LSUS Pilots finish in third place
in NAIA World Series
05/28/03

(Current LSUS news/sports releases)

(Box Score)

(NAIA Release) Note: Pilots season record is 52-24 (not 51-24, as this NAIA release states).

Nationally ranked No. 1, the Oklahoma City University Stars proved to be too much for the LSUS Pilots in the final elimination game of the 2003 NAIA World Series Wednesday night. The Pilots lost 12-2, and bowed out of the tournament in third place behind the Stars and Lewis-Clark State College, the host of the tournament in Lewiston, Idaho.

The visiting team Wednesday night, the Stars jumped on freshman pitcher Daniel Welch for three hits in the top of the first inning, including a three-run homer. Trailing 3-0 with no outs, Pilots Coach Rocke Musgraves went to the bullpen, calling on senior left-hander Dustin Walden, who ended the inning with no further damage. Musgraves would call on a total of six pitchers on the night.

Pilots catcher Aaron McRae opened the LSUS second with a home run, but the Pilots were unable to take advantage of two more hits. Oklahoma City scored one in the top of the third, another in the fourth and three in the fifth, increasing their cushion to 8-1. The Pilots added one run in the fifth to close to the margin to six.

After quiet sixth and seventh innings, however, the Stars scored a run in the top of the eighth, and ripped a three-run homer in the ninth to make it a 12-2 game. The Pilots went down in order in the bottom of the ninth.

The Stars recorded 18 hits on the night, while the Pilots got to Oklahoma City pitching for 11 hits.

The Pilots (52-24), who made the school’s first-ever NAIA World Series appearance, were beaten twice by the Stars, but recorded three impressive wins in their other games. In their opener against Indiana Tech (Ft. Wayne) Friday, the Pilots recorded the only 10-run “mercy rule” win of the tournament, downing the Warriors 11-1. The Pilots lost to the Stars 13-5 Saturday in their second game, then came back Monday to defeat Spalding University, of Louisville, Ky., 8-4. Tuesday, the Pilots trounced No. 2 seeded Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, of Daytona Beach, Fla., 14-4.

The Lewis-Clark Warriors will have to take two straight games from the Stars Thursday and Friday nights to repeat as national champions. The Stars have been No. 1 in the national NAIA rankings since the first poll of the season.

The Warriors faced exactly the same scenario in the 2002 World Series. Having been handed their single loss of the tournament by again top-ranked Oklahoma City, Lewis-Clark defeated the Stars twice to win the championship.

Oklahoma City starters: 27/rf Ledbetter; 7/c Houston; 34/1b Kaye; 25/cf Himes; 4/dh Sanguinetti; 16/lf Williams; 12/ss Marlett; 9/2b Turberville; 19/3b Tapp; 29/p Stephens;

LSUS starters: 25/lf Reynolds; 16/2b Gray; 41/ss Arishenkoff; 18/dh McManis; 33/c McRae; 24/rf Morben; 44/1b Hernandez; 14/3b Wingerter; 19/cf Branch; 29/p Welch;

Oklahoma City 1st - Ledbetter singled to left field (2-0). Houston singled through the left side (0-0); Ledbetter advanced to second. Perry pinch ran for Houston. Kaye homered to right field, 3 RBI (1-2); Perry scored; Ledbetter scored. Walden to p for Welch. Himes struck out (3-2). Sanguinetti lined out to ss (2-2). Williams doubled to right center (1-1). Marlett singled through the left side (0-0); Williams advanced to third. Turberville flied out to lf (2-0). 3 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

LSUS 1st - Houston to c for Perry. Reynolds grounded out to 1b unassisted (0-1). Gray flied out to rf (1-0). Arishenkoff walked (3-1). McManis grounded out to p (0-0). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Oklahoma City 2nd - Tapp grounded out to 3b (0-2). Ledbetter singled to right field (3-2). Houston flied out to cf (2-2). Kaye flied out to rf (0-1). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

LSUS 2nd - McRae homered to right field, RBI (0-0). Morben doubled down the lf line (2-2). Hernandez singled to third base (1-2); Morben no advance. Wingerter struck out looking (0-2). Branch grounded into double play 3b to 1b (1-0); Morben out on the play. 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

LSUS 3rd - Reynolds grounded out to 2b (1-2). Gray singled to right field (2-2). Arishenkoff grounded out to 2b (1-2); Gray advanced to second. Gray stole third. McManis flied out to rf (3-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Oklahoma City 4th - Ezernack to p for Walden. Tapp singled to third base, bunt (1-0). Tapp advanced to second on a wild pitch. Ledbetter singled to left field, RBI (2-1); Tapp scored. Houston flied out to cf (2-0). Kaye reached on a fielder's choice (0-0); Ledbetter out at second 1b to ss. Himes struck out (2-2). 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

LSUS 4th - McRae doubled to center field (0-0). Morben popped up to ss (2-2). Hernandez hit by pitch (1-1). Hernandez out at second c to 2b, caught stealing; McRae advanced to third. Wingerter grounded out to 2b (1-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Oklahoma City 5th - Sanguinetti hit by pitch (2-0). Williams struck out (3-2). Marlett flied out to cf (2-2). Turberville singled to third base, bunt (0-0); Sanguinetti advanced to second. Tapp doubled to left field, 2 RBI (1-0); Turberville scored; Sanguinetti scored. Ledbetter tripled to left center, RBI (3-1); Tapp scored. Kowatz to p for Ezernack. Houston flied out to cf (1-0). 3 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

LSUS 5th - Branch doubled to right center (1-2). Reynolds flied out to cf (2-2); Branch advanced to third. Gray singled to center field, RBI (1-1); Branch scored. Arishenkoff singled to right field (2-1); Gray advanced to third. McManis struck out (2-2). McRae struck out (3-2). 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Oklahoma City 6th - Kaye singled to right field (2-2). Sullivan pinch hit for Himes. Sullivan flied out to cf (1-0). Sanguinetti popped up to 2b (0-1). Williams struck out (1-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

LSUS 6th - Himes to cf for Sullivan. Morben grounded out to 2b (2-1). Hernandez flied out to rf (2-1). Wingerter grounded out to 2b (2-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Oklahoma City 7th - Marlett lined out to cf (2-0). Turberville struck out looking (0-2). Tapp walked (3-0). Ledbetter singled up the middle (0-0); Tapp advanced to third. Houston reached on a fielder's choice (0-0); Ledbetter out at second ss to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

LSUS 7th - Branch flied out to cf (0-0). Reynolds flied out to lf (1-1). Gray singled to shortstop (2-1). Arishenkoff flied out to lf (0-0). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Oklahoma City 8th - Kaye singled to right field (0-0). Jo McLaughln pinch ran for Kaye. Himes grounded out to 1b unassisted, bunt (0-0); Jo McLaughln advanced to second. Sanguinetti doubled down the lf line, RBI (0-0); Jo McLaughln scored. Perry pinch hit for Williams. Alexander to p for Kowatz. Perry lined out to p (0-1). Marlett walked (3-0). Epping pinch hit for Turberville. Epping grounded out to ss (0-1). 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

LSUS 8th - Kaye to 1b for Jo McLaughln. Williams to lf for Perry. Turberville to 2b for Epping. McManis popped up to 2b (0-0). McRae singled to left field (0-0). Gibbons pinch ran for McRae. Morben singled to right field (0-1); Gibbons advanced to second. Hernandez reached on a fielder's choice (2-2); Morben advanced to second; Gibbons out at third 3b unassisted. Frye pinch hit for Wingerter. Frye fouled out to 3b (3-2). 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Oklahoma City 9th - McRae to c for Gibbons. Wingerter to 3b for Frye. Balster pinch hit for Tapp. Balster grounded out to 2b (0-0). Ledbetter reached on a throwing error by 1b, assist by ss (1-1). Ledbetter stole second. Houston walked (3-2). Black pinch ran for Houston. Lewis to p for Alexander. Kaye homered to center field, 3 RBI (0-2); Black scored; Ledbetter scored, unearned. Himes struck out (1-2). Sanguinetti lined out to lf (1-1). 3 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 0 LOB.

LSUS 9th - Houston to c for Black. Tapp to 3b for Balster. Branch popped up to 2b (1-1). Fletcher pinch hit for Reynolds. Fletcher struck out looking (2-2). Gray popped up to 2b (0-0). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.