TEN TO LEWISTON #1

It’s once again that time of the year, time to single out the 10 teams that I believe will be arriving in the Pacific Northwest to play baseball in late May. Selecting these 10 teams for Lewiston is usually quite challenging, requiring careful consideration of various factors. Here is my first attempt for the 2024 season.

What factors contribute to the rankings?

I use a combination of the following factors: overall record, conference record, record versus current Top 25 teams, home/away/neutral performance splits, recent performance (last 10 games), record versus NCAA and USCAA/NCCAA teams, overall strength of competition, quality of wins, and worst losses. Understand that these are just my thoughts; there’s reasoning behind them, but no wild formula, just a spreadsheet where I keep track of information. While some teams were easy to rank, determining the remaining spots was challenging, as there were perhaps 4-5 teams that could have fit in. Let’s rank these teams as of the overall standings on 3/21 when we update the data.

#1 Southeastern (FL) 23-2

Once again, no one should be shocked that the Fire are here, should they? No, they probably shouldn’t, unless… The Fire are batting below .300 as a team for the first time in a while, but they are still outscoring their opponents 207-73 this year. That pitching staff has been exciting to watch, entering this week with a 2.71 staff earned run average in 216 innings. The pitching staff and bullpen are exceptionally good and could compete at various levels of college baseball. Southeastern is strong, and I expect them to remain competitive all the way to Lewiston.

#2 Georgia Gwinnett 24-5

The #8 offense nationally continues to win ball games and score a lot of runs, precisely 218, with 150 stolen bases along the way. GGC has had a solid stretch of games in March and is currently 3-3 in their last 6 games against Middle Georgia State, Talladega, and Loyola. After losing three straight, the Griz bounced back to avenge each of their losses, outscoring their opponents 44-12 in that time. GGC is also ranked #8 nationally in total extra-base hits and #18 in the nation for home runs. GGC is solid, and I expect the ‘Griz Gang’ to return to Lewiston.

#3 LSU-Shreveport 23-2

The Pilots are seeking a return trip to the Pacific Northwest after being a favorite last year and falling short to a MidAmerica Nazarene team that made an incredible run last season. The Red River Athletic Conference runs through Shreveport, where the Pilots have won a regular season or tournament title every year for the last 12 years. On the national stage, the Pilots tested themselves early and have built up a great run since losing their first game. With a team average above .300 and a team earned run average sitting at 2.60, this team can do a bit of everything. Stock is rising on the Pilots to go back to Lewiston. Buy in now.

#4 Cumberlands (KY) 24-4

The Patriots got over the hump last year, and Brad Shelton’s squad seems poised to do it again this year. Cumberlands (KY) swept through their Opening Round as hosts before falling in Lewiston to end their year. The Patriots return several players from last year’s roster who have helped them maintain a potent offense with a team average of .361 so far this year. On the mound, the pitching depth seems deeper than last season and could be a huge factor in propelling this squad back to Lewiston. The Patriots began conference play by sweeping Bethel (TN) this past week. They’ll face a non-league opponent this weekend before welcoming Lindsey Wilson in their next conference weekend.

#5 Lewis-Clark State (ID) 13-7

Once again, I am here to tell you that until they are eliminated, this team will always be in my power rankings. Not just because they’ve already qualified for the postseason and will be playing at home, but also because for the second year in a row, we’re back here. LCSC drops some conference games, and everyone thinks this will be the year they don’t qualify. That’s what a lot of y’all thought last year too. There is a copious amount of talent on this roster, despite some injuries, and they are spreading out those innings among the pitching staff. It’s been a slow middle portion of the schedule, but don’t let the numbers fool you. Credit to Bushnell for winning their first-ever series vs LCSC, and credit to the Cascade for improving every year. LC State bounced back, winning 3 of 4 against Corban. They have Eastern Oregon this weekend and then head to Oregon to play OIT.

#6 Webber International (FL) 21-7

The Warriors of Webber didn’t have the weekend they hoped for against #1 Southeastern (FL), dropping all four games. Webber still has solid wins over Point Park (PA), SAGU (TX), Thomas (GA), and Cumberland (TN), and a big opportunity to bounce back against #12 Keiser. The Warriors are hitting .288 as a team and have nine different players who have driven in 10-plus RBIs. Pitching-wise, they have four experienced junior starters who have carried the bulk of the innings, with the highest earned run average among them being 3.82. It takes the right combination of pitching, hitting, defense, base running, and luck to get yourself into the final 10. The Warriors are shaping up to look just like they could go back to Lewiston after an ugly 2023 postseason. But they’ll have to deal with getting back up after a long weekend in Babson Park, so they head to the friendly confines of West Palm Beach.

#7 Central Methodist (MO) 21-4

The theme in Fayette, Missouri, is relevance. The Eagles have won 35-plus games every year since 2021, including a trip to the national championship game in 2021 and hosting their own Opening Round site in 2023. The Eagles have stayed in the national eye this year with a 21-4 start halfway through the year. CMU is hitting at a .357 clip as a team and has a team earned run average of 3.20. The next two weekends will tell us a lot. CMU hosts both Mount Mercy, who is 8-0 in Heart conference play, and MidAmerica Nazarene, who is trending upwards on a quick trajectory. The Eagles haven’t played many series against top-ranked ball clubs, but they do have several wins against quality opponents, including Columbia (MO), Missouri Baptist, and Oregon Tech. CMU stays relevant and will be exactly that throughout the rest of this year.

#8 Faulkner (AL) 20-7

Out in Montgomery, Alabama, they are back to work in getting back to Lewiston once more. The Faulkner Eagles have been a mainstay in the Pacific Northwest for 9 of the last 10 years. As a team, Faulkner is hitting .325 overall, with a pitching staff that has an earned run average of 4.82. The Eagles have done exactly what has been asked of them, boasting a 3-1 record against the current coaches poll Top 25 and a 10-6 record against other Quad 1 and 2 teams. If you look at their BoChip ranking, they stand at 45th. Their non-conference schedule at the start of the year might not have been the most exciting, but they secured wins nonetheless. Faulkner has already taken 2 out of 3 from William Carey (MS) and Loyola (LA). The SSAC might see fierce competition within, but the baseball quality is solid. If we had to pick a team from this conference to head to Lewiston right now, it’s the Eagles, who are more than capable of it.

#9 Jessup (CA) 23-4

Jessup last season went 18-22-1 in 2023 but is having a significant resurgence this season. The Warriors (we have too many teams named Warriors in this league) are hitting .337 as a team this year, with their staff boasting an earned run average of 6.04. This is definitely an offense-heavy club that can beat you with their bats. They have six players with more than 20 runs driven in. It’s worth noting that Jessup has played 24 games at home, going 22-2, but only 1-2 in total road games in 2024. Pitching will also play a significant factor for the Warriors moving forward this year. In early and mid-April, they will face both Vanguard (CA) and Hope International (CA) in back-to-back weeks in crucial GSAC matchups. If the season ended today, I’d pick Jessup and their potent offense to head to Lewiston.

#10 Doane (NE) 16-4

The GPAC rose to major national attention in 2021 when Concordia-Nebraska won the Bellevue bracket as the 3rd seed and advanced to Lewiston. Since then, two GPAC teams have stood out as potential World Series contenders: CUNE and Doane. The Tigers are hitting .306 as a team this year and have a staff earned run average of 4.82. Doane has secured several solid wins, including a 2-1 record against Missouri Baptist. Looking at the latest BoChip (league official RPI), Doane stands at 8-1 against Quad 1 and 2 teams combined. The road ahead may be challenging as Doane will travel to CUNE for a quick doubleheader before returning that weekend to welcome Jamestown (ND). Tough tests await, but right now, give me the Tigers booking a trip to see the Snake River.

Outside looking in:

Missouri Baptist

Concordia-Nebraska