CARY, N.C. – Northwest Nazarene upsets the #1-ranked and defending champion University of Tampa Spartans 5-3 in a pivotal winners’ bracket game of the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship. The Nighthawks, powered by dominant pitching and an opportunistic offense, secured the victory. They advance to the semi-finals to face the winner of Tuesday’s Tampa vs. UT Tyler elimination game on Wednesday, vying for a spot in the DII Baseball Championship Finals.
The game remained scoreless through four innings, with both teams struggling to find offensive rhythm. NNU’s breakthrough came in the fifth, exploiting Tampa’s defensive miscues to score four unearned runs. Errors by Tampa’s first baseman and pitcher allowed Gavin Brubaker to score. Carter Walsh (1-for-3, 1 R) singled and stole second, setting up Drew Deal’s walk. Nin Burns II reached on a pitcher’s error, and Bryan Rojas (1 RBI) drove in a run via a fielder’s choice. Kaleb Karpstein (2-for-3, 1 RBI) delivered a sacrifice fly, securing a 4-0 lead. In the sixth, Cris Enriquez scored on another Tampa pitching error, pushing NNU’s advantage to 5-2. The Nighthawks’ aggressive base-running, including Walsh’s steal and Rojas’ clutch contribution, exposed Tampa’s defensive vulnerabilities and shifted momentum decisively.
Tampa responded in the fifth with solo home runs from Maddox King (1-for-2, 1 HR, 1 RBI) and Jordan Williams (2-for-5, 1 HR, 1 RBI), narrowing the gap to 4-2. Jhoander Irigoyen’s (1-for-1, 1 HR, 1 RBI) ninth-inning homer made it 5-3, but NNU’s bullpen stood resolute. Ernesto LugoCanchola (6.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 7 SO) and Jonathan Zayas (2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 4 SO) stifled Tampa’s potent lineup, which stranded five runners, thwarting a comeback attempt.
Tampa’s Skylar Gonzalez (6.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 0 ER, 5 SO) and Ryan Stefiuk (1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R) battled valiantly, but three errors proved costly. NNU’s put-the-ball-in-play offense, relentless pressure on the bases, and lockdown pitching came together to pull off the upset, positioning the Nighthawks one victory from the DII Championship Finals, while Tampa faces a critical elimination game against UT Tyler on Tuesday night.
