MO State HS Sports

Baseball Beings Opening Round Play on Monday

21_BSB_OR 5-16-21

Marion, Ind. – The Columbia College baseball team is set for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Baseball World Series Opening Round.

The Cougars (36-9) will compete in the Marion (Ind.) Bracket in Marion, Indiana, as the No. 3-seed. The double-elimination bracket begins on Monday, May 17.

Columbia will face No. 2-seed Indiana Wesleyan at 2:00 p.m. (CDT) on Monday.

Seeds:

  1. Oklahoma Wesleyan (46-8)
  2. Indiana Wesleyan (43-12)
  3. Columbia (36-9)
  4. Olivet Nazarene (36-18)
  5. Indiana Tech (31-25)

Scouting Oklahoma Wesleyan

  • Oklahoma Wesleyan won the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) Regular-Season Championship, earning an automatic bid.
  • The Eagles have lost two of their last three games.
  • Cody Muncy is hitting .464 on the season and is tied for the team lead with 25 home runs. In addition, he has 19 doubles and has drove in 88 runs.
  • OKWU has four players with 10-or-more-appearances on the mound without a loss – Crosby Bringhurst (8-0, 2.53 ERA), Kellen Brothers (7-0, 2.91 ERA), Brendan Bell (6-0, 2.30 ERA) and Michael Mendoza (6-0, 3.73 ERA).

Scouting Indiana Wesleyan

  • Indiana Wesleyan earned an automatic bid after winning the Crossroads Regular-season and Tournament Championship.
  • The Wildcats are on a five-game win-streak and 13-1 in their last 14 games.
  • MJ Stavola leads the team with a .382 batting average with 42 RBIs, two home runs, four triples and 16 doubles.
  • Tye Thixton is the main power threat with 14 home runs and 59 RBIs.
  • Jon Young is 8-0 with a 2.08 ERA with 56.1 innings pitched. He has 61 strikeouts in ten games played.

Scouting Columbia:

  • The Cougars won the American Midwest Conference (AMC) regular-season title and AMC Tournament Championship.
  • Columbia has won five-straight and 11-of-12.
  • Kenny Piper leads the team with a .431 batting average. He leads the team with 144 total bases and is second on the team with 16 home runs.
  • Dalton Bealmer is hitting .424 on the season and has drilled a team-high 17 home runs and 63 RBIs.
  • On the mound, Chris Wall is 11-0 with a 2.01 ERA. He has six complete-games and three shutouts including one no-hitter. Opponents are hitting .177 against him in 71.2 innings pitched.

Scouting Olivet Nazarene:

  • The Tigers earned an automatic bid as the Chicagoland Regular-Season and Tournament Champion.
  • Olivet Nazarene enters the Opening Round on a three-game win-streak. In addition, they have won 10-of-the-last-11.
  • Terry Daniels leads the team in batting average (.383), RBIs (56), home runs (8), doubles (17) and total bases (121).
  • As a team, ONU is batting .324.
  • Ryan Jemar has appeared in 12 games with seven starts on the mound. He has a 2.03 ERA over 53.1 innings pitched.

Scouting Indiana Tech

  • Indiana Tech won the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Regular-Season Championship.
  • The Warriors enter the Opening Round dropping three-straight games. Prior to the three-game skid, Indiana Tech had won six-in-a-row.
  • Yeshua Saint is hitting .392 with eight home runs and 32 RBIs.
  • Charles Dunavan and Ryan Troxel leads the team with five wins on the mound.
This article is provided by Columbia Cougar Athletics