2019 NAIA Baseball Opening Round Day Three Recap

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Day Three Highlights

  • There were 18 games scheduled on day three of the 2019 Baseball National Championship Opening Round.
  • Of the seven teams to punch their ticket to the Avista-NAIA World Series, five were No. 1 seeds. No. 3-seeded Bellevue (Neb.) was the lowest seed to win its bracket and advance to the world series thus far. No. 2-seeded Indiana Tech was the only other team that was not a No. 1-seed to win its bracket.
  • After trailing by a single run for seven innings, Georgia Gwinnett battled back in the final two innings over No. 2-seeded Georgetown (Ky.) to get a single run in the eighth and ninth innings to grab the 2-1 win and a spot in Lewiston, Idaho. Brody Wofford was the hero with the ninth inning solo home run for the Grizzlies to earn the victory.
  • Austin Covers allowed just three hits and recorded six strikeouts in six innings to earn the win for Southeastern (Fla.) over No. 2-seeded Middle Georgia State. Southeastern will head back to the Avista-NAIA World Series for the second consecutive season looking to defend its 2018 title.
  • Down 5-1 on its home field, No. 1-seed Saint Thomas (Fla.) plated six runs in the sixth to secure its spot in the Avista-NAIA World Series in a 7-5 win over William Jessup (Calif.)
  • Faulkner (Ala.) earned the distinction of the most dominant victory of the day in a world series clinching win with a 16-2 win over Hope International (Calif.). The Eagles recorded 17 hits and five doubles in the game. The win will guarantee Faulkner its seventh appearance in Lewiston.
  • Science & Arts (Okla.) needed 12 innings to earn its second trip to the NAIA World Series, but got runs when it counted. The Drovers’ Ian Laureano was the hero with a three-run, walk-off home run in the 12th to take the Santa Barbara Bracket in dramatic fashion.
  • Bellevue (Neb.) will make its second trip to the NAIA World Series after a 10-4 win over York (Neb.). The Bruins finished undefeated in the Shreveport Bracket.
  • No. 2-seeded Indiana Tech overcame two Cumberlands (Ky.) home runs in the Williamsburg Bracket Championship game to grab a 6-4 win. In their ninth trip to the opening round, the Warriors will make their seventh trip to the NAIA World Series.
  • Just two brackets will head to an if-necessary game to decide a winner on Thursday. No. 2-seeded Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) won two in a row to force the extra game in the Henderson Bracket while No. 1-seeded Tennessee Wesleyan did the same in the Kingsport Bracket.
  • Records by seeds through day one
    • No. 1 seed: 22-5
    • No. 2 seed: 18-14
    • No. 3 seed: 15-16
    • No. 4 seed: 8-18
    • No. 5 seed: 8-18
  • The 11th annual opening round event takes place from May 13 – 16 at nine host locations. The format is a five-team, double-elimination tournament.
  • The nine opening round champions join Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) at the 63rd annual Avista-NAIA Baseball World Series in Lewiston, Idaho, May 24 – 31. For World Series fan and visitor information, click here.