Schedule for the first two days of the 68th NAIA Baseball National Championship, Friday-Saturday, May 23-31, Harris Field, Lewiston, ID (all times PDT):
Friday, 8:30 AM: #4 seed Hope International (46-8) vs. #7 U. of the Cumberlands (48-10)
Trey Seeley – photo by Liza Rosales
Hope International (Fullerton, CA) is the defending champion. This is their third appearance in the Baseball National Championship. They won the Great Southwest Athletic Conference (formerly the Golden State Athletic Conference) championship; they won the regular season championship by six games. Twitter: @HIURoyals
Nickname: Royals
Rankings: Coaches’ poll: #4 Boyd Nation’s Iterative Strength Rating (ISR): #5 Strength of Schedule: #14
Quality wins: 2-0 vs. Oregon Tech, 6-0 vs. Arizona Christian, Lewis-Clark State, Wayland Baptist
Top position players: UTL David Shackelford (.416, 7 HR, 45 RBI), 1B Colby Moran (.396, 11 HR, 66 RBI), IF Julian Francois (.385, 7 HR, 54 RBI), OF Branden Chun-Ming (.371, 40 RBI), C Josiah Chavez (.365, 9 HR, 44 RBI), RHP/IF Matthew Pinal (.359, 10 HR, 57 RBI), OF Amari Bartee (.354, 14 HR, 42 RBI), SS Trotter Boston (.338, 11 HR, 50 RBI), UTL Mario Tostado (.333, 10 HR, 22 RBI)
Top pitchers: RHP Trey Seeley (12-1, 1.49 ERA, 116 K), LHP Josh Landry (11-0, 1.82 ERA, 91 K), RHP Jesus Munguia (7-2, 4.63 ERA, 63 K), RHP Boom Ward (2-1, 4.70 ERA, 14 K, 6 saves), RHP Gio Besio (2-0, 4.50 ERA, 36 K). Seeley has the second-lowest ERA in the NAIA, and Landry is the third-lowest. Seeley is tied for fourth in strikeouts.
Coach: Larry Mahoney, fourth season
Outlook: The Royals have lights out pitching; Seeley got two wins in last year’s tournament. They have a good chance of becoming repeat champions.
University of the Cumberlands (Williamsburg, KY) is making their third consecutive appearance in the Baseball National Championship. They finished 1-2 last year. They won the regular season championship of the Mid-South Conference. Twitter: @PatsBaseballUC
The Patriots beat out Southeastern for this year’s United Nations Award. Their full roster has three Australians, four Puerto Ricans, three Dominican Republicans, and a Canadian.
Nickname: Patriots
Rankings: Coaches’ poll: #8 ISR: #13 SoS: #63 (lowest in tournament)
Quality wins: 2-0 vs. Missouri Baptist, 1-1 vs. Tennessee Wesleyan
Top position players: C Charlie Muñiz (Naranjito, Dominican Republic; .445, 34 HR, 91 RBI), OF Christian Thompson (.355, 35 RBI), IF Alec Gonzalez (.355, 8 HR, 69 RBI), IF Caden Petrey (.337, 17 HR, 55 RBI), IF Max Harper (.409, 12 HR, 55 RBI), IF Edwin Martinez (.376, 42 RBI), OF Derick Andiarena (Añasca, Puerto Rico; .369, 13 HR, 61 RBI), IF Pedro Vasquez (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; .347, 11 HR, 53 RBI), OF/LHP Trent Prokes (.314, 7 HR, 51 RBI). Muñiz leads the NAIA in home runs and RBI for the second straight year.
Top pitchers: RHP Knicko Billings (9-1, 3.67 ERA, 78 K), LHP Kailem Hamson (Gold Coast, Australia; 11-0, 2.54 ERA, 121 K), LHP Wesley Culley (4-1, 2.73 ERA, 50 K), LHP Cooper Morgan (Canberra, Australia; 5-1, 3.86 ERA, 55 K), RHP Nolan Wilson (3-1, 2.34 ERA, 45 K). Hamson is third in the NAIA in strikeouts.
Coach: Brad Shelton, 24th season
Outlook: The Patriots’ regular season and playoff record is unimpressive; they will have to take it up a notch to be competitive in this field.
11:30 AM: #1 LSU-Shreveport (54-0) vs. #10 Grand View (38-12)
Isaac Rohde
LSU-Shreveport is making their sixth appearance in the Baseball National Championship. The most recent one was in 2022, and they finished 2-2, fourth place. They are the champions of the Red River Athletic Conference. Twitter: @LSUS_Baseball
Nickname: Pilots
Rankings: Coaches’ poll: #1 ISR: #1 SoS: #32
Quality wins: 2-0 vs. Mid-America Christian, Science and Arts of Oklahoma, 2-0 vs. Central Methodist, Ottawa (KS)
Top position players: IF Josh Gibson (.442, 8 HR, 67 RBI), OF/IF Ryan Davenport (.429, 45 RBI), IF Anthony Swenda (.406, 7 HR, 40 RBI), IF Vantrel Reed (.401, 5 HR, 59 RBI), IF Austin Gomm (Mississauga, Ontario; .380, 11 HR, 60 RBI)
Top pitchers: LHP Isaac Rohde (14-0, 2.14 ERA, 130 K), LHP Cobe Reeves (11-0, 2.02 ERA, 103 K), RHP Draven Zeigler (12-0, 1.38 ERA, 95 K), RHP Lex Meinderts (Rotterdam, Netherlands; 2-0, 3.99 ERA, 44 K). Zeigler has the lowest ERA in the NAIA; Reeves has the seventh-lowest, and Rohde has the ninth-lowest. Rohde is tied with Huter of Webber International for most wins, and is second in the NAIA in strikeouts.
Coach: Brad Neffendorf, sixth season
Outlook: The Pilots are the best team in the NAIA until somebody beats them.
Grand View (Des Moines, IA) is making their fourth appearance in the Baseball National Championship. The most recent one was in 1991. They won the regular season championship of the Heart of America Conference. Twitter: @GVBaseball_
Nickname: Vikings
Rankings: Coaches’ poll: unranked ISR: #22 SoS: #54
Quality wins: Bellevue, 1-1 vs. Taylor, 2-0 vs. Kansas Wesleyan
Top position players: 1B Erik Broekemeier (.456, 8 HR, 60 RBI), RHP/IF Evan Borst (.398, 7 HR, 48 RBI), IF/OF Brock Johnson (.392, 15 HR, 48 RBI), OF Hank Himrich (.365, 16 HR, 51 RBI), C Brock Rinehart (.362, 18 HR, 61 RBI). Broekemeier has the sixth-highest batting average in the NAIA.
Top pitchers: RHP Kaleb Krier (9-1, 3.89 ERA, 66 K), RHP Jason Moist (7-1, 4.09 ERA, 34 K), LHP Alex Foster (4-0, 7.44 ERA, 39 K), RHP Devin Doyle (1-1, 5.57 ERA, 22 K)
Coach: Doug Brinker, fifteenth season
Outlook: Happy to be here.
3 PM: #3 Tennessee Wesleyan (46-12) vs. #8 Loyola-New Orleans (41-16)
Corbin Shaw
Tennessee Wesleyan (Athens, TN) is making their eighth appearance in the Baseball National Championship. They were the runners-up last year. They won the championship in 2012 and 2019. They won the Appalachian Athletic Conference tournament. Twitter: @TWU_Baseball
Nickname: Bulldogs
Rankings: Coaches’ poll: #3 ISR: #6 SoS: #15
Quality wins: British Columbia, Arizona Christian, Hope International, 1-1 vs. U. of the Cumberlands, 4-0 vs. Reinhardt
Top position players: C Daniel Stewart (.435, 19 HR, 75 RBI), OF Kolton Reynolds (.421, 23 HR, 72 RBI), IF Josh Shelley (.408, 16 HR, 67 RBI), OF Chris Catalano (.407, 42 RBI), IF Brayan Espinoza (.396, 7 HR, 25 RBI), IF Corbin Shaw (.387, 26 HR, 81 RBI), IF Devin Dixon (.364, 10 HR, 35 RBI), OF Jack Stevens (.345, 22 RBI), OF Kruise Newman (.344, 13 HR, 49 RBI). Shaw is third in the NAIA in home runs, and fifth in RBI. Reynolds is fifth in home runs.
Top pitchers: LHP Daniel Batcher (11-2, 4.62 ERA, 62 K), LHP Justin Jackson (6-1, 5.26 ERA, 81 K), LHP Blake Peyton (7-1, 2.70 ERA, 86 K), RHP Chris Delashmit (5-0, 3.76 ERA, 45 K), RHP Daniel Davila (1-2, 7.04 ERA, 42 K).
Coach: Billy Berry, 18th season
Outlook: The Bulldogs are probably as good as last year’s team, but this year’s field is stronger, so they probably aren’t going to make it to the final again.
Loyola-New Orleans has a long baseball history, but they are making their first appearance in the Baseball National Championship. They won the Southern States Athletic Conference tournament. Twitter: @LoyolaWolfPack
Nickname: Wolf Pack
Rankings: Coaches’ poll: #13 ISR: #23 SoS: #44
Quality wins: 3-1 vs. William Carey, Oakland City, Reinhardt
Top position players: OF Garrett Felix (.402, 45 RBI), IF Brandon Mooney (.378, 46 RBI), OF Cole Romero (.344, 11 HR, 71 RBI)
Top pitchers: IF Prescott Marsh (5-2, 6.05 ERA, 51 K), LHP Thomas Hakimian (7-1, 3.28 ERA, 41 K), RHP Matthew Weil (6-1, 4.43 ERA, 48 K), RHP Brady Bowen (3-4, 6.10 ERA, 54 K), RHP Frank Fernandez (1-0, 2.35 ERA, 28 K)
Coach: Jeremy Kennedy, sixth season
Outlook: Happy to be here.
7 PM: #2 Georgia Gwinnett (53-5) vs. #9 British Columbia (39-17)
Georgia Gwinnett (Lawrenceville) is making their eighth trip to Lewiston. They went 2-2 last year, good for fourth place. They won the championship in 2021. They won the Continental Athletic Conference championship. Twitter: @GGC_Baseball
Nickname: Grizzlies
Rankings: Coaches’ poll: #2 ISR: #4 SoS: #37
Quality wins: Tennessee Wesleyan, 3-0 vs. William Carey, Reinhardt, 2-1 vs. Keiser
Top position players: OF Alex Harrell (.462, 73 RBI), IF Braxton Megular (.419, 49 RBI), IF Jackson Cobb (.372, 47 RBI), IF Paul Winland Jr. (.395, 8 HR, 62 RBI), IF Scott Seeker (.391, 12 HR, 78 RBI), OF Jon Ponder (.363, 9 HR, 58 RBI, 63 stolen bases). Harrell has the fifth-highest batting average in the NAIA. Ponder is second in stolen bases.
Top pitchers: RHP Ben Harris (11-0, 2.42 ERA, 90 K), RHP Anthony Patterson III (6-3, 2.78 ERA, 67 K), RHP Austin Testerman (6-1, 3.07 ERA, 66 K), RHP Wyatt Dodgens (9-0, 3.65 ERA, 33 K), LHP Jeremiah Locklear (2-0, 2.01 ERA, 36 K), RHP Tyler Martin (2-0, 5.82 ERA, 41 K).
Coach: Jeremy Sheetinger, sixth season
Outlook: The Grizzlies played a very weak schedule, and barely won the Opening Round Bracket, despite being the host team. They should finish in the lower part of the pack.
Trent Lenihan – photo by Doug Pfeiler
British Columbia (Vancouver) is making their second appearance in the Baseball National Championship. The first one was in 2006, and they finished 2-2, fourth place. They won the regular season championship of the Cascade Collegiate Conference. Twitter: @ubc_baseball
Nickname: Thunderbirds
Rankings: Coaches’ poll: #24 ISR: #7 SoS: #8
Quality wins: Washington, 4-6 vs. Lewis-Clark State, 4-1 vs. Oregon Tech, Oklahoma Wesleyan
Top position players: OF Jonny McGill (.405, 17 HR, 54 RBI), 1B Trent Lenihan (.363, 15 HR, 61 RBI), C Russell Young (.355, 18 RBI), OF Mitchell Middlemiss (.344, 10 HR, 60 RBI), C/OF Kyle Yip (.340, 7 HR, 49 RBI), IF Aaron Marsh (.333, 6 HR, 49 RBI), OF Kaden Zarowny (.297, 10 HR, 34 RBI).
Top pitchers: LHP Will Anderson (7-1, 2.45 ERA, 69 K), RHP Ryan Heppner (Point Roberts, WA; 7-2, 4.56 ERA, 71 K), RHP Daniel Orfaly (4-1, 4.85 ERA, 44 K), RHP Ryan Beitel (5-3, 6.78 ERA, 70 K), RHP James Brock (4-1, 5.44 ERA, 54 K), RHP Adam Khan (1-2, 7.22 ERA, 17 K).
Coach: Chris Pritchett, tenth season
Outlook: The entire Thunderbird batting order is a Murderer’s Row, but we will have to wait and see if their pitching holds up at this level.
Saturday, 11 AM: #5 Webber International (44-13) vs. #6 Southeastern (44-13)
Blayne Huter
Webber International (Babson Park, FL) is making their second appearance in the Baseball National Championship. The first one was in 2022, and they finished 2-2. They won The Sun Conference tournament. They tied with Southeastern for the regular season championship, but Southeastern owned the tie-breaker. Twitter: @webber_bsb
Nickname: Warriors
Rankings: Coaches’ poll: #7 ISR: #2 SoS: #2 (highest in tournament)
Quality wins: 2-0 vs. Grand View, Lewis-Clark State, 3-1 vs. Oakland City, 2-1 vs. Bellevue, 4-2 vs. Keiser, Concordia-Nebraska
Top position players: C Steven Nitch (.382, 39 RBI), OF/LHP Jalen Martinez (.335, 7 HR, 51 RBI), UTL Bryan Morales (.330, 28 RBI), IF Ryan Recio (.304, 8 HR, 37 RBI), IF Brandon Sanchez (.284, 56 RBI).
Top pitchers: RHP Blayne Huter (14-1, 1.92 ERA, 115 K), LHP/IF Dalton Robinson (6-4, 3.54 ERA, 69 K), RHP Mark Link (6-3, 3.67 ERA, 49 K), RHP Noah Palmese (3-0, 2.03 ERA, 64 K, 13 saves), RHP Jacob Hardy (5-1, 2.08 ERA, 41 K). Huter has the fifth-lowest ERA in the NAIA, and is tied with Rohde of LSU-Shreveport for most wins. He is tied for sixth in strikeouts. Palmese leads the NAIA in saves.
Coach: Collin Martin, sixth season
Outlook: The Warriors did well in a good conference against a tough schedule. They could challenge for the championship.
Southeastern (Lakeland, FL) is making their seventh straight appearance at the Baseball National Championship. They went 1-2 last year. They won the championship in 2018 and 2022. They tied with Webber International for the regular season championship of The Sun Conference, but owned the tie-breaker. Twitter: @SEUFireBaseball
Nickname: Fire
Rankings: Coaches’ poll: #6 ISR: #3 SoS: #3
Quality wins: 2-0 vs. Arizona Christian, Lewis-Clark State, Hope International, 3-0 vs. British Columbia, 3-1 vs. Concordia-Nebraska, 3-2 vs. Webber International, 3-2 vs. Keiser
Top position players: OF Jon Paul Pennella (.424, 49 RBI), DH/C Connor Hicks (Toronto, Ontario; .401, 12 HR, 73 RBI), RF Charlie Collins (Victoria, Australia; .394, 8 HR, 60 RBI), 1B/DH Peter Tassler (.376, 9 HR, 39 RBI), IF Alfonso Villalobos (Kirkland, Quebec; .366, 14 HR, 77 RBI), C David Castillo (Chiriqui, Panama; .352, 19 RBI)
Top pitchers: RHP Reese Wissinger (8-0, 2.82 ERA, 88 K), LHP Aaron Robertson (10-2, 2.09 ERA, 106 K), RHP Agnel Miranda (Cayey, Puerto Rico; 5-1, 4.07 ERA, 65 K), RHP Cole Jones (3-1, 2.00 ERA, 27 K, 11 saves), RHP Bryce McDonald (5-4, 5.97 ERA, 66 K). Robertson has the eighth-lowest ERA in the NAIA. Jones is tied for third in saves.
Coach: Gabe Grinder, first season
Outlook: The Fire and Webber International are near-equal in ability. This game is crucial for both teams.
3 PM: Hope International-Cumberlands loser vs. LSU-Shreveport-Grand View loser
6:30 PM: Tennessee Wesleyan-Loyola loser vs. Georgia Gwinnett-British Columbia loser
Predicted order of finish:
LSU-Shreveport
Hope International
Webber International
Southeastern
British Columbia
Tennessee Wesleyan
U. Of the Cumberlands
Georgia Gwinnett
Loyola-New Orleans
Grand View
Tournament bracket Schedule and Results News Releases
In a long-standing Lewiston tradition, all games are audio webcast by KOZE Radio, free of charge. Video webcasts for the entire tournament are available on the NAIA Network and The Urban Edge Network, and it’s free this year. Live stats are available for all games by clicking here.
