2017 NCAA Division III Baseball Tournament

The 2017 NCAA Division III Baseball Tournament was played at the end of the 2017 NCAA Division III baseball season to determine the 42nd national champion of college baseball at the NCAA Division III level. The tournament concluded with eight teams competing at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute, Wisconsin for the championship. Eight regional tournaments were held to determine the participants in the World Series. Regional tournaments were contested in double-elimination format, with four regions consisting of six teams, and four consisting of eight, for a total of 56 teams participating in the tournament. The tournament champion was Cal Lutheran, who defeated Washington & Jefferson in the championship series in three games.[1][2]

2017 NCAA Division III
Baseball Tournament

Season	2017
Teams	56
Finals site	Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium Grand Chute, Wisconsin
Champions	Cal Lutheran (1st title)
Runner-up	Washington & Jefferson
,

On Sunday, May 21, Cal Lutheran Kingsmen advanced to the Div. III College World Series for the first time since 1999, with a 9-7 victory over Concordia University Texas. The team historically finished third in 1999 and were the runner-up in 1992 and 1996. The team started strong in the World Series, beating Wheaton College 4-2 and taking 14-5 and 10-8 decisions over North Central College. This meant Cal Lutheran was in the best of three championship series against Washington & Jefferson College.[3][4][5] The team was led by head coach Marty Slimak for the 24th year. Slimak had played in the DIII College World Series five times before and had helped his team to the national championship game twice.[6]

On May 30, Cal Lutheran won its first baseball championship after defeating Washington & Jefferson College Presidents 7-3 in the decisive third game at the Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton, Wisconsin. CLU had to win twice on Tuesday, May 30, in order to win the championship title. Kingsmen player Miguel Salud of the Philippines was named the SCIAC Most Outstanding Player.[7][8][9] He was also an NCAA Div. III West All-Region Third-Team pick and a SCIAC second-team pick.[10]

It was Salud’s first and only season of collegiate baseball at CLU. As a closer, Salud led the Div. III nation in saves with fourteen. He delivered six saves in ten playoff games during the postseason play. Salud played a key role in the team winning their first World Series.[11][12] He appeared in 33 games, second-most for Div. III players that season, and went on to earn fourteen saves with a 3-2 record. Cal Lutheran finished with a 40-11 record for the season.[13] Another Kingsmen player, Brad Fullerton, finished with a tournament-best 11 hits to help CLU win the Div. III College World Series.[14]

The Kingsmen earned the second Division III National Title in the university’s history, joining the 2015 women’s volleyball team.[15][16] The 40-11 season was the best in team history and included a 5th straight SCIAC regular season title.[17]

Bids

The 56 competing teams were: [18]

By conference

Conference	Total	Schools
American Southwest Conference	2	Concordia (TX), Texas–Tyler
Empire 8	2	Ithaca, St. John Fisher
Little East Conference	2	UMass–Boston, Southern Maine
MAC Commonwealth Conference	2	Alvernia, Arcadia
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference	2	Macalester, St. Thomas (MN)
New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference	2	Babson, Wheaton (MA)
New Jersey Athletic Conference	2	Rowan, TCNJ
North Coast Athletic Conference	2	DePauw, Wooster
Old Dominion Athletic Conference	2	Roanoke, Shenandoah
St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference	2	Greenville, Webster
Southern Athletic Association	2	Birmingham–Southern, Rhodes
State University of New York Athletic Conference	2	Oswego, Cortland
University Athletic Association	2	Emory, Washington (MO)
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference	2	Wisconsin–La Crosse, Wisconsin–Whitewater
Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference	1	La Roche
Capital Athletic Conference	1	Salisbury
Centennial Conference	1	Johns Hopkins
College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin	1	North Central (IL)
Colonial States Athletic Conference	1	Keystone
Commonwealth Coast Conference	1	Salve Regina
Great Northeast Athletic Conference	1	Suffolk
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference	1	Earlham
Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference	1	Wartburg
Landmark Conference	1	Elizabethtown
Liberty League	1	RIT
Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference	1	Worcester State
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association	1	Adrian
MAC Freedom Conference	1	Misericordia
Midwest Conference	1	St. Norbert
New England Collegiate Conference	1	Lesley
New England Small College Athletic Conference	1	Tufts
North Atlantic Conference	1	Castleton
North Eastern Athletic Conference	1	Penn State–Berks
Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference	1	Concordia (IL)
Northwest Conference	1	Linfield
Ohio Athletic Conference	1	Otterbein
Presidents' Athletic Conference	1	Washington & Jefferson
Skyline Conference	1	SUNY Maritime
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference	1	Cal Lutheran
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference	1	Centenary
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference	1	St. Scholastica
USA South Athletic Conference	1	LaGrange
Independents	0	none

Regionals

Bold indicates winner. [19]

Midwest Regional

Prucha Field at James B. Miller Stadium-Whitewater, WI (Host: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater)

	First Round/Elimination Round 1					Second Round/Elimination Round 2					Semifinals/Elimination Semifinals					Elimination Finals					Finals
	Winner's Bracket
	4	Wisconsin–Whitewater	4
	5	St. Norbert	2
							Wisconsin–Whitewater	2
							Wisconsin–La Crosse	5
	1	St. Scholastica	2
	8	Wisconsin–La Crosse	11
												Wisconsin–La Crosse	0
												Concordia (IL)	14
	3	Adrian	5
	6	St. Thomas (MN)	2
							Adrian	2
							Concordia (IL)	7
	2	Concordia (IL)	8
	7	Macalester	3																			Concordia (IL)	17	—
																						Wisconsin–La Crosse	3	—
	Loser's Bracket
		St. Norbert	0
		St. Scholastica	2				Adrian	8
							St. Scholastica	11
												St. Scholastica	5
		St. Thomas (MN)	3									St. Thomas (MN)	10				Wisconsin–La Crosse	8
		Macalester	2^11				Wisconsin–Whitewater	2									St. Thomas (MN)	3
							St. Thomas (MN)	7

Mideast Regional

Ross Memorial Park-Washington, PA (Host: Washington & Jefferson College)

	First Round/Elimination Round 1					Second Round/Elimination Round 2					Semifinals/Elimination Semifinals					Elimination Finals					Finals
	Winner's Bracket
	1	Wooster	2
	8	Earlham	6
							Earlham	6
							Washington & Jefferson	15
	4	Washington & Jefferson	12
	5	Misericordia	7
												Washington & Jefferson	8
												Keystone	4
	3	La Roche	2
	6	Keystone	5
							Keystone	10
							DePauw	3
	2	Cortland	5
	7	DePauw	8																			Washington & Jefferson	6	6
																						Corltand	7	3
	Loser's Bracket
		Wooster	12
		Misericordia	0				DePauw	13
							Wooster	4
												DePauw	0
		La Roche	2									Cortland	9				Keystone	4
		Cortland	10				Earlham	0									Cortland	22
							Cortland	5

New York Regional

Onondaga Baseball Complex-Syracuse, NY (Host: State University of New York Athletic Conference)

	First Round					Second Round/Elimination Round 1					Semifinals/Elimination Semifinals					Elimination Finals					Finals
	1	Oswego	11
	6	Ithaca	10				Oswego	1
							Tufts	0
	2	TCNJ	4									Oswego	6
	5	Tufts	3									Southern Maine	4
							TCNJ	1														Oswego	6	9
							Southern Maine	10														Southern Maine	7	4
	3	Southern Maine	5														Southern Maine	4
	4	Castleton	3									TCNJ	4				Ithaca	0
							Ithaca	5				Ithaca	9
							Castleton	2

South Regional

American Legion Field-Danville, VA (Host: Averett University)

	First Round					Second Round/Elimination Round 1					Semifinals/Elimination Semifinals					Elimination Finals					Finals
	1	Salisbury	5
	6	Roanoke	15				Roanoke	4
							Emory	2
	2	Rowan	10									Roanoke	5
	5	Emory	2									LaGrange	2
							Rowan	5														Roanoke	6	13
							LaGrange	12														Salisbury	7	5
	3	LaGrange	7														LaGrange	2
	4	Otterbein	1									Rowan	7				Salisbury	4
							Salisbury	6				Salisbury	8^11
							Otterbein	4

New England Regional

Whitehouse Field-Harwich, MA (Host: Massachusetts Maritime Academy)

	First Round/Elimination Round 1					Second Round/Elimination Round 2					Semifinals/Elimination Semifinals					Elimination Finals					Finals
	Winner's Bracket
	4	UMass–Boston	9
	5	Penn State–Berks	8^10
							UMass–Boston	4
							Babson	0
	1	Salve Regina	3
	8	Babson	14
												UMass–Boston	13
												Suffolk	4
	3	St. John Fisher	0
	6	Suffolk	4
							Suffolk	1
							Arcadia	0^11
	2	Arcadia	4
	7	Worcester State	3^12																			UMass–Boston	11	—
																						Babson	8	—
	Loser's Bracket
		Penn State–Berks	4
		Salve Regina	12				Arcadia	0
							Salve Regina	5
												Salve Regina	4
		St. John Fisher	14									Babson	5				Suffolk	1
		Worcester State	7				Babson	12									Babson	9
							St. John Fisher	8

Central Regional

GCS Ballpark-Sauget, IL (Host: Webster College)

	First Round					Second Round/Elimination Round 1					Semifinals/Elimination Semifinals					Elimination Finals					Finals
	1	Birmingham–Southern	14
	6	Greenville	6				Birmingham–Southern	6
							Webster	4
	2	Wartburg	3									Birmingham–Southern	0
	5	Webster	0									North Central (IL)	5
							Wartburg	3														North Central (IL)	3	—
							North Central (IL)	8														Birmingham–Southern	2^11	—
	3	Washington (MO)	1														Birmingham–Southern	6
	4	North Central (IL)	3									Wartburg	1				Wartburg	1
							Greenville	1				Washington (MO)	0^12
							Washington (MO)	7

West Regional

Irwin Field-Tyler, TX (Host: University of Texas at Tyler)

	First Round					Second Round/Elimination Round 1					Semifinals/Elimination Semifinals					Elimination Finals					Finals
	1	Texas–Tyler	2
	6	Rhodes	7				Rhodes	11
							Linfield	7
	2	Centenary	12									Rhodes	8
	5	Linfield	1									Cal Lutheran	10
							Centenary	2														Cal Lutheran	9	—
							Cal Lutheran	8														Concordia (TX)	7	—
	3	Cal Lutheran	6														Rhodes	4
	4	Concordia (TX)	3									Centenary	4				Concordia (TX)	6
							Texas–Tyler	2				Concordia (TX)	13
							Concordia (TX)	5

Mid-Atlantic Regional

PeoplesBank Park-York, PA (Host: Middle Atlantic Conferences)

	First Round/Elimination Round 1					Second Round/Elimination Round 2					Semifinals/Elimination Semifinals					Elimination Finals					Finals
	Winner's Bracket
	4	Johns Hopkins	15
	5	Lesley	2
							Johns Hopkins	13
							Alvernia	9
	1	RIT	4
	8	Alvernia	8
												Johns Hopkins	1
												Wheaton (MA)	6
	3	Wheaton (MA)	8
	6	Elizabethtown	6
							Wheaton (MA)	6
							Shenandoah	0
	2	Shenandoah	5
	7	SUNY Maritime	3																			Wheaton (MA)	4	1
																						Shenandoah	5	0
	Loser's Bracket
		Lesley	6
		RIT	5^15				Shenandoah	4
							Lesley	1
												Shenandoah	8
		Elizabethtown	13									Alvernia	6				Johns Hopkins	2
		SUNY Maritime	5				Alvernia	11									Shenandoah	4
							Elizabethtown	1

World Series

Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium-Grand Chute, WI (Host: University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh/Lawrence University/Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau) [20]

	First Round/Elimination Round 1					Second Round/Elimination Finals					Semifinals						Championship Series
	MW2	Concordia (IL)	2
	ME4	Washington & Jefferson	4
							Washington & Jefferson	11
							Roanoke	1
	NY1	Oswego	7
	S6	Roanoke	8
												Washington & Jefferson	8	—
											Roanoke	1	—
		Concordia (IL)	9
		Oswego	4
							Roanoke	10
							Concordia (IL)	3
																	Washington & Jefferson	12	4	3
																	Cal Lutheran	2	12	7
	NE4	UMass–Boston	2
	C4	North Central (IL)	5
							North Central (IL)	5
							Cal Lutheran	14
	W3	Cal Lutheran	4
	MA3	Wheaton (MA)	2
												Cal Lutheran	10	—
											North Central (IL)	8	—
		UMass–Boston	3
		Wheaton (MA)	2
							North Central (IL)	5
							UMass–Boston	4

References

1. "Cal Lutheran wins Game 3 to claim first national title". NCAA. May 31, 2017. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
2. "Kingsmen trump Presidents to ascend throne". d3baseball.com. May 30, 2017. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
3. https://www.thesciac.org/sports/bsb/2016-17/releases/CLU_WS
4. https://www.toacorn.com/articles/say-cheese-clu-wins-world-series/
5. https://www.vcstar.com/amp/343610001
6. https://www.callutheran.edu/news/story.html?id=13344#story
7. https://fox11online.com/sports/college/kingsmen-sweep-presidents-to-win-first-ncaa-baseball-title
8. https://www.callutheran.edu/news/story.html?id=13380#story
9. https://www.thesciac.org/sports/bsb/2016-17/releases/CLU_National_Champs
10. https://www.latimes.com/socal/glendale-news-press/sports/tn-gnp-sp-update-20170531-story.html
11. https://www.latimes.com/socal/glendale-news-press/sports/tn-gnp-sp-update-20170531-story.html
12. https://www.callutheran.edu/news/story.html?id=13375#story
13. https://www.callutheran.edu/news/story.html?id=13375#story
14. https://www.vcstar.com/story/sports/college/2017/05/31/cal-lutheran-wins-division-iii-college-world-series-title-first-time/357128001/
15. https://www.latimes.com/socal/glendale-news-press/sports/tn-gnp-sp-update-20170531-story.html
16. https://www.callutheran.edu/news/story.html?id=13344#story
17. https://www.latimes.com/socal/glendale-news-press/sports/tn-gnp-sp-update-20170531-story.html
18. "2017 NCAA Division III baseball championship selections revealed". NCAA. May 15, 2017. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
19. "2017 Division III Regionals". Baseball Reference. May 23, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
20. "2017 Division III College World Series". Baseball Reference. June 1, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2017.