Lewiston, Idaho - It came down to the wire, but the top-seeded LC State Warriors prevailed over fourth-seeded UBC in the most important meeting between the two Cascade Conference foes this season. A three-run home run by Nick Seamons proved to be the difference in the 9-7 victory at the 2022 NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round on Monday evening. The Warriors advance in the winners bracket and will take on third-seeded Doane (Neb.) at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday while the Thunderbirds will meet the winner of Tuesday mornings game four matchup between No. 5 Saint Katherine and No. 2 Vanguard at 6 p.m. PT Tuesday evening.
  
A line drive to A.J. Davis on the first pitch started the game and a ranging defensive play by Riley Way at short helped keep UBC off the board in the top of the first. 
 
The Warriors struck first with a five-spot in the home half of the inning. Aidan Nagle sparked the big inning with a base hit up the middle and took second on a groundout. Luke White walked before Justin Mazzone and Zach Threlfall tallied back-to-back singles to give LC an edge. Nick Seamons stepped to the plate with two on and smashed a three-run shot over the signs in left center to give the Warriors a 5-0 lead after one inning.
 
Base hits by Pu'ukani De Sa and White put another run on the board for LC State in the second, and UBC brought a run across in the fourth to cut the lead to 6-1.
 
The Thunderbirds added on in the fifth with a two-run double off the bat of Noah Or.


 
LC State manufactured a pair of insurance runs in the next half inning, starting with a walk to Threlfall. Seamons singled up the middle and a sacrifice bunt by Davis moved both into scoring position. A wild pitch brought Threlfall across, and a walk to Way was followed by an RBI-single off the bat of Nagle. After five innings, the Warriors led 8-3.
 
Despite three strikeouts by Trent Sellers in the sixth, UBC tacked on a run to make it an 8-4 contest in favor of LC. Cameron Smith came on in the seventh and struck out a batter in a scoreless inning. 
 
Davis added to his hit-by-pitch record to start the bottom of the seventh and scored on a single through the right side by Nagle.
 
Trailing 9-4 in the seventh inning the T-Birds made a push to close the gap by scoring three runs to pull within two at 9-7 but that's as close as the visitors would come. Or led the way for the 'Birds at the plate registering two hits and three RBI, while Nathan Shute and Nolan Weger each added two hits and one RBI in the setback. 
  
 
Monday's Results:
Game 1 – No. 4 UBC def. No. 5 Saint Katherine (Calif.) 15-2
Game 2 – No. 3 Doane (Neb.) def. No. 2 Vanguard (Calif.) 3-1
Game 3 – No. 1 LC State (Idaho) def. No. 4 UBC 9-7
Tuesday's Games:
Game 4 – 11 a.m. | No. 5 Saint Katherine vs. No. 2 Vanguard
Game 5 – 2:30 p.m. | No. 3 Doane vs. No. 1 LC State
Game 6 – 6 p.m. | No. 4 UBC vs. G4 Winner
Wednesday's Games:
Game 7 – 11 a.m. | G6 Winner vs. G5 Loser
Game 8 – 2:30 p.m. |G5 Winner vs. G7 Winner (championship)
Thursday's Games:
Game 9 – 11 a.m. | If necessary (championship)