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May 31, 2011
Contact: Amanda Dahl, NAIA
Manager of Sports Information & Media
Services,
adahl@naia.org
LEWISTON, Idaho -
Ninth-seeded Concordia (Calif.) scored
six runs in the second inning en route
to a 7-1 upset of second-seeded Oklahoma
City at the Avista-NAIA World Series at
Harris Field on Tuesday. The Eagles
(41-19) must wait for Tuesday's final
game between Lubbock Christian (Texas)
and LSU Shreveport (La.) to conclude in
order to determine their Wednesday
opponent.
The Stars bow out of their 13th World
Series after going 1-2 in Lewiston. They
finished their 2011 campaign with a
record of 47-12. The exit of No.
1-seeded Embry-Riddle (Fla.) and No.
2-seeded Oklahoma City on Tuesday marks
the first time since World Series teams
began receiving seeds in 2003 that both
the Nos. 1 and 2 have gone 1-2.
Right-hander Jake Hovis (3-3) earned
the win for Concordia, working six
innings, allowing seven hits and four
earned runs. The junior struck out four
and walked two. He was relieved by
fellow junior Josh White in the top of
the seventh inning, holding the Stars to
just one hit in the save effort.
Terrance Jackson (5-1) suffered the
loss in his final outing for Oklahoma
City. The senior lefty gave up the six
second-inning runs, three of which were
earned, on five hits in two innings of
work. He was relieved by Allen Townsend
at the start of the third inning.
Townsend pitched six innings and allowed
the Eagles to connect for six hits and
one earned run. Cody Crabaugh and Mike
Richard also made relief appearances.
Concordia's explosive second inning
opened with three consecutive hits by
Bryan Nicholson, Ryan Sheeks and Tyler
Derby, and back-to-back walks from Danny
Casey and Robbie Knowles. Derby's hit up
the middle scored Nicholson and the
walks loaded the bases for leadoff man
Matt Ivanoff. The senior knocked a
sacrifice fly to left field to bring
Casey home. Edgar Guillen, who reached
on a fielder's choice, scored on Kyle
Konicek's single. Konicek moved up to
second on Jackson's wild pitch and came
in to score on an infield single by John
Hill. The final run of the frame came on
a passed ball that brought Hill's pinch
runner, Sean Costella, in.
The Eagles added another run in the
top of the fourth inning. With one out,
Ivanoff stepped in and drove a ball deep
to right-center field. Konicek drove in
Ivanoff with a single up the middle for
his second RBI to give Concordia a 7-0
lead.
Oklahoma City posted a pair of runs
in the bottom half of the fifth and
sixth frames, but also left four runners
stranded. A leadoff walk was issued to
Dearth Parker, followed by a first-pitch
bomb over the left-field fence by Mark
Purser, to cut the Eagles' lead to 7-2.
The ensuing at bat for the Stars sent
eight batters to the plate, but could
only muster two runs on three hits and
left the bases loaded. Miguel Beltran
scored on Pursers' single to left and
Austin Messerli came home on a fielder's
choice, but a fly out by Ruben Sosa
closed out the sixth.
Concordia had a balanced offensive
attack as four batters record two hits
in the win, Konicek, Nicholson, Sheeks
and Derby, and three others had one. Six
Eagles were credited with at least one
RBI.
Purser was responsible for three of
Oklahoma City's four runs with Chad
Carman driving in the other. Beltran and
Purser were both 2-for-4 at the plate.
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