Baseball 5/8/2015 7:06:00 PM

Stars hold NAIA Championship Opening Round

No. 1-ranked OCU begins play 6 p.m. Tuesday

OKLAHOMA CITY – Top-rated Oklahoma City University serves as host for the NAIA Baseball Championship Opening Round Oklahoma City Bracket beginning Tuesday at Jim Wade Stadium.
The Stars, 19th-ranked Concordia (Calif.), No. 25 York (Neb.), Missouri Baptist and Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) will compete for an NAIA World Series bid in the double-elimination tournament. The championship game is set for 2:30 p.m. Thursday with the if-necessary scheduled for noon Friday.
Oklahoma City (43-11) reached No. 1 in the latest NAIA top 25 after winning the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament title. Five first-team all-SAC performers pace the Stars – two-time all-league catcher Connor Lynch, first baseman J.J. Bissell, right-handed pitcher Dustin Cook and outfielders Joe Lytle and Reggie Wilson.
Wilson, a junior from Beaumont, Texas, stands fourth in the NAIA at 1.28 runs scored a game, and Lytle, a freshman from Yukon, Okla., ranks sixth nationally with 23 doubles. In the NAIA team statistical ratings, OCU ranks third in batters struck out (457) and 11th in slugging percentage (.492). To see how the Stars compare with the rest of the NAIA, go here. OCU coach Denney Crabaugh recorded his 1,300th career coaching victory April 17 against Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas) in Waxahachie, Texas.
Concordia (44-15) took the Golden State Athletic Conference Tournament. Mitchell Esser earned his second all-conference nod with his .314 average, six home runs, 51 RBIs and 22 stolen bases.
York (39-17) picked up an at-large opening-round berth after sharing the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference regular-season championship. First-team all-conference outfielder Rudy Perez has posted team highs with a .356 average, 14 homers, 45 RBIs and 26 stolen bases. Perez ranks 14th nationally in homers.
Missouri Baptist (41-11) won the American Midwest Conference Tournament title. Conference player of the year Orlando Olivera leads Missouri Baptist with his .395 batting clip, 18 homers, 62 RBIs and 10 steals, while Dave Mullins twirled a perfect game April 25 against William Woods (Mo.) in St. Louis.
Dakota Wesleyan (24-24) qualified for national play by winning the Great Plains Athletic Conference Tournament. Joey Fitzgerald picked up league pitcher of the year after notching an 8-2 record, 2.82 earned run average and 53 strikeouts in 70.1 innings.
The nine opening-round tournament winners and host Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) will comprise the field for the NAIA World Series on May 22-29 in Lewiston, Idaho.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students per session. Tournament games will be available via live video at a rate of $8.95 per game or in a tournament package for $24.95.

NAIA Championship Opening Round
Oklahoma City Bracket
At Oklahoma City
Jim Wade Stadium
Tuesday's Games
Game 1: Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) vs. Missouri Baptist, 11 a.m.
Game 2: Concordia (Calif.) vs. York (Neb.), 2:30 p.m.
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Oklahoma City, 6 p.m.
Wednesday's Games
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 11 a.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3, 2:30 p.m.
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 6 p.m.
Thursday's Games
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 5, 11 a.m.
Game 8: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 7, 2:30 p.m., championship
Friday, May 15
Game 9: If necessary, noon

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Players Mentioned

#24 Connor Lynch: C; 6' 0"; Senior; R/R

#4 Reggie Wilson: OF; 5' 9"; Junior; L/L

#11 Joe Lytle: C; 6' 0"; Freshman; L/R

#20 Dustin Cook: RHP; 6' 5"; Junior; R/R

#27 J.J. Bissell: C/INF; 6' 2"; Junior; L/R

Players Mentioned

#24 Connor Lynch
: 6' 0"; Senior; R/R
: C

#4 Reggie Wilson
: 5' 9"; Junior; L/L
: OF

#11 Joe Lytle
: 6' 0"; Freshman; L/R
: C

#20 Dustin Cook
: 6' 5"; Junior; R/R
: RHP

#27 J.J. Bissell
: 6' 2"; Junior; L/R
: C/INF