SSAC News
Wed, May 3, 2006 - [Baseball]
“The tournament will feature some of the best teams from around the South,” Lowe declares. “The baseball will be as good as there is in the country.”
The April 26th national rankings support Lowe’s claim. There are three teams in the region that are ranked in the Top 25: AUM is ranked 6th, Belhaven College (Miss.) is 14th, and Lee University (Tenn.) is 17th. Louisiana State-Shreveport also received votes.
“The winner of our region will have a great chance of competing in the NAIA World Series,” said Lowe.
Region XIII consists of 23 teams from both the Southern States Athletic Conference, which features teams from Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee, and the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, which is made up of teams from Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. The regional tournament will feature both the SSAC and GCAC regular-season and conference tournament champions, along with two other at-large bids.
“When people think of college baseball around here, they only think of Alabama or Auburn,” says Lowe, “but they often forget that the NAIA has players that are just as good. The NAIA produces Major League Baseball talent year-in and year-out.”
There is a lengthy list of former NAIA players who have gone on to baseball greatness. Hall of Famers such as Harmon Killebrew, Lou Brock, Joe Morgan, Phil Niekro, Gaylord Perry and Vida Blue all played collegiate baseball in the NAIA. More recent stars, like Keith Foulke, Tony Womack, Tim Salmon and David Justice, also played at NAIA schools.
The tournament will not only be good for baseball fans, but it will also benefit the city of Montgomery.
“With five teams from different areas of the southeast and their fans staying at least two nights, eating and shopping around the city, it should help bring a little money and attention to our community,” said Lowe. “This tournament will give our area a wonderful opportunity to get some exposure from people around the region.”
That’s something we can all cheer about.
The April 26th national rankings support Lowe’s claim. There are three teams in the region that are ranked in the Top 25: AUM is ranked 6th, Belhaven College (Miss.) is 14th, and Lee University (Tenn.) is 17th. Louisiana State-Shreveport also received votes.
“The winner of our region will have a great chance of competing in the NAIA World Series,” said Lowe.
Region XIII consists of 23 teams from both the Southern States Athletic Conference, which features teams from Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee, and the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, which is made up of teams from Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. The regional tournament will feature both the SSAC and GCAC regular-season and conference tournament champions, along with two other at-large bids.
“When people think of college baseball around here, they only think of Alabama or Auburn,” says Lowe, “but they often forget that the NAIA has players that are just as good. The NAIA produces Major League Baseball talent year-in and year-out.”
There is a lengthy list of former NAIA players who have gone on to baseball greatness. Hall of Famers such as Harmon Killebrew, Lou Brock, Joe Morgan, Phil Niekro, Gaylord Perry and Vida Blue all played collegiate baseball in the NAIA. More recent stars, like Keith Foulke, Tony Womack, Tim Salmon and David Justice, also played at NAIA schools.
The tournament will not only be good for baseball fans, but it will also benefit the city of Montgomery.
“With five teams from different areas of the southeast and their fans staying at least two nights, eating and shopping around the city, it should help bring a little money and attention to our community,” said Lowe. “This tournament will give our area a wonderful opportunity to get some exposure from people around the region.”
That’s something we can all cheer about.
Written by William Whatley
Sports Information Intern
