Dallas Baptist Eliminates SCC From NAIA World Series, 9-2

Jay Johnson led a balanced Dallas Baptist College hitting attack with three singles as the Indians eliminated Southern California College from the NAIA Baseball World Series at Lewis-Clark State College with a 9-2 semifinal victory Sunday.

The Indians had 14 hits but left 12 runners on base. After falling behind, 2-0, Dallas Baptist scored three runs in the second inning and two in the third to take a 5-2 lead. The Indians added four runs in the sixth.

Johnson finished 3 for 4 and scored three times. Teammate Charles Jackson went 2 for 5 with three RBIs and Dwight Thomas had three RBIs, two coming on a single in the sixth.

Ray Hydes, Cy Phillips and James Picha each added two hits.

Three Dallas Baptist pitchers combined for a six-hitter and allowed no earned runs.

Reliever Lester Lancaster (12-5) was the winner. He pitched 3 innings of one-hit ball. He beat freshman Randy Redburg (5-3).

Dallas Baptist starter Darren Hall gave up two runs on four hits, but both runs were unearned as the Indians committed three errors on the same play to allow SCC’s first run to score in the second inning. Howard Wellema’s single, which followed a double by Tim Collins, scored the Vanguards’ other run.

Dallas Baptist’s win keeps it alive in the tournament. The Indians join host Lewis-Clark and College of St. Francis of Joliet, Ill., as the remaining teams in the tourney.

SCC finished fourth in its first NAIA World Series visit.