLLEGE WARRIORS then went on to upset the Stars in a 1-0 pitcher’s duel that was gripping from start to finish! Congratulations to the Sterling College Warriors!  

JOLIET BRACKET – In this Bracket the 3rd seeded JUDSON EAGLES upset the 2nd seeded CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS, sending them home with a 4-3 loss.   ###   The Eagles themselves then fell to the top seeded YORK (NE) PANTHERS by 4-3 score. Along the way to winning the Bracket the Panthers defeated Judson twice and Mayville State once. Congratulations Panthers!   

DAYTONA BEACH BRACKET – The 3 seeds, the LINDSEY WILSON COLLEGE BLUE RAIDERS, faced two teams called Eagles yesterday. In the day’s opener they edged the 2nd seeded CONCORDIA (CA) EAGLES in a 2-1 Instant Classic.   ###   Next the top seeded EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY EAGLES eked out a 6-5 victory over the Blue Raiders to advance to the NAIA World series. Congratulations ERAU!