One last round of congratulations to the college baseball champions from the nine divisions covered here at Balladeer’s Blog.
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)
National Champions – LEWIS-CLARK STATE WARRIORS (Threepeat)
Runners-Up – Faulkner University Eagles
2016 Champions – Lewis-Clark State Warriors
NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association)
National Champions – OKLAHOMA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY BISON
Runners-Up – Campbellsville University Tigers
2016 Champions – Oklahoma Baptist University Bison Continue reading
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: The WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY GOLDEN RAMS and the UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT SAN DIEGO TRITONS were the last two teams standing in the D2 World Series. After the Golden Rams grabbed a quick 1-0 edge in the 1st Inning the Tritons responded by tying the score at 1-1 in the 2nd. 
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: The CHIPOLA COLLEGE INDIANS and the SAN JACINTO-NORTH COLLEGE GATORS fought it out for the NJCAA title. The favored Gators started out with a 1-0 1st Inning edge that became 2-1 in the 2nd. 
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: The Defending National Champions – the 5th seeded LEWIS- CLARK STATE WARRIORS – battled the 2 seeds – the FAULKNER UNIVERSITY EAGLES for the title. Runs were flying in the 1st Inning, which ended with the Warriors on top of the Eagles 3-2. 
PENULTIMATE GAME: The 2nd seeded FAULKNER UNIVERSITY EAGLES needed to defeat the 5 seeds – the LEWIS-CLARK STATE WARRIORS – in order to force a deciding game the next day. A 1-0 1st Inning lead for the Eagles stood unchanged until the 4th, when it became a 2-1 advantage. The Warriors responded with a huge 5th Inning which saw them take the lead by a score of 5-2. Faulkner University shut out Lewis-Clark State from there while cutting their lead down to 5-3 in the 6th Inning and 5-4 in the 8th. The Eagles drove in 2 runs in the 9th for a 6-5 victory behind the pitching of Austin Moreland. 
DAY SIX, FIRST SEMIFINAL: The UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT SAN DIEGO TRITONS took the diamond against the SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS COLLEGE SPARTANS. After a scoreless 1st Inning the Tritons grabbed a 2-0 edge in the 2nd and a 4-0 advantage in the 3rd. That set the pattern for the game as UC-San Diego scored in every remaining Inning except the 8th while simultaneously shutting out the Spartans. The Tritons eviscerated their opponents to the tune of TEN to NOTHING courtesy of a complete Iron Man Game by Pitcher Kyle Goodbrand. 
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: The final two teams left standing in NJCAA D3 were the 3-time Defending National Champions – the TYLER COLLEGE APACHES – and the NIAGARA COUNTY COLLEGE THUNDER WOLVES. 
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: The 3 seeds – the CALIFORNIA LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY KINGSMEN – and the 5th seeded WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON COLLEGE PRESIDENTS were tied up at 1 game apiece headed into this decisive Game Three. 
DAY FOUR, GAME ONE: The 9th seeded WILLIAM CAREY UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS continued their Cinderella run, this time against the 6 seeds – the MISSOURI BAPTIST UNIVERSITY SPARTANS. The Crusaders immediately seized a 2-0 edge in the 1st Inning, followed by the Spartans making it a 2-1 score in the 3rd. William Carey University drove in 3 runs in the 4th Inning and SIX in the 5th on their way to a resounding TWELVE to THREE triumph. Pitcher Cole Edgins picked up the win. 
DAY THREE, GAME TWO: Another elimination game and another upset followed. The 10 seeds – THE MASTER’S UNIVERSITY MUSTANGS – did battle with the 4th seeded KEISER UNIVERSITY SEAHAWKS. Neither team scored until the 4th Inning, when the Seahawks eked out a 2-1 edge. The Mustangs added 4 more runs in the 5th and 6th Innings before their bats went as cold as Keiser’s. The Master’s University smacked down the Seahawks by a score of 9-2 behind the pitching of Robert Winslow. 
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: The top seeded OKLAHOMA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY BISON and the 5 seeds – the CAMPBELLSVILLE UNIVERSITY TIGERS – were the last two teams standing in the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association). After a scoreless 1st Inning the Tigers went up 2-0 in the 2nd but the Bison cut that to a 2-1 edge in the 3rd. 
DAY TWO, GAME ONE: The COLORADO MESA UNIVERSITY MAVERICKS played the QUINCY UNIVERSITY HAWKS to start the 2nd day in the D2 World Series. The first 3 Innings were a Pitcher’s Duel with neither team scoring but the 4th ended with the Mavericks on top 2-1. The Hawks pulled ahead 3-2 in the 6th followed by Colorado Mesa University exploding in the 7th for 5 runs. It was all but over from there as the Mavericks took the game by a tally of 10-3 behind Pitcher Tyler Day. 
DAY FOUR, SECOND SEMIFINAL: The two teams fighting for the other berth in the title game were the 5th seeded CAMPBELLSVILLE UNIVERSITY TIGERS and the 6 seeds – the SOUTHWESTERN CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY EAGLES. Neither team scored in the 1st Inning but in the 2nd the Tigers eked out a 1-0 edge. It was a Pitcher’s Duel for awhile from there, but the 6th Inning saw the Eagles climb on top 3-1. Cambellsville University pulled to within 3-2 in the top of the 8th but in their at-bat Southwestern Christian University made it a 4-2 game. In the 9th Inning the Tigers drove in 3 more runs for a 5-4 victory. Nick “Mister” Przybylek threw for the win. 
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