BY: Taylor Thomas, Cooper Carter, and Robby Gutierrez
SOUTH TEXAS- So as the Opening Round begins let’s put the numbers of being in the Opening Round in perspective. Per the great Denny Grubb the expert on all things NAIA Baseball World Series, since the Opening Round style tournament started in 2009 the #1 seeded teams win their bracket 60% of the time for a total of 83 times that has happened. #2 and #3 seeds have won nearly the same amount of times at 24 and 22 respectively. The #4 seed has won a total of 8 times, meanwhile the #5 seed has 1 Opening Round win ever in 2016 when Point (GA) won the Savannah Bracket defeating #4 Taylor 8-1, #1 Campbellsville 7-2, #2 USC-Beaufort 6-5, and then won a 2-1 if necessary game vs #1 Campbellsville 2-1. The moral of the story is postseason baseball is everything we love about the game! It’s unpredictable, the passion, the games, everything matters. Every pitch, every play, and every moment can make or break a team’s season. This is why we love the game! This is NAIA Ball so let’s quit wasting time and let’s talk about each and every team in each and every bracket.
Hattiesburg Bracket
1) William Carey (Hattiesburg, Mississippi): SSAC (38-12/ 24-6) Team avg .328 Team ERA 5.22
– Hitters To Watch:
RF Deejay Booth – .407 59 H 13 2B 5 3B 45 RBI
CF Josh Alexander – .310 63 H 16 2B 14 HR 77 RBI (6th in the nation)
- Pitchers To Watch:
P Luke Lycette – 6-1 16 app 61.1 IP 3.38 ERA 71 K 33 BB 1.43 WHIP
SP Matthew Davis 6-2 10 GS 50 IP 3.78 ERA 58 K 26 BB 1.30 WHIP
Offense will grab the headlines for this Crusaders club that earned a host bid at Milton Wheeler Field for a third straight season. All nine hitters in the lineup boast an average over .300, and in the friendly confines of their home stadium should show up yet again. Deejay Booth sets the table for this lethal offense with an absurd OBP % of .560 which sets up both Josh Alexander and Rigoberto Hernandez with plenty of RBI opportunities. Under the guidance of the nation’s active wins leader in Head Coach Bobby Halford, WCU will need to once again rely heavily on their vaunted lineup to make a return trip to Lewiston. Arkansas Little-Rock transfer Matthew Davis has worked back from an injury and is trending back to being the guy that was advertised at the start of the season. Do-it-all veterans in Luke Lycette and Bobby Magee have continued to step up in whatever role has been asked of them throughout their careers, and we can expect much of the same from them in the postseason. If the Crusaders can answer some questions on the mound, this lineup will be a tough out for any opponent.
2) Oklahoma Wesleyan (Bartlesville, Oklahoma): KCAC (46-9/ 30-6) Team avg .348 Team ERA 5.29
- Hitters To Watch:
CF Ravaughan Morgan (KCAC POTY) .415 88 H 22 2B 14 HR 69 RBI
1B Victor Sanchez .374 79 H 15 2B 18 HR 71 RBI
- Pitchers To Watch
SP Evan Foor 13-1 15 GS 94.2 IP 3.52 ERA 89 K 18 BB 1.26 WHIP
SP Michael Mendoza 10-2 16 GS 83.2 IP 95 K 24 BB 1.20 WHIP
This OKWU club features one of the most feared lineups in the country as their team average of .348 ranks 11th in the country and 2nd in runs scored with 588 on the season. Ravaughn Morgan is one of the best leadoff men in the country and powers a lineup that features eight hitters with an average over .330, and seven of those with an average over .350 on the season. It is no secret as to why Head Coach Kirk Kelley had this team in contention to be a 1 seed, and despite losing in their conference tournament should bring that potent lineup into Hattiesburg with a chip on their shoulder. Much like the host school, the Eagles will need to have multiple arms step up if they want to make a trip to Lewiston for the first time since 2021. Evan Foor is tied for the national lead with 13 wins and was just named KCAC Pitcher Of The Year for his efforts, and OKWU will need him to be great again on the road next week. Michael Mendoza leads the staff with 95 strikeouts, and as we all know come postseason time if you can get depth from your starting pitching, your chances of success increase drastically.
3) British Columbia (Vancouver, BC): CCC (36-17/ 29-8) Team avg .317 Team ERA 5.54
- Hitters To Watch:
LF Jonny McGill .406 80 H 18 2B 16 HR 51 RBI
1B Trent Lenihan .356 73 H 14 2B 15 HR 60 RBI
- Pitchers To Watch:
SP Will Anderson 6-1 12 GS 75 IP 2.76 ERA 69 K 16 BB 1.23 WHIP
SP Ryan Heppner 7-2 13 GS 68.1 IP 4.35 ERA 73 K 22 BB 1.26 WHIP
Canada’s Team makes the opening round for a 5th straight year and will bring a veteran lineup on the 2,700 mile trip to Mississippi. Seven different hitters in this lineup have recorded 10+ 2B this season as Jonny McGill, Trent Lenihan and Aaron Marsh all come in with an average over .350 on the year. They have drawn over 300 free passes on the year which speaks to the veteran heavy offense and is something to monitor as we enter the Opening Round. On the mound, it all starts with LHP Will Anderson who features maybe the best changeup in the NAIA and looks to continue to add to the elite arms that have come out of this T-Birds program over recent years. The pitching staff really doesn’t hurt themselves having only issued 189 BB in 448.1 IP as a whole this year. If the experience travels across the country next week, we could see UBC make some serious noise down in the south.
4) IU-Southeast (New Albany, Indiana): RSC (30-16/ 17-6) Team avg .322 Team ERA 5.92
- Hitters To Watch:
RF Nolan Bowser .366 41 H 5 2B 24 RBI
2B Logan Beard .361 57 H 14 2B 9 HR 58 RBI
- Pitchers To Watch:
SP Brendan Whalen 6-2 10 GS 63 IP 3.71 ERA 40 K 8 BB 1.25 WHIP
SP Luca Sandrella 6-2 12 GS 55.2 IP 4.85 ERA 44 K 16 BB 1.49 WHIP
We will for sure be seeing a World Series rematch on Day 1 when the Grenadiers take on host William Carey (MS) as the two squared off in the first game of their respective trips to Lewiston last season that saw IU-Southeast win 6-5. After being a favorite to make a return trip for most of the regular season, we have seen this Grenadiers squad struggle down the stretch which is why they come in as the #4 seed in this bracket. While saying that, we also know this team under the guidance of Head Coach Brett Neffendorf has that postseason experience to fall back on as they look to right the ship and hopefully return to Harris Field. RSC Freshman Of The Year Luca Sandrella will back up Brendan Whalen in the rotation, and the duo will be tested in a bracket that is LOADED with offense. Under a coach like Neffendorf, expect to see a dangerous #4 seed in this Hattiesburg Bracket, which is the only bracket to feature all ranked teams from the final regular season coach’s poll and has all the makings to deliver a classic from first pitch.
Kingsport Bracket
#1 – Tennessee Wesleyan (Athens, TN), Appalachian Athletic Conference, Overall 42-11, Conference 23-7, Team Average: .380, Team ERA: 5.21, Daniel Stewart .449, 88 H, 37 R, 19 HR, & 72 RBI. Kolton Reynolds .407, 72 H, 66 R, 23 HR, & 66 RBI. Christian Delashmit 2.95 ERA, 5-0, 16 GP, 39 SO, & 1 SV. Daniel Batcher 4.52 ERA, 11-1, 14 GP, & 53 SO
Opened the season up going 3-0 against top 25 ranked teams. Would also sweep #6 Reinhardt early in the season.Would go on and win the AAC conference tournament.
#2 – Cumberland (Lebanon, TN), Mid-South Conference, Overall 37-16-1, Conference 13-5, Team Average: .334, Team ERA: 5.06, Preston Welchel .360, 67 H, 56 R, 10 HR, & 56 RBI. Wilser Then .344, 62 H, 50 R, 13 HR, & 59 RBI. Carter Rost 2.60 ERA, 9-0, 15 GP, & 77 SO. Quinlan Wiley 2.89 ERA, 7-2, 14 GP, & 81 SO.
MSC tournament champions. Won both their series against #7 Cumberlands late in the season. Winless against Tennessee Wesleyan who is also in their bracket.
#3 – Columbia (Columbia, MO), American Midwest Conference, Overall 41-9, Conference 31-5, Team Average: .369, Team ERA: 4.11, Brayden McGinnis – 4.79, 78 H, 58 R, 19 HR, & 79 RBI. Tyler Renn .442, 72 H, 32 R, 15 HR, & 56 RBI. Owen Clark 2.08 ERA, 8-0, 12 GP, & 74 SO. Pierce Hartmann 3.02 ERA, 8-2, 12 GP, & 49 SO.
Split series against conference champion MOBAP 2-2 early in the season. They were swept 2-0 in the conference tournament.
#4 – Indiana Tech (Fort Wayne, IN), Warrior-Hoosier Athletic Conference, Overall 37-19, Conference 20-8, Team Average: .312, Average ERA: 5.15, Ben Morrison .388, 71 H, 52 R, 8 HR, & 50 RBI. Jordan Maloff .350, 70 H, 44 R, 11 HR, & 61 RBI. Grant Besser 2.59 ERA, 6-1, 12 GP, 77 SO, & 1 SV. Colton Leatherman 2.08 ERA, 5-1, 18 GP, 38 SO, & 2 SV.
WHAC tournament champions. Zero wins against top 25 teams in the season. Swept by #16 IU Southeast.
#5 – Louisiana Christian (Pineville, LA), Red River Conference, Overall 29-24, Conference 16-14, Team Average: .298, Team ERA: 4.75, Braden McLin – .350, 35 H, 22 R, 3 HR, & 16 RBI. Harrison Waxley .329, 49 H, 23 R, 2 HR, & 38 RBI. Jacob Bareswill 3.21 ERA, 6-2, 16 GP, & 55 SO. Cy Fontenot 4.20 ERA, 4-5, 15 GP, & 67 SO.
Runner-up in the RRC tournament to LSUS. Lowest team BA of the bracket.
Lakeland Bracket
#1 – Southeastern (Lakeland, FL), Sun Conference, Overall 43-13, Conference, 18-10, Team Average: .344, Team ERA: 4.60, Jon Paul Penella .441, 90 H, 70 R, 0 HR, & 47 RBI. Connor Hicks .405, 77 H, 30 R, 11 HR, & 69 RBI. Aaron Robertson 1.85 ERA, 9-2, 13 GP, 99 SO, & 1.01 WHIP. Reece Wissinger 3.03 ERA, 7-0, 11 GP, 78 SO, & .99 WHIP.
Began the season 6-0 against top 25 teams. Won the series against Webber Int in the season and then lost to them in the conference tournament.
#2 – Central Methodist (Fayette, MO), Heart of America Athletic Conference, Overall 35-13, Conference 25-7. Team Average: .362, Team ERA: 5.83, Kyle Williams .406, 69 H, 60 R, 11 HR, & 48 RBI. Ryan Malzahn .402, 66 H, 57 R, 13 HR, & 61 RBI. Foster Seitz 3.27 ERA, 11-3, 14 GP, 63 SO, 1.17 WHIP. Landon Winingham 5.27 ERA, 2-2, 21 GP, 43 SO, & 1.51 WHIP.
HEART conference tournament champions. Nine players named HEART all conference.
#3 – Arizona Christian (Glendale, AZ), Great Southwest Athletic Conference, Overall 39-14-1, Conference 16-8. Team Average: .322, Team ERA: 4.37, Trey Tarver .387, 74 H, 63 R, 17 HR, & 78 RBI. Andrew Ivy .374, 70 H, 71 R, 5 HR, & 38 RBI. Frank Wierman 3.56 ERA, 8-1, 15 GP, 93 SO, & 1.39 WHIP.
Runner-up in the GSAC tournament. Swept Briar Cliff (in the same bracket) 3-0 in the season.
#4 – Abraham Baldwin (Tifton, GA), Southern States Athletic Conference, Overall 35-14, Conference 19-11. Team Average: .292, Team ERA: 5.63, Quinten Rawls .396, 72 H, 62 R, 5 HR, & 49 RBI. Christofer Walley .303, 50 H, 40 R, 18 HR, 63 RBI. Kade Haywood 4.27 ERA, 6-6, 14 GP, 72 SO, 1.29 WHIP. Reign Jordan 6.08 ERA, 7-3, 14 GP, 58 SO, 1.53 WHIP.
First year as an NAIA program. Played against zero top 25 teams in the season.
#5 – Briar Cliff (Sioux City, IA), Great Plains Athletic Conference, Overall 28-22, Conference 17-11, Team Average: .304, Team ERA: 6.62, Diego Trujillo .375, 63 H, 44 R, 4 HR, & 37 RBI. Nico Sall .369, 59 H, 38 R, 14 HR, & 57 RBI. Nick Hays 3.82, 7-2, 14 GP, 50 SO, 1.43 WHIP. Carter Schorg 4.66 ERA, 5-4, 12 GP, 53 SO, 1.45 WHIP.
GPAC tournament champions. Upsetted and knocked out CUNE from the GPAC tournament. Beat them in a three game series 2-3 in the conference tournament.
Lawrenceville Bracket
1) Georgia Gwinnett (Lawrenceville, Georgia): CAC (49-4/ 8-0) Team avg .383 Team ERA 3.70
- Hitters To Watch:
RF Alex Harrell .473 (6th in the country) 79 H 22 2B 4 HR 64 RBI 31 SB
CF Jon Ponder .371 75 H 15 2B 8 3B 7 HR 62 SB (leads the country)
- Pitchers To Watch:
SP Ben Harris 10-0 13 GS 73.2 IP 2.32 ERA 84 K 25 BB 1.30 WHIP
SP Anthony Patterson III 6-2 11 GS 62.2 IP 2.73 ERA 61 K 18 BB 1.12 WHIP
As the great Lightning McQueen said “Speed. I am speed”. That is the name of the game for Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger and his dynamic GGC offense. This version of the powerhouse that is Georgia Gwinnett Baseball has already cemented itself in the college baseball record breaks having broken the all-time record for stolen bases in a season with 352 stolen bases (yes, you read that right) so far this year. Eight different players in the lineup have at least 20 steals on the year, and Jon Ponder leads the way both nationally and for the team with 62 of them. Speed and athleticism has been a staple of what Coach Sheetinger has been about in his tenure along with being disciplined at the plate having drawn an incredible 408 walks this season. They are near the top in almost every offensive statistic once again this year and it is no surprise as to what the strength of this team is, and it is a nightmare for opponents to deal with.
2) Keiser (West Palm Beach, Florida): SUN Conference (35-15/ 15-13) Team avg .335 Team ERA 5.20
- Hitters To Watch:
LF Simon Grinberg (SUN Conference POTY) .401 65 H 17 2B 17 HR 68 RBI
DH Edbarry Guzman .375 45 H 17 2B 3 HR 49 RBI
- Pitchers To Watch:
SP Kyle Keyes 7-2 10 GS 61 IP 2.51 ERA 47 K 13 BB 1.07 WHIP
SP Bastyan Hernandez 4-2 10 GS 55 IP 3.76 ERA 32 K 20 BB 1.42 WHIP
The Seahawks of Keiser will make a trip to Georgia for the Opening Round for the second straight season, this time going to Lawrenceville after being sent to Waleska, Georgia last season. Head Coach Brook Fordyce will bring a very talented lineup on the road looking for a second trip to the World Series for his program. All eyes will be on SUN Conference Player Of The Year Simon Grinberg, who has been one of the best bats in all of the NAIA this season. With a lineup that has six different hitters with over 10 2B this season, things could shake up well in a ballpark that doesn’t see a lot of home runs. On the mound will be of the most importance in this regional while talking about the ballpark dimensions, and Keiser should be able to rely on quality depth in their pitching staff to make a deep run in this Opening Round.
3) Houston-Victoria (Victoria, Texas): RRAC (38-15/ 22-8) Team avg .312 Team ERA 3.64 (4th in the country)
- Hitters To Watch:
CF Terry Burrell III .352 58 H 5 2B 3 3B 33 RBI 33 SB
1B Christian Garcia .474 (5th in the country) 55 H 10 2B 4 HR 35 RBI
- Pitchers To Watch
SP Brady Parker 8-2 14 GS 76.2 IP 107 K (7th in the country) 44 BB 1.27 WHIP
SP Johnathan Jones 9-2 15 GS 89.1 IP 108 K (5th in the country) 22 BB 1.14 WHIP
When you think of this UHV team, you immediately go towards the mound. The Jaguars feature one of the nations best pitching staffs with Brady Parker, Jonathan Jones, Mason Longoria and Julian Garcia. All four feature an elite pitch mix, and Parker has some of the most electric stuff in the country with a fastball up to 95mph this season. If you can go four deep on the mound from your starting rotation, your chances to play late into the season increase. With that being said, this UHV team has not been playing up to their standards as of late which is surely on the mind of Head Coach Johanathan Stavinoha as he leads his team into the Opening Round. We’ve seen this team make national headlines this season having three separate victories over Division 1 opponents, and the Jags will need to rekindle that kind of play on the road this week as they look to make some noise in Georgia. If the offense can continue to pass the bat, we could look up on Wednesday and possibly see this team playing for a spot in Lewiston.
4) Talladega (Talladega, Alabama): HBCUAC (42-12/ 27-3) Team avg .354 Team ERA 5.13
- Hitters To Watch:
1B Miguel Oropeza .530 (leads the country) 89 H 16 2B 15 HR 76 RBI 33 SB
2B Victor Rivera .351 60 H 6 2B 31 RBI 45 SB
- Pitchers To Watch:
SP Emilio Duque 10-2 14 GS 74.1 IP 2.66 ERA 69 K 21 BB 1.22 WHIP
SP Samuel Guadamuz 11-1 12 GS 73 IP 4.32 ERA 85 K 17 BB 1.12 WHIP
Surely everyone knows where we’re going to start when talking about the Talladega Tornadoes. That would be with Miguel Oropeza, the nation’s best hitter over the last two seasons. Normally, you don’t see your typical first baseman be just 5 foot 5 inches tall, but that is the case with Oropeza. He is not your prototypical corner infielder, but man can this guy flat out rake. Last season he held a .500+ average for almost the entire season and ended with a .497 average. He has one upped himself this year coming in with an absurd .530 average and has increased his power numbers. Much like the host school Georgia Gwinnett, Talladega runs a very dynamic offense that has four different players with over 30 steals which makes this site even more fun to watch all across the board.
5) Saint Xavier (Chicago, Illinois): CCAC (31-22/ 20-12) Team avg .325 Team ERA 4.76
- Hitters To Watch:
LF Sean Moore .356 63 H 15 2B 8 3B 30 RBI 54 SB (2nd in the country)
C Aaron Orzech .411 51 H 17 2B 8 HR 44 RBI
- Pitchers To Watch:
SP Jimmy Fairley 10-1 13 GS 66.2 IP 2.02 ERA 39 K 17 BB 1.22 WHIP
SP Logan McCleery 8-4 14 GS 67.2 IP 3.99 ERA 64 K 12 BB 1.23 WHIP
Head Coach Addison Rouse has this Cougars team back in the Opening Round for the second time in three seasons after capturing the CCAC Tournament Championship. Speed will be on display across this Lawrenceville Bracket as the top two in stolen bases nationally are going to look to cause havoc for their respective teams. For the Cougars, that will start with Sean Moore who comes in with 54 stolen bases to his name so far this season. Moore set the table for an offense that was near the top of almost every offensive category in the CCAC. Aside from Moore at the top of the lineup, three other players have 25+ stolen bases to their credit which gives the power bats of Aaron Orzech and Gabe Kirck who lead the team in RBI. The duo of Jimmy Fairley and Logan McCleery can keep lineups off balance with Fairley being more of a finesse arm coming in with a 2.02 ERA, while McCleery has some of the best strikeout stuff on the staff. As the 5 seed in the bracket, there will surely be a lot of doubters outside of the Cougars program which gives this team even more motivation to let their dynamic offense run wild on the road.
Lewiston Bracket
Lewiston, ID – Harris Field
#1 Hope International (CA)– GSAC, 43-8, 22-2 GSAC, .362 team batting average, 4.34 team ERA.
Hitters to watch- Amari Bartee .345avg, 14hr, 30xbh, 42rbi.
Colby Moran .408avg, 62h, 11hr, 22xbh, 64rbi
Pitchers to watch- Trey Seeley 81.2ip, 14gs, 11-1, 101k, 0.84whip, 1.54era
Josh Landry- 67.1ip, 12gs, 10-0, 85k, 1.11whip, 1.87era
The reigning national champions haven’t let the new yar cause a hangover effect. HIU is right back in Lewiston once again and while its not the World Series yet, they are certainly the favorite to win the bracket and be the first back to back champion since Lewis- Clark State won 3 straight from 2015-2017. Last season HIU used timely hitting and incredible pitching depth to drive their run. We fully expect this team to be ultra competitive and in the hunt for a chance to go back to back.
#2 Wayland Baptist (TX)– SAC, 39-17, 22-5 SAC, .331 team average, 6.32 team ERA.
Hitters to watch- Felix Polanco .434avg, 86h, 16hr, 39xbh, 73rbi
Samuel Fabian .371avg, 62h, 23hr, 38xbh, 78rbi
Pitchers to watch- Tyson Potts 66ip, 20app, 6gs, 5-4, 94k, 1.33whip, 4.91era
Felix Polanco 77.2ip, 15gs, 5-4, 83k, 1.79whip, 7.18era
The boys from Plainview, Texas started the year 0-4 and finished the year 39-13 and were regular season champions in the Sooner Athletic Conference. The offense of Wayland should fit in right at home at Harris Field, but if the pitching for Wayland can hold up this team could be an interesting one to watch in this bracket. They’ll get the home team in game one.
#3 Lewis-Clark State (ID)– CCC, 35-14, 28-9 CCC, .314 team average, 4.70 team ERA.
Hitters to watch- Charlie Updegrave .377avg, 78h, 21hr, 40xbh, 71rbi
Jack Sheward .343avg, 60h, 11hr, 28xbh, 62rbi
Pitchers to watch- Jadon Williamson 58.1ip, 12gs, 5-0, 86k, 0.98whip, 2.47era
Evan Canfield 58.2ip, 11gs, 5-2, 60k, 1.45era, 3.99era
Lewis-Clark State missed out on the World Series last season for the first time in a long time last year and is on the hunt for the return. The Warriors will face a highly offensive Wayland team in game one of the tournament. We know that the offense will play at home for LCSC, how far they go in the postseason all depends on their pitching. And of course they’ll have to go through the defending national champion.
#4 Oregon Tech (OR)– CCC, 38-14, 24-10 CCC, 3.24 team average, 5.14 team era.
Hitters to watch- Tyler Horner .413avg, 83h, 13hr, 38xbh, 66rbi
Julien Jones .366avg, 71h, 14hr, 32xbh, 53rbi
Pitchers to watch- Tim williams 78ip, 12gs, 7-1, 63k, 0.96whip, 3.35era
Carson Glavich 60.2ip, 12gs, 7-1, 43k, 1.43whip, 4.60era
This Oregon Tech team has to like its draw in the Lewiston Bracket, an HIU team that they already played, an LCSC team that they played 5 times. Tyler Horner is one of the most talented players in the nation and the pitching staff could arguably be the 2nd best staff in the bracket. As long as the moment doesn’t get too big then I could see them playing 3-4 games in this tournament, maybe more.
#5 Dickinson State (ND)– NSAA, 21-29, 10-10 NSAA, .275 team AVG, 7.82 team ERA
Hitters to watch: John-Michael Gonzalez Jr .348avg, 54h, 5hr, 17xbh, 33rbi
Luis Rodriguez .354avg, 40h, 7hr, 16xbh, 30rbi
Pitchers to watch- Jacob Scully 85.2ip, 14gs, 7-5, 85k, 1.35whip, 4.52era
Trent Chavez 20.2ip, 19app, 5sv, 24k, 1.35whip, 3.48era
For the first time since 2008 the Blue Hawks are in the postseason after securing an automatic qualifying spot via the NSAA tournament. And while it may not sound like a long trip its still a 13 hour plus drive from North Dakota to Lewiston, ID.
Lincoln Bracket
1) Webber International (Babson Park, Florida): SUN Conference (41-13/ 18-10) Team avg .291 Team ERA 3.74
- Pitchers To Watch:
SP Blayne Huter (SUN POTY) 13-1 14 GS 91.2 IP 2.06 ERA 105 K 27 BB 1.01 WHIP
RP Noah Palmese 3-0 22 app 40.1 IP 2.23 ERA 11 saves (T-1st in the nation) 58 K 9 BB .79 WHIP
- Hitters To Watch:
DH Steven Nitch .386 44 H 11 2B 4 HR 37 RBI
CF Deven Tedders .319 37 H 4 2B 4 3B 30 SB
Coming from an always competitive SUN Conference, the 2025 version of the Webber International Warriors look to add to the legacy of this conference and punch their ticket back to Lewiston for the first time since 2022. The Warriors have always been known for their work on the mound, and this year is much of the same as they will roll out a Top 5 arm in the country in Blayne Huter. The senior RHP is the definition of a workhorse and is tied for the national lead with 13 wins, and has gone at least 6 IP in 11 of his 14 starts. Translation, every time Huter takes the mound, you like the Warriors chances against any lineup out there. Noah Palmese has been electric in the closer role this year and is also tied for the national lead with 11 saves with a fastball that can reach 96mph. The big question lies on offense as the overall numbers don’t jump off the page, but going to the Midwest where the ball is known to fly could be exactly what Head Coach Collin Martin and his squad needs.
2) CUNE (Seward, Nebraska): GPAC (40-11/ 25-3) Team avg .311 Team ERA 4.75
- Hitters To Watch
3B Jaidan Quinn (GPAC POTY) .373 57 H 11 2B 24 HR (3rd in the country) 71 RBI
DH Bradley Hallock .344 62 H 10 2B 23 HR (5th in the country) 79 RBI (T-2nd in the country)
- Pitchers To Watch
SP Alex Johnson (GPAC POTY) 8-2 11 GS 61.2 IP 3.06 ERA 96 K 26 BB 1.14 WHIP
SP Braxton Greenburg 6-0 11 GS 66.1 IP 3.12 ERA 90 K 24 BB 1.10 WHIP
Over the past 5 years, the Bulldogs of CUNE are always one of the first mentioned when it comes to offense at the NAIA level. It seems like every year, a member of their lineup is on record watch. We saw it last year with Joey Grabanski setting the NAIA all-time HR and RBI record (passed by Charlie Muniz this year) and his former teammate Jaidan Quinn looks to pass him this week. Quinn is currently sitting on 97 career home runs, a mark good for 2nd all-time and can become just the second player ever to reach the century mark. Bradley Hallock backs up Quinn and the duo is an absolute nightmare for opponents to have to navigate three times a game. While the offense gets all the deserved love, it is this Bulldog pitching staff that has really impressed this season. Alex Johnson and Braxton Greenburg have both record over 90 strikeouts on the year, while Christian Gutierrez has logged the most innings with 75.2 and issued just 13 walks. Being at home will be big, and having a veteran lead team could help even more.
3) USAO (Chickasha, Oklahoma): SAC (34-18/ 18-9) Team avg .324 Team ERA 4.56
- Hitters To Watch:
LF Gage Ninness .358 72 H 14 2B 2 HR 55 RBI
1B Peyton McDowall .276 45 H 8 2B 14 HR 46 RBI
- Pitchers To Watch:
SP Brian Ereu (SAC POTY) 10-1 15 GS 91.1 IP 2.96 ERA 81 K 21 BB 1.18 WHIP
RP Ryan Cullinane 2-3 16 app 43.2 IP 2.47 ERA 49 K 14 BB 1.12 WHIP
Back in Lincoln, Nebraska for a second straight season, the Drovers make a return trip to the Opening Round after capturing their fifth SAC Tournament Championship in program history and have been playing some of their best baseball as of late. The name Peyton McDowall is already all across the school record books as the senior will look to extend his legendary career in the green and gold and help lead his team to their first World Series since 2019. If you’re a fan of throwback baseball, look at the top of this lineup in Gage Ninness. The USAO LF is always a tough out for the opposition, and his team will need him to continue to put pressure on and set up the middle of the order that has three hitters with a batting average of .350 or higher. Brian Ereu is one of three conference pitcher of the year winners in this bracket alone, and the native of Venezuela is coming off of back to back 9 inning complete games. Behind an arm like Ereu and continuing to play clean baseball, the Drovers could have a big week in Nebraska.
4) Indiana Wesleyan (Marion, Indiana): Crossroads League (29-20/ 21-15) Team avg .293 Team ERA 5.90
- Hitters To Watch:
2B Kyle Wu .366 64 H 9 2B 2 HR 28 RBI
1B Ty Matthews .362 64 H 10 2B 12 HR 49 RBI
- Pitchers To Watch:
SP Kevin Cocoran 3-3 10 GS 54.1 IP 3.98 ERA 49 K 24 BB 1.29 WHIP
SP Brock Buckley 9-3 13 GS 77.2 IP 4.06 ERA 86 K 22 BB 1.17 WHIP
The Wildcats of Indiana Wesleyan are coming off a trip to the Crossroads League Tournament Championship Game and still have a few members of the 2023 World Series team helping lead the way this year. Don’t let the overall record fool you as this is not your typical #4 seed either. Senior Kyle Wu has lead the way this season, and the offense will need to start with him as they enter a bracket loaded with pitching talent. Brock Buckley was a name mentioned on our podcast seemingly every week as he earned a victory over Cumberlands (KY) as well as throwing an absolute gem with 11 scoreless innings in a game against Mount Vernon Nazarene (OH) this season as well. Buckley will need to give this Wildcat team some length when he gets the ball, and look for him to play a key role in their chances at Sherman Field this week
5) Mount Mercy (Cedar Rapids, Iowa): HAAC (33-21/ 21-11) Team avg .319 Team ERA 6.41
- Hitters To Watch:
2B Jaden Hackbarth .354 68 H 13 2B 2 3B 6 HR 38 RBI
1B Bryce Brown .331 55 H 13 2B 10 HR 40 RBI
- Pitchers To Watch
SP Tyler Nagelbach 7-2 13 GS 70.2 IP 4.84 ERA 46 K 19 BB 1.33 WHIP
SP Jack Turgasen 5-2 10 GS 42.2 IP 4.85 ERA 52 K 16 BB 1.24 WHIP
Just like USAO, the Mustangs of Mount Mercy find themselves back in Lincoln, Nebraska for a second straight season. Head Coach Jack Dahm has led his team through the always difficult Heart Of America Conference Tournament to earn one of the automatic qualifiers and will look to make an improvement on their Opening Round performance in the same stadium. The starting pitching specifically has been dominant at times, and Tyler Nagelbach will need to have a few good outings if they want to make a deep run into the tournament. On the offensive side of things, seven hitters in the lineup have an average of .300+ this season as Jaden Hackbarth has led the way all year. Mount Mercy will get a tough matchup on Day 1 against #4 seed Indiana Wesleyan, and it will be interesting to see how the game is managed in both dugouts with the winner taking on #1 seed Webber International (FL) later on the same day on Monday.
Shreveport Bracket
#1 LSU- Shreveport (LA)– RRAC, 51-0, 30-0 RRAC, .368 team avg, 2.23 team ERA
Hitters to watch- Josh Gibson .441avg, 78h, 8hr, 26xbh, 64rbi
Austin Gomm .412avg, 54h, 11hr, 28xbh, 60rbi
Pitchers to watch- Isaac Rohde 94.2ip, 15gs, 12-0, 0.76whip, 2.19era
Draven Zeigler 77.2ip, 14gs, 12-0, 95k, 0.85whip, 1.39era
Cobe Reeves 76ip, 14gs, 11-0, 102k, 0.97whip, 1.89era
The Pilots are clearly the best team in the country. They have an offense that is relentless, and if you give them any extra opportunities they’ll take a mile from you. On top of that you have to deal with the best rotation in the nation and just a staff of arms that just seem to keep coming after you. Theres a reason that the Pilots are where they are, the whole team just seems to click on a new level. They’ll still have to win these games in front of them, and the last Opening Round in Shreveport didn’t end the way they would have wanted. But despite all of that the Pilots will be the heavy favorite in the bracket.
#2 Mid-America Christian (OK)– SAC, 38-15, 20-7 SAC, .340 team avg, 5.83 team ERA,
Top hitters- Noel McGarry-Doyle .394avg, 67h, 8hr, 17xbh, 54rbi
Christopher Munoz .418avg, 64h, 13hr, 24xbh, 48rbi
Top pitchers- Fabian Hernandez 72.2ip, 12gs, 8-1, 80k, 1.40whip, 3.96era
Brock Cordes 64.2ip, 11gs, 6-1, 63k, 1.38whip, 5.29era
MACU has a tall task in front of them, and its not just being the two seed in the Shreveport bracket. This MACU offense is solid, and this team overall is well tested this season. They faced 6 different teams who are in the postseason, and played a total of 15 games against those teams, including a 5-0 loss against the 1 seed back in February. Nothing will come easy in this bracket but the MACU vs Johnson game 1 will be one of the best day 1 matchups of the whole tournament.
#3 Johnson (TN)– AAC, 35-16, 21-9 AAC, .312 team avg, 5.49 team ERA
Top hitters- Travis Hobbensiefken .395avg, 73h, 7hr, 13xbh, 49rbi
Bryson Shown .331avg, 58h, 7hr, 21xbh, 43rbi
Top pitchers- Colby Reynolds 92.2ip, 14gs, 12-2, 81k, 1.00whip, 2.72era
James Showalter 21.2ip, 17app, 11sv, 23k, 1.29whip, 2.49era
Johnson has been one of the most incredible turnarounds in any level of baseball, and they are led by a ton of experience whether it be in head ball coach Dave Serrano or or slew of players with baseball pedigree. This team can be a pretty scary one in a bracket when you look at series wins over tournament 1 seeds like Tennessee Wesleyan and Reinhardt in conference play. They played 14 games this year against teams in the tournament and went 8-6 in those games. This will definitely be a team to watch as they go on the road in a tough environment in Shreveport.
#4 Ottawa (KS)– KCAC, 38-14, 26-10 KCAC, .337 team avg, 5.44 team ERA
Top hitters- Dylan Garcia .375avg, 63h, 16hr, 31xbh, 54rbi
Cole Broughton .385avg, 60h, 11hr, 18xbh, 51rbi
Top pitchers- Ryan Wilwers 64.1ip, 13gs, 5-1, 76k, 1.37whip, 4.62era
Fawster Voytko 59.2ip, 12gs, 7-1, 65k, 1.47whip, 4.22era
The KCAC is known for its offense and of course the Braves are no exception but when this pitching staff is on they are ultra competitive. Ottawa went into the final weekend of the year with a chance to take the automatic qualifier bid in the KCAC, and then had a conference tournament they’d like to forget and they’ll get that chance here in Shreveport. If the Braves can handle business in game one against SUNO it’ll set up a really interesting game between them and the top overall seed nationally LSUS.
#5 Southern University at New Orleans (LA)– HBCUAC, 24-25, 16-14 HBCUAC, .297 team avg, 7.31 team ERA
Top hitters- Miles Bowens .347avg, 52h, 9hr, 20xbh, 49rbi
Kerrigan Edmondson .346avg, 47h, 7hr, 17xbh, 42rbi
Top pitchers- Enrique Herazo Jr 50ip, 9gs, 3-3, 31k, 1.54whip, 4.86era
Joey Olveda 57ip, 12gs, 5-6, 32k, 1.75whip, 6.16era
SUNO is in just its 2nd season of baseball and was in the mix for the regular season title in the HBCUAC until a 6-11 April set them back to the 6th seed in the conference tournament. SUNO beat higher seeds Stillman (twice), and 2nd seeded Wiley to get to the conference tournament final versus the already qualified Talladega. In their first ever national appearance SUNO will make the 4 plus hour trip north to Shreveport to compete in the Opening Round.
Upland Bracket
1) Taylor (Upland, Indiana): Crossroads League: (46-9/ 32-4) Team avg .335 Team ERA 3.60
- Hitters To Watch:
RF Kaleb Kolpien (CL POTY) .428 92 H 12 2B 15 HR 70 RBI
3B Mason Davis .377 78 H 12 2B 12 HR 52 RBI
- Pitchers To Watch:
SP Gabel Pentecost (CL POTY) 12-1 14 GS 75.1 IP 2.75 ERA 108 K (5th in the country) 21 BB 1.06 WHIP
SP Brody Fine 5-2 13 GS 58.1 IP 4.17 ERA 91 K 25 BB 1.15 WHIP
It has been a record-setting year already for Head Coach Kyle Gould and his Taylor Trojans squad as they have already surpassed the single-season wins mark in program history, along with guys like Kaleb Kolpien and Mason David rewriting the career record books. This 2025 team looks to add to its historic season as they play host this week at the beautiful Winterholter Field which always produces an electric postseason atmosphere. They also will be looking to avenge their loss in the Opening Round last season after going to the World Series in 2023. Six of their nine in the lineup have an average over .300, and four of those have an average over .370. Simply put, this offense is elite and its much of the same on the mound as ace Gabel Pentecost features some of the best stuff in the country that includes a fastball up to 96mph. Coach Gould and his staff will surely not forget falling short last season which should only add to their motivation this week in the Opening Round.
2) Bellevue (Bellevue, Nebraska): NSAA (40-13/ 19-1) Team avg .324 Team ERA 4.47
- Hitters To Watch:
C Logan Grant .348 70 H 12 2B 19 HR 61 RBI
1B Steven Elsner .378 71 H 15 2B 23 HR 64 RBI
- Pitchers To Watch:
SP Parker McMan 6-2 13 GS 79.1 IP 2.38 ERA 77 K 18 BB 1.25 WHIP
SP Kenji Miller 9-0 12 GS 67.2 IP 3.33 ERA 73 K 15 BB 1.11 WHIP
This Upland Bracket is LOADED with elite coaches and Duane Monlux falls directly into that category. Monlux has taken the Bruins to new heights in his tenure as he looks for another trip to Lewiston. With a lineup full of upperclassmen that have played in countless postseason games, playing on the road shouldn’t phase this group. Logan Grant became the school’s career home run leader earlier this season, and guys like Steven Elsner and Ayden Markarus have combined for 59 long balls this season already. Parker McMan is a true ace and will be one of many talented arms in Upland this week, and as a staff the Bruins really don’t give a lot of free passes. This veteran lead club has all the makings to earn their way to the World Series and will surely be one of the tougher #2 seeds throughout the tournament.
3) Kansas Wesleyan (Salina, Kansas): KCAC (39-13/ 30-6) Team avg .306 Team ERA 4.79
- Hitters To Watch:
C Tyler Favretto .432 79 H 18 2B 14 HR 56 RBI
1B Fernando Ruvalcaba .365 66 H 14 2B 17 HR 63 RBI
- Pitchers To Watch:
SP Brett Maddock 11-2 16 GS 98.1 IP 4.21 ERA 74 K 27 BB 1.37 WHIP
RP Ritter Stienmann 3-3 25 app 55 IP 3.27 ERA 71 K 24 BB 1.31 WHIP
Looking for a second straight trip to Lewiston, the Coyotes of Kansas Wesleyan will be a very tough #3 seed and will bring another powerful offense on the road this week. Last season, KWU punched their ticket through the Shreveport Opening Round and made their first trip to the World Series in program history. While graduation took a good amount of standouts from last year, Tyler Favretto is back and has continued to crush baseballs along with five others in the lineup with an average of .300 or better. Brett Maddock leads the country in innings pitched and his performance will be the x-factor assuming he gets the ball on Monday against #2 seed Bellevue (NE). They also feature one of the best bullpen arms in the country in Ritter Stienmann who is used in multiple roles which is a dream for a coach. KWU will need to rely on that experience in order to make their way back to the World Series for a second straight year.
4) Grand View (Des Moines, Iowa): HAAC (34-11/ 26-6) Team avg .357 Team ERA 5.24
- Hitters To Watch:
1B Erik Broekemeir .478 (4th in the country) 54 H 12 2B 7 HR 50 RBI
DH Evan Borst .421 59 H 13 2B 5 HR 43 RBI
- Pitchers To Watch:
SP Kaleb Krier 8-0 10 GS 57.1 IP 2.35 ERA 61 K 16 BB .98 WHIP
SP Jason Moist 7-1 8 GS 47 IP 4.40 ERA 27 K 19 BB 1.40 WHIP
Winners of the Heart Of America Regular Season Championship, the Grand View Vikings come into the Opening Round after earning an at-large bid and will be the #4 seed in this bracket. Like many teams in the Midwest, GVU is led by a powerful lineup that features one of the top hitters in the country in batting average with Erik Broekemeier. He has increased his average from the previous season by over 100 points and the Vikings will need him to continue his stellar season with them more than likely facing Gabel Pentecost of Taylor (IN) in their opening game. With six different hitters having an average over .350, it is no secret as to what the Vikings will hang their hat on this week in Upland. The same story on the mound goes for every team still left in the field, but Grand View will need to have more arms step up on the mound in order to shock the world and extend their season. Will they get that? Only time will tell as they’ll get their first taste of the Opening Round come Monday against the #1 seed in the Taylor Trojans.
Waleska Bracket
#1 – Reinhardt (Waleska, GA), Appalachian Athletic Conference, Overall 42-11, Conference 24-6, Team Average: .302, Team ERA: 3.31, Nash Crowell .397, 69 H, 49 R, 16 HR, & 52 RBI. Jacob Mantooth .355, 59 H, 46 R, 13 HR, & 54 RBI. Andrew Herbert 1.74 ERA, 12-0, 14 GP, 94 SO, & 1.04 WHIP. Logan Lynch 2.98 ERA, 4-5, 27 GP, 60 SO, 1.03 WHIP.
Lost in the AAC championship to Tennessee Wesleyan. Swept in four games against Tennessee Wesleyan.
#2 – Loyola (New Orleans, LA), Southern States Athletic Conference, Overall 38-15, Conference, 20-10, Team Average: .318, Team ERA: 4.71, Garrett Felix .415, 76 H, 64 R, 4 HR, & 42 RBI. Brandon Mooney .377, 77 H, 71 R, 3 HR, & 40 RBI. Prescott Marsh 5.60 ERA, 5-2, 15 GP, 51 SO, & 1.47 WHIP. Thomas Hakimian 3.02, 6-1, 9 GP, 34 SO, & 1.30 WHIP.
SSAC tournament champions, defeated William Carey. No games against top 25 teams in the season.
#3 – Oakland City (Oakland City, IN), River States Conference, Overall 39-13, Conference 20-3, Team Average: .338, Team ERA: 4.50, Hudson Allen .403, 60 H, 55 R, 9 HR, & 36 RBI. Moises Roasrio .363, 69 H, 35 R, 8 HR, & 45 RBI. Mick Uebelhor 3.29 ERA, 7-4, 13 GP, 90 SO, & 1.34 WHIP. Gehrig Tenhumberg 3.74 ERA, 9-2, 13 GP, 71 SO, & 1.09 WHIP.
RSC tournament champions. Swept #10 IU Southeast at the end of their season.
#4 – Ave Maria (Ave Maria, FL), Sun Conference, Overall 27-25, Conference 15-13, Team Average: .276, Team ERA: 5.47, Jesus Gonzalez .366, 60 H, 46 R, 12 HR, & 34 RBI. Tanner Kelly .332, 65 H, 55 R, 8 HR, & 34 RBI. Hunter Cashero 4.19 ERA, 3-8, 14 GP, 67 SO, & 1.32 WHIP. Owen Johnson 4.59, 4-3, 13 GP, 60 SO, & 1.44 WHIP.
Lowest team batting average in the bracket. Early season win against #2 Hope Int 15-6.
Williamsburg Bracket
#1 – Missouri Baptist (Creve Coeur, MO), American Midwest Conference, Overall 40-9, Conference 31-5, Team Average: .337, Team ERA: 3.61, James Jett .430, 68 H, 65 R, 18 HR, & 69 RBI. Blayne Yarger .386, 61 H, 72 R, 17 HR, & 58 RBI. Carter Sabol 2.26 ERA, 11-1, 12 GP, 101 SO, & .99 WHIP. Sam Myers 4.50 ERA, 7-1, 11 GP, 62 SO, & 1.27 WHIP.
AMC tournament champions, defeated Columbia College in the championship. Split the series 1-1 with bracket opponent MidAmerica Nazarene in the series.
#2 – Cumberlands (Williamsburg, KY),Mid-South Conference, Overall 45-10, Conference 16-2, Team Average: .355, Team ERA: 4.09, Charlie Munez .449, 93 H, 52 R, 32 HR, & 51 RBI. Max Harper .405, 70 H, 60 R, 10 HR, & 51 RBI. Kailen Hamson 2.01 ERA, 11-0,n12 GP, 107 SO, & .91 WHIP. Knicko Billings 3.27, 9-1, 14 GP, 74 SO, & 1.30 WHIP.
Runner-up to Cumberland (TN) in the MSC championship. One win against top 25 ranked teams.
#3 – MidAmerica Nazarene (Olathe, KS), Heart of America Athletic Conference, Overall 33-16, Conference 25-7, Team Average: .336, Team ERA: 5.88, Drew Woodley .418, 71 H, 60 R, 9 HR, & 62 RBI. Kaden Owens .375, 66 H, 32 R, 12 HR, & 62 RBI. Luis Lopez 2.86, 7-4, 13 GP, 86 SO, & 1.41 WHIP. Adam Gray 5.02 ERA, 4-4, 13 GP, 62 SO, & 1.41 WHIP.
Went 1-2 in the conference tournament. Split the series 1-1 with bracket opponent Missouri Baptist.
#4 – Northwestern Ohio (Lima, OH), Warrior-Hoosier Athletic Conference, Overall 40-13-1, Conference 26-2, Team Average: .325, Team ERA: 4.17, Noah Matheson .370, 67 H, 33 R, 5 HR, & 47 RBI. Eliomar Otero .361, 74 H, 54 R, 12 HR, & 67 RBI. Josh Mauney 2.66 ERA, 5-1, 20 GP, 42 SO, & 1.55 WHIP. Daniel Healy 3.18 ERA, 7-1, 15 GP, 61 SO, 1.22 WHIP.
Runner-up to Indiana Tech in the WHAC tournament. One win against a top 25 ranked team this season.
