CARY, N.C. – The Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks beat the UT Tyler Patriots 4-1 in their 2025 NCAA DII Baseball Championship opener at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.
Senior pitcher Cole Calnon delivered a complete game, improving to 12-0, allowing just one run on eight hits with 90 pitches over nine innings. The win marked NNU’s first opening-round triumph in the DII Championships, boosting their record to 45-14.
NNU struck early against UT Tyler In the first, Nin Burns II singled and scored on an RBI single by Cris Enriquez. Enriquez added a solo home run to right-center in the fourth on a 2-2 pitch, making it 2-0. In the sixth, Gavin Brubaker walked, stole second and third, and scored on Jake Mestas’ RBI triple. Burns scored again in the seventh on a Kaleb Karpstein double play, pushing the lead to 4-0.
Calnon dominated, retiring the side in order in the first, sixth, and seventh innings and inducing three double plays, including a crisp 6-4-3 in the third and Karpstein’s diving catch to end a bases-loaded threat in the fourth, where he snagged a foul ball near the dugout that bounced off the catchers mitt. The Nighthawks beat the Patriots despite a ninth-inning solo home run by UT Tyler’s All-American Justin Williams, with Calnon sealing the win with his first strikeout and Karpstein’s sliding grab in foul territory on a tricky pop-up.
NNU’s offense was balanced, with Enriquez (2-for-4, 2 RBIs), Burns, Bryan Rojas, and Jason Bell each recording two hits. The Nighthawks flashed the leather all game with their error-free defense, including standout plays by shortstop Brubaker and third baseman Rojas, holding UT Tyler to under two runs for only the second time this season. Northwest Nazarene advances to the winner’s bracket to face the Tampa vs. Felician winner on June 2 at 6:00 p.m. ET, aiming to continue their historic run, while UT Tyler faces an elimination game on June 2 at 1:30 p.m. ET
