LSUS Pilots open NAIA World Series play Friday 05/21/03

(Pilots thrash Indiana Tech 11-1)

The LSUS Pilots begin play in the NAIA World Series at 2 p.m. (CDT) Friday (May 23) in Lewiston, Idaho, against the Indiana Tech Warriors. The Pilots are the No. 8 seed in the NAIA’s national baseball tournament and the Warriors are the No. 9 seed.

The Pilots take a 49-22 record to the game, while Indiana Tech sports a 40-18 record.

The Pilots earned their berth in the tournament by winning the Region 13 tournament and taking the best-of-three Super Regional series from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University last Thursday and Friday at Pilots Field.

The Pilots won Thursday’s series opener 5-2. Weather prompted a possible Friday double-header, made necessary by a 9-3 Embry-Riddle win in the first game. The Pilots stormed back in the deciding game, putting nine runs on the board before Embry-Riddle scored, and winning the rain-shortened six-inning game 13-2. Embry-Riddle, which was ranked No. 4 by the NAIA, received an at-large berth in the tournament, and is seeded No. 2.

The winner of the LSUS-Indiana Tech game will take on No. 1 Oklahoma City at 9:30 p.m. (CDT) Saturday. The loser plays at 11 a.m. (CDT) Saturday against the loser of the Biloa (California)-Bellevue (Nebraska) game. The NAIA World Series will conclude either Thursday (May 29) or Friday (May 30), depending on the outcome of games in the double-elimination format.