May 27, 2006

LEWISTON, Idaho -Lubbock Christian University (Texas) survived a 48-minute rain delay in the top of the seventh inning, a three-run rally in the eighth and a bases-loaded rally in the ninth  to defeat  top-ranked Lewis-Clark State College (Idaho) 4-3 in the final game of the opening round of the 50th annual Avista NAIA World Series.

Lubbock Christian starter Nick Pauza held LCSC to just three hits over the first six innings before the rain came as Lubbock Christian, the tournament's No. 6 seed, took advantage of some Warrior fielding mistakes to pull the only upset in the four first-round games on Friday.

Lewis-Clark State, which has been ranked No. 1 in the NAIA poll all season, is the tournament's No. 3 seed. As the host team, LCSC isn't allowed to be seeded higher than third, but lost its third straight game of the season for the first time to fall to 42-8 overall. The Warriors must win six straight games to capture the title in the 10-team double-elimination tournament.

Lubbock Christian, 48-15, scored two unearned runs in the third and another in the fourth to take a 3-0 lead. A pair of singles and two errors led to the run in the third, while a bases-loaded walk, set up by an error, and a sacrifice fly scored runs in the fourth.

The Chaps added a run in the bottom of the seventh after a short downpour when Matt Daughtery singled, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Rolando Fajardo, which was the only earned run LCSC allowed in the game.

That run turned out to be huge as the Warriors finally woke their bats in the eighth inning and struck for three runs. Matt Vogel brought in the first run with a single, while Justin Fuller added an RBI double, which ended the night for Pauza. Releiver David Wasylak gave up a RBI ground out to Allen Balmer, but got another ground out to get out of the jam.

In the ninth, Wasylak got two ground outs to start the inning, but then Paul Martin singled and Jessie Roehl and Mark Thompson were hit by pitched to load the bases. Wasylak, however, managed to hang on as Vogel grounded out to second to end the game.

Fajardo had two of Lubbock Christian's six hits in the game, while Thompson and Vogel had two hits apiece for the Warriors.

Pauza went 7.1 innings and allowed six hits and three runs, but struck out four and walked two. LCSC starter Shannon Wirth went four innings and gave up two hits and three runs, but none were earned as LCSC finished with four errors. He walked three and struck out five.

Lubbock Christian will receive a bye on Saturday and won't play again until Monday at 7 p.m., Pacific time against the winner of the British Columbia-Bellevue game on Saturday.

Lewis-Clark State falls into loser-out play where it faces No. 10 seed St. Xavier (33-26) at noon Saturday.