Blazers-Bees Game to Air on NLC Live TV Saturday

NLC LIVE TV

IRVING, Texas – Dallas College North Lake's baseball game against top-ranked Dallas College Eastfield Saturday will be televised on NLC Live TV.

North Lake's video technology department will broadcast its first baseball game this season. The TV broadcast operated and produced by students, under the direction of North Lake Video Technology Curriculum Committee Chair Greg Ruuska, began broadcasting live sporting events at the end of the men's basketball season this year for the first time since before the pandemic.

Saturday's Game 3 series finale against the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III No. 1-ranked Harvester Bees is scheduled to air with a pregame show before the noon first pitch. Chase Upton will handle the play-by-play, with Brayden Willoughby offering color commentary.

Eastfield (31-7, 13-1 Dallas Athletic Conference) is the two-time back-to-back league champion with two straight appearances in the NJCAA Division III championship game. Harvester Bees head coach Michael Martin is in his 23^rd year at the helm.

North Lake (14-21, 6-8) is 10-9 at home this season. Blazers first-year head coach Lance Fairchild was an assistant at Eastfield in both of the national runner-up seasons.

Eastfield won the first two games of the series. North Lake is seeking its first win since a 10-9 victory at Dallas College Brookhaven March 20.

GAME NOTES

Eastfield

• First team in NJCAA Division III to win 30 games this season
• Took over as No. 1 team in NJCAA DIII rankings this week (previously were ranked No. 2)
• Two-time national runner-up the past two seasons
• Head coach Michael Martin in his 23^rd season with the Harvester Bees. Took over as coach in the fall of 2001
• 1B Payton Poole leads the nation in RBI (50)
• P Tyler Do (Saturday's expected starter) is tied for second in the country in victories with 6. He's 6-0
• RF JJ Bush's seven home runs is tied for third in the country, tied for second in the DAC
• CF River Curs' 51 hits rank fifth among NJCAA Division III leaders

North Lake

• First-year head coach Lance Fairchild was an assistant at Eastfield during both of the last two NJCAA DIII runner-up seasons
• Fairchild will be squaring off against his former boss in Michael Martin
• Blazers first-year assistant coach Albert Najera was also an assistant coach at Eastfield the last two years
• SS Lincoln Skinner ranks second in the nation in stolen bases (27)
• 1B/C Michael Holden has 14 multi-hit games
• C/DH Noah Angus leads North Lake with five home runs
• In the last two DAC series, 1B/RF/DH Leo Salas has had a four-hit game (Richland) and a five-hit game (Brookhaven)
• 3B Robert Farr is coming off a career-best 4-for-4, two-RBI performance Friday against the No. 1 Harvester Bees