Lubbock, Texas (April 9, 2008) – For the
first time since November 16, 2005, there is a new number-one ranked team atop
the NAIA Baseball Top 25 Poll, as today the NAIA announced Lubbock Christian
University as the new No. 1 team in the NAIA, taking the ranking away from
Lewis-Clark State College.
Lubbock Christian, with a record of 37-1
(21-0 in conference), steps into the top spot in the rankings for the first time
since the sixth rankings released during the 1984 season. The Chaps boosted
their point totals in the poll from the No. 2 spot following a three-game sweep
of No. 5 Oklahoma City University. The team is currently riding a school record
30-game winning streak after a Tuesday series sweep of College of the Southwest.
LCU ranks atop the NAIA in fielding percentage (97.2), third in slugging
percentage (0.618), fifth in runs allowed per game (3.1) and seventh in runs
scored per game (9.7).
Lewis-Clark State College held the
number-one spot for 25 consecutive ranking periods prior to today’s announced
rankings. The Chaps claimed 20 of the 21 possible first-place votes and earned
524 points, which is 35 points greater than LCSC. Lubbock Christian will play
their first game as the nationally top ranked team on Friday in Enid, Okla., as they open
a three-game Sooner Athletic Conference series against Northwestern Oklahoma State University with a double-header beginning
at 3 p.m. The contests will be aired online via LCUChaps.com and TSRNsports.com
presented by Partners Financial Group of Lubbock.
(courtesy: lcu)
