After facing a setback in their inaugural match of the 2024 Avista NAIA World Series, Hope International University has transformed Harris Field into a stronghold, maintaining an impressive unbeaten streak on this field.
This past Tuesday, the Royals, currently ranked fourth in the nation, displayed their dominance by decisively defeating the Lewis-Clark State Warriors 12-1. The game ended via mercy rule during the Opening Round of the NAIA Championship presented by Avista.
With this triumph, Hope International elevated its record to an impressive 45-8, demonstrating their determination as they pursue back-to-back national titles. The Royals have now won all seven of their games at the Lewiston venue since their early loss to Reinhardt in the same series, a defeat that subsequently sparked their journey through the elimination bracket to ultimately secure victory.
Conversely, the loss posed a significant challenge for Lewis-Clark State (36-15), who are now faced with the daunting task of avoiding any more defeats if they wish to keep their hopes for the World Series alive.
The Warriors will be back in action today against No. 22 Wayland Baptist in a critical first-round rematch, scheduled for 2:30 p.m. They suffered a 9-1 defeat to this team just the day before.
A Challenging Day for LC State
The match on Tuesday presented numerous hurdles for the Warriors, as they encountered difficulties in multiple facets of their game. Their pitching staff allowed nine earned runs, while defensive mistakes totaled three errors, severely affecting their overall performance. Offensively, they only managed three hits throughout the contest.
Starting pitcher Jantzen Lucas struggled significantly, yielding seven runs (four earned) over four innings on seven hits. In relief, Tucker Grote faced similar challenges, giving up five earned runs in his three innings alongside seven more hits.
The slip-ups in defense only exacerbated the pitching issues, with two errors from second baseman Izzy Madariaga and another from third baseman Dominic Signorelli. These mistakes opened the door for the Royals to take an early command of the game.
Madariaga’s first error occurred in the opening inning when he mishandled a throw in an attempt to initiate a double play, allowing two runners to safely advance. A subsequent single by the Royals marked the game’s initial run.
Later, Signorelli’s ill-timed throw while attempting another double play permitted a runner to move forward, leading to an additional run crossing the plate that widened Hope International’s lead to 2-0.
On the offensive side, the Warriors were largely ineffective. Charlie Updegrave recorded their only hit in the first inning with a single, and it wasn’t until the fifth inning that Ike George added another hit, managing a single that slipped past the infield.
LC State’s offense failed to maximize their chances, stranding eight runners, many of whom had reached base via walks and hit-by-pitches.
Hope International’s Rise
