Weather permitting, the Final Four will take place today with an extra game added to the schedule to make up for the delay.
Fourth-ranked Lee University will take to Harris Field at 6 this evening against Embry-Ridlde (Fla.), the event’s No. 7 seed. A Flame victory would propel them into the evening’s nightcap.
In the 10 p.m. game, Coach Mark Brew’s crew would face Cumberland University. The second-seeded Bulldogs from Lebanon will battle Point Loma (Calif.) Nazarene in today’s opener at 3, but being the only team left in the double-elimination event without a loss, they will advance tonight’s finale regardless of the outcome of their first game of the day.
Should ninth-seeded Point Loma (41-19-1) find a way to solve the powerful bats of Cumberland (56-9), the California squad would advance to a tournament championship game on Friday.
If the Bulldogs continue their unbeaten streak, then they will face the Lee-Embry-Riddle winner for the title in tonight’s nightcap. A second championship game would be held Friday if the Flames or Eagles are able to tame the Bulldogs.
After a pair of wins to open its fourth straight World Series, Lee came up just short in a wild 11-9 shootout against Cumberland Tuesday in the winner’s bracket final. The Flames are now 51-11 going into today battle against the 47-18 squad from Daytona Beach.
Lee defeat the defending national champs from Lubbock Christian 7-6 in last Friday’s openiing round and then knock off top-ranked Lewis-Clark State 8-0 on their home field Monday before falling to Cumberland Tuesday.
Embry-Riddle slipped past Tennessee Wesleyan 3-2 in its opener before getting bitten by the Bulldogs in a 9-1 loss in the second round. The Eagles bounced back with an 8-4 victory over Bellhaven (Miss) and by eliminating Lewis-Clark State 10-7 Tuesday.
Cumberland’s potent bats have exploded for 28 runs in three victories with Lee being the only squad to score more than one run against the Bulldog pitching. Along with blasting Embry-Riddle in their first game, Cumberland blasted Oklahoma City by an 8-1 tally.
Point Loma claimed a 9-1 victory over Bellhaven to start the tournament before falling to the loser’s bracket with a 10-5 defeat to Lewis-Clark State. The Sea Lions from San Diego fought back with a 7-6 win over California Baptist and an 8-5 victory over Oklahoma City.
The World Series will be video-streamed live by NeuLion, the parent company of JumpTV.
George Starr and Jimmy Harper are broadcasting all Lee games on WCLE-FM 104.1.
