[Baseball] Williams Dominates as No. 2 USAO Drops No. 10 LCSC at NAIA World Series

LEWISTON, ID -€“ The No. 2 seed University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (47-10) opened the 2019 NAIA World Series with a commanding 6-2 victory over the host, No. 10 Lewis and Clark State College (35-14-1). 

The Drovers got on the scoreboard first, scoring once in the bottom of the third inning thanks to Cristian Laboy (JR/Yabucoa, Puerto Rico)'s solo homerun to center field. USAO extended the lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Warriors cut their deficit to 3-1 in the top of the sixth inning, but the Drovers answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. With the score 5-1, USAO added one more insurance run in the eighth inning. LCSC scored once in the top of the ninth, but it was far too little, too late as Colton Williams (JR/Houston, TX) finished the complete-game gem.

Colton Williams dominated the Warrior batters. Williams pitched all nine innings to improve his record to 16-0. The SAC Pitcher of the Year allowed only two earned runs as he struck out 11 batters. The junior from Houston, Texas owns a 1.23 earned run average and has struck out 132 batters in 102.2 innings pitched so far this season. Williams now leads the NAIA in batters struck out, wins, and he has the second lowest ERA in the nation, behind teammate Rudy Gonzalez (SR/Phoenix, AZ) (1.12 ERA).

Several Drovers had superb performances at the dish. Cristian Laboy finished the win 2-for-3 with a homer, a double, two runs scored, and he drove in one run. Luis Pelayo (JR/Santa Cruz, Aruba) contributed a 3-for-5 performance which included two doubles and two runs batted in. P.J. Garcia (SR/Glendale, AZ) also finished 3-for-5, and he added a run scored and a run batted in. 

Alex Sanchez (SR/New York, N.Y.) went 0-for-1, but he drove in a pair of runs with two sacrifice flies. Ian Laureano (JR/Toa Baja, P.R.) recorded a pair of singles as he went 2-for-4. Elvin Alamo (SR/Bayamon, Puerto Rico) turned in a 1-for-3 performance that included a double and a run scored, while Miguel Lorenzo (SR/Boston, MA) went 1-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Coleton Horner (SR/Turlock, CA) also added a single in the win.  

The Drovers will now prepare to face No. 6 seed St. Thomas University on Monday, May 27 at 9 PM CT in Lewiston, ID.