NAIA College Baseball World Series, Game 18 (June 2, 2000)

Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 10, Dallas Baptist (Texas) 1

LEWISTON, Idaho Lefthander Anthony Ferrari and tournament MVP Wes Hutchison combined for a three-hitter in pitching Lewis-Clark State to a 10-1 win over Dallas Baptist, Tex., Friday in the championship game of the 44th annual NAIA Baseball World Series at Harris Field.

The host Warriors, the defending chamopions,   completed an unbeaten run, winning all six of their tournament games by a combined margin of 57-20 to claim their 11th NAIA national title.  Dallas Baptist finished second for the second time in the tournament.  They also lost to LCSC 10-6 in the 1985 championship game.

Ferrari , who improved his season record to 4-2, allowed three hits in seven innings and the only Dallas Baptist run before giving way to Hutchison in the eighth after walking the first two hitters of the inning.   Ferrari finished with four walks and five strikeouts.

Hutchison pitched a near perfect  final two innings, walking one and striking out three.  He did not allow a hit  In three tournament appearances, he allowed just six hits and one earned run in 11 1/3   innings and was credited with a pair of saves.

LCSC snapped a 1-1 tie in the third, then broke the game open with five runs in the sixth inning.

In the third, second baseman Kurt Koshelnik singled and shortstop Elliott Strankman walked.  The runners advanced on a wild pitch and Koshelnik then scored on a ground out by first baseman Trevor Brown.

Matt Hellman ripped a two-run home run to key the sixth inning explosion.  Catcher J.R. Diaz led off the inning and was hit by a pitch.  Hellman then homered to right center to make it 4-1.  Singles by Kyle Woods and Jason Ellison and a walk loaded the bases.   Strankman then singled for a pair of runs and Ray Vodegel hit a savcrifice fly to drive in the final run of the inning.

Strankman added two more RBI in the sevcenth with a two-out double.  The Warriors also got a run in the ninth on an RBI single by Diaz.  LCSC scored its first run in the opening inning  as Ellison hit the third pitch off the game off losing pitcher Cory Morris (7-9) over the right centerfield wall for his sixth home run of the season.  Ellison had three of the Warriors' 11 hits.

Dallas Baptist got its lone run in the second inning.  Ferrari hit Troy Silcox with a pitch and then surrendered a single to designated hitter Craig Mills.  Mills, however, was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double.  First baseman Mike Wilson then laid down a sacrifice bunt to score Silcox.

In addition to Hutchison, Eric Darjean of Dallas Baptist and Ryan Eddy of Indiana Tech won special awards.  Darjean received the Golden Glove Award and Eddy was voted the Charles Berry Hustle Award.

LCSC completed its season with a record of 59-12.  Dallas Baptist finished at 43-23-1.

Lewis-Clark State  101 005 201 -- 10 11 3
Dallas Baptist  010 000 000 -- 1 3 2
Anthony Ferrari, Wes Hutchison (8) and J.R. Diaz; Cory Morris, Kenny Trapp (6), Aaron Mitchell (8) and Casey Flanigan.
W Ferrari (4-2).  L Morris (7-8).  HR LCSC, Jason Ellison (6), Matt Hellman (4).

2000 NAIA Baseball National Championship
All-Tournament Team
 

* - indicates unanimous choice

Charles Berry Hustle Award - Ryan Eddy, Indiana Institute of Technology
Golden Glove Award - Eric Darjean, Dallas Baptist (Texas)
Most Valuable Player - Wes Hutchison, Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)