LEWISTON, Idaho –  [SCHEDULE | BRACKET] The fifth day of the 67th Annual NAIA World Series at Harris Field began with four teams in the hunt for the Red Banner. Hope International (Calif.) was victorious in the first game and due to the result of the night cap, they will advance automatically to the “if necessary” game on Friday. Reinhardt (Ga.) and Tennessee Wesleyan will play their sixth total game of the season.

No. 4 Hope International (Calif.) (44-16) defeats No. 2 Georgia Gwinnett (53-9), 15-11

• This was the second time in program history Hope International reached the World Series and the first time they won a game
• JJ Cruz started the game off with a bang as he blasted a three run homer to right center field in the top of the first
• Braxton Meguiar singled down the left line scoring Blaze O’Saben in the bottom of the first to cut it to a 3-1 count
• During their second at-bat, the Grizzlies blew open the game to take a 6-3 lead and added another pair in the bottom of the third inning
• HIU cut it to a 8-5 count in the top of the fifth inning on a Cruz double and a Derek Sims sacrifice fly
• Georgia Gwinnett countered right back with three RBI hits in a four batter span to lead 11-5
• Trailing by six suns, the Royals began the fifth inning with a Sims leadoff home run to left field before David Rivera hit a double to bring the score to 11-7
• HIU would add on another pair of runs to close it to an 11-9 gap as Cruz hit a double down the line and then Alex Moreno scoring on a wild pitch
• Hope International scored six runs in the top of the ninth, making it 10 total unanswered scores
• The first two were off a hit by pitch and a bases loaded walk before a Moreno single scored two more
• Alec Arnone singled to left field to give HIU a four run edge heading into the bottom of the ninth inning
• Cruz was 5-6 in the batter’s box to go along with five RBI and two scored runs and Rivera added 3-5 hitting with a pair of RBI and three runs scored
• For the Grizzlies, Cohen Wilbanks was 3-4 and Meguiar was 2-4 with four RBI and two runs
• Steven Ordorica (W, 3-1) was the fourth pitcher used in the game by the Royals
• Austin Testerman (L, 0-1) was given the decision after allowing five runs in the eighth and ninth innings after GGC starter Gage Williams went 7.2 innings allowing 15 hits
• The Royals have won four straight elimination bracket games

No. 6 Tennessee Wesleyan (45-16) defeats No. 5 Reinhardt (Ga.) (42-18),  6-2

• Entering the game, Reinhardt was 3-1 against Tennessee Wesleyan this season
• The first two innings between the conference foes were scoreless
• In the top of the third, Marco Martinez homered to left field too give the Bulldogs an early lead
• During the bottom of that same frame, Jarrett Burney singled to right field scoring Jacob Profit followed by Lance Dockery doubling to center field
• The 2-2 score remained until the top of the fifth when Braxton Turner’s left field single brought home the game winning run
• Later in the top of the eighth, Turner doubled to center field bringing in three total runs for the 6-2 final score
• Tennessee Wesleyan had the bases loaded with two outs punched in the bottom of the ninth, but a groundout to short stop ended the comeback attempt
• Turner was the start for the Bulldogs going 2-4 with four RBI while Cayle Webster, Kruise Newman, and Carson Ford each had two hits
• Reinhardt’s offense was guided by a pair of hits from Burney and Matty Maurer
• Daniel Davila (W, 8-4) nearly went complete game as he got all but one out, striking out 10
• Adam Cristopher (L, 2-2) pitched seven innings allowing three runs

COVERAGE               

The Championship Games will be streamed exclusively through ESPN3.