By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
The undefeated LSUS Pilots are settling into Lewiston, Idaho, as their first-round NAIA World Series game approaches Friday afternoon, after a 2,100 mile journey Monday – most of it flying northwest.
The Pilots (54-0) went 3-0 in last week’s Shreveport Opening Round and for their first World Series game since 2022 have drawn the most unlikely team to reach Lewiston – Grand View (Iowa), who was the fourth seed in its regional and lost its first Opening Round game 13-3.
The 10-team field includes first-round opponents Southeastern (Fla.), from Lakeland, and Webber International (Babson Park, Fla.), just 36 miles apart. They play in the same conference (Sun) and will meet for the sixth time this season in Lewiston, 3,800 miles from home.
Closest to Lewiston is British Columbia, out of Vancouver, BC, 449 miles away. But most familiar with the World Series site is defending national champion Hope International, which won the Lewiston Opening Round a week ago.
Here are capsules on the other nine teams hoping to upset LSUS in the World Series:
British Columbia Thunderbolts (39-17, 9th seed). Location: Vancouver, BC. It’s the first World Series since 2006 for the ‘Bolts, who won the Hattiesburg (Miss.) regional with an 11-inning victory over Indiana Southeast. UBC was the No. 1 seed and won all three of its games.
Cumberlands Patriots (48-10, 7th seed). Location: Williamsburg, KY. The Patriots were 8th in the final regular-season NAIA Top 25, but were the No. 2 seed on their homefield in the Opening Round. Charlie Muniz broke the NAIA career hits record with his 374th in the championship win. Cumberlands is in its third consecutive World Series.
Georgia Gwinnett Grizzlies (53-5, 2nd seed). Location: Lawrenceville, GA. The Grizzlies are making their seventh straight trip to Lewiston after fighting through the losers’ bracket with three straight wins on their homefield in the Opening Round. They were ranked No. 2, just behind LSUS, in the final NAIA Top 25 poll.
Grand View Vikings (38-12, 10th seed). Location: Des Moines, IA. Grand View is in the World Series for the first time in 34 seasons, after winning the Upland (Indiana) regional as the No. 4 seed, posting four straight victories after an opening run-rule loss to the top seed.
Hope International Royals (46-8, 4th seed). Location: Fullerton, CA. The defending NAIA champions, No. 4 in the last NAIA Top 25 poll, are back in Lewiston after winning the Opening Round there last Wednesday, sweeping through three games to stretch their season streak to seven straight. It’s their third World Series. They won five straight elimination games last year to capture the national championship.
Loyola Wolf Pack (40-16, 8th seed). Location: New Orleans. It’s the first World Series for Loyola, 13th in the last NAIA Top 25 poll this season. The Wolf Pack went 3-1 at the Waleska (Ga.) regional as sixth-year coach Jeremy Kennedy steered his third different school to the NAIA World Series.
Southeastern Fire (44-13, 6th seed). Location: Lakeland, FL. Playing at home in the Opening Round, the Fire reached their seventh straight World Series. Southeastern hasn’t lost an Opening Round game, winning 21 in a row, in that seven-year span. The Fire were the 2018 and 2022 national champions and are 17-9 in Lewiston in their last six trips.
Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs (46-12, 3rd seed). Location: Athens, TN. The Bulldogs were top seeded in the Kingsport (TN) Opening Round but needed two straight wins over third-seeded Columbia to earn their eighth trip to the World Series, the second straight and third in four years. TWU won it all twice, in 2012 and 2019.
Webber International Warriors (44-13, 5th seed). Location: Babson Park, FL. Webber had to travel to Lincoln, Neb., for its Opening Round and swept through unbeaten to earn another long trip out west for its second World Series appearance, coupled with the first in 2022. The Warriors are on a seven-game win streak and are 2-3 against Southeastern, their first-round Series opponent, winning the last meeting 7-3 May 3 on the way to the Sun Conference Tournament crown.
First-round schedule
Friday (times CDT and p.m. unless indicated)
Hope international vs. Cumberlands, 10:30 a.m.
LSUS vs. Grand View, 1:30
Tennessee Wesleyan vs. Loyola, 5:0
Georgia Gwinnett vs. British Columbia, 9:00
Saturday
Webber International vs. Southeastern, 1:00
Note – the double elimination tournament wraps up May 31.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com