LEWISTON, Idaho—Southeastern was able to pick up where it left off after a lightning delay in the winner-take-all Avista NAIA World Series championship game Friday morning.
The Fire (59-4) generated six runs in the bottom of the seventh, five coming during Friday's play to come away with an 11-5 victory over Lewis-Clark State to claim the program's second national title in five years.
"I told our guys that I'm not sure if the first one or second one feels better, but I feel like this justifies that this is the best team in NAIA history," said coach
Adrian Dinkel.
The game restarted with the bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the seventh with Zach Diewart reaching on an error to bring home
Sam Faith.
Shamir Morales improved the lead to three with an RBI single to right field to bring home
Isaac Nunez.
It grew to five on a fielder's choice by
Thomas Broyles when a throw to the plate was wild and allowed Diewart and
Jose Marcano to come home. An
Abdel Guadalupe sacrifice fly brought
Adrian Mella home after courtesy running for Morales.
"These guys made my job really easy this year, we just put it out in front of them and they went and did it," said Dinkel. "I think that's why we have success was because we have guys that take it upon themselves to get it done."
Damien Torres picked up the win after getting the final out in the top of the seventh on Thursday and working a clean eighth, getting a strikeout and two flyouts and allowed just one hit.
"I told our coaches I wanted this game, get another shutdown inning for the boys and help us win the national championship," said Torres. "I just wanted to get out there, pound the zone, and throw strikes."
The Warriors (58-7) tried to make a run in the ninth, getting two on with hit by pitches but
Ronnie Voacolo closed the door with two strikeouts and a flyout to end the game.
Before the game was paused Thursday night, Nunez singled to center field to break a 5-5 tie. The Fire led 4-0 after the third on solo homers by
Gary Lora and
Abdel Guadalupe in the second and third innings.
Sam Faith added a two-run double later in the third. LCSC (58-6) plated five in the fifth, sending all nine to the plate to take the lead.
Faith hit a two-out single up the middle in the bottom half of the inning to score Guadalupe to tie the game.
Lora finished the game 4-for-5 with three runs scored and Faith was 3-for-5 with three RBIs. Nunez and Morales had two hits each.
Brian Fuentes was named the Tournament MVP, posting a .391 average over six games with five home runs, seven RBIs, and drew five walks.
"My mentality was to do everything I can and give it all to win the title and I'm glad I did," said Fuentes. "Without my teammates, I wouldn't be here."
