FAYETTE, Mo. – The word didn't come early on in the bracket announcement for a spot in the NAIA Baseball Opening Round, but when it did the Central Methodist University Eagles and their staff couldn't be happier as CMU secured a spot in the postseason fun again this season.
CMU received one of the 15 at-large bids and is one of the 45 teams that will open play on Monday at one of nine NAIA Opening Round sites. The Eagles will take an 11-hour bus ride this weekend to Lawrenceville, Ga. And be one of five teams to participate in the Lawrenceville Bracket double-elimination tournament next week.
Central Methodist (42-15) received the No. 3-seed in the bracket and will take on No. 2-seed Webber International (Fla.) University (38-15) in Game 2 on Monday at 2 p.m. CST at the Grizzly Baseball Complex. Game 1 will feature No. 4-seed The Master's (Calif.) (35-21) vs. No. 5 LSU-Shreveport (38-19) at 10 a.m. CST. The winner of that game will battle top-seeded and host Georgia Gwinnett (38-19) at 6 p.m. CST. All the games will be played at the Grizzly Baseball Complex and they will feature free live video and live stats at the links below.
FOLLOW THE GAME
MONDAY, MAY 15 – NAIA Lawrenceville Opening Round
#3 Central Methodist (42-15) vs. #2 Webber International (Fla.), 2 p.m. CST
For FREE live video – CLICK HERE
For FREE live stats – CLICK HERE
Current Central Methodist Statistics – CLICK HERE
Current Webber International Statistics – CLICK HERE
Central Methodist Roster – CLICK HERE
Webber International Roster – CLICK HERE
Final Regular Season Poll – CLICK HERE
NAIA Opening Round Schedule/Results – CLICK HERE
Lawrenceville Opening Round Central – CLICK HERE
Lawrenceville Opening Round Bracket – CLICK HERE
The winner of the tournament will be crowned either Wednesday or Thursday and then advance to the 61st Annual Avista-NAIA Baseball World Series in Lewiston, Idaho on May 26-June 2.
"We're excited," said CMU head baseball coach Nate Breland. "You play all year to try to get one of the auto bids in your league. And when you don't get one, you hope that you've done enough during the season, resume-wise, to impress enough people so that you can receive an at-large bid.
"I'm proud of my guys, I'm proud of my coaches and I'm proud of the system here at CMU and we're excited to get going."
Breland said the long road trip to Georgia won't phase his team a bit; the Eagles are just glad they are living to play another day.
"We spent all of February on the road, so it wouldn't be too bad to get back on the road for us. I think the guys enjoy the hotels. And they are fired up right now. They are only 3-4 wins away from Lewiston (Idaho) and it really re-ignites the fire here at the end of the season."
Breland said getting one of the top three seeds is a distinct advantage going in.
"It's a big advantage," Breland explained. "Last year we went down to Faulkner (Ala.) and had to play in that early game in the morning and then turn around and play No. 1 Faulkner later that night. So if you can get in that No. 1, 2 or 3 seed in this tournament it's an advantage. But it also means your first game is against a really good team."
Three of the five teams in the Lawrenceville Bracket are nationally ranked at the end of the regular season. Georgia Gwinnett, which qualified as the Association of Independent Institutions Tournament Champion, is ranked No. 14. The Grizzlies are making their fourth appearance in the tournament and are 9-5 all-time in the opening round. They won an Opening Round tournament once.
Central Methodist, which was ranked as high as No. 5 in the nation this season, coming in at No. 15. The Eagles are making their third trip to the NAIA Opening Round and are 1-4 all-time. CMU will be looking for its first Opening Round tournament title.
Webber International also received an at-large bid to the tournament. The Warriors are ranked No. 17 in the nation and are making their first appearance in the Opening Round.
The Master's (Calif.) is unranked, but have a strong record. The Mustangs advanced because they were the Golden State Athletic Conference Tournament Champion. They are making their sixth appearance and are 7-6 all-time, winning a pair of Opening Round tournaments.
LSU-Shreveport is the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament Champion and is making its ninth appearance in the Opening Round. The Pilots are 14-12 in Opening Round play, having advanced to the World Series twice in the past.
LAWRENCEVILLE BRACKET
(5-Team Double-Elimination)
Monday, May 15
FIRST ROUND
GM 1: #4 The Master's (Calif.) (35-21) vs. #5 LSU-Shreveport (38-19), 10 a.m. CST
GM 2: #2 Webber International (Fla.) (38-15) vs. #3 Central Methodist (Mo.) (42-15), 2 p.m. CST
GM 3: #1 Georgia Gwinnett (38-19) vs. Winner of Game 1, 6 p.m. CST
Tuesday, May 16
GM 4: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2, 10 a.m. CST (elimination game)
SECOND ROUND
GM 5: Winner of Game 2 vs. Winner of Game 3, 2 p.m. CST
GM 6: Winner of Game 4 vs. Loser of Game 3, 6 p.m. CST (elimination game)
Wednesday, May 17
GM 7: Loser of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6, 10 a.m. CST (elimination game)
CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND
GM 8: Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 7, 2 p.m. CST
Thursday, May 18 (if necessary)
CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 2
GM 9: Teams play again if neither team has 2 losses, 11 a.m. CST
CMU Baseball Contact: John Krueger
Phone: 936-332-9332 | jkrueger@centralmethodist.edu
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Website: www.CMUEagles.com
