Northwest Nazarene baseball returns from its most successful season ever—a historic 46-16 campaign with GNAC regular season and tournament titles, West Regional championship, and a National Tournament Semifinals run that included the program’s first 40-win season. With coach Joe Schaefer entering year eight (205-124-1 at NNU), the Nighthawks ranked No. 3 nationally but lose aces like Ernesto Lugo-Canchola (D2 Pitcher of the Year, 2.00 ERA) and two-way star Cole Calnon (Two-Way Player of the Year). Kaleb Karpstein (.383 GNAC batting champ) leads a smaller returning core while D1 transfers from Nevada and Utah Valley reload the roster.
Key Offensive Departures
NNU loses its heart of the order with Nin Burns II (First Team all-GNAC, .338, 15 HR, 53 RBI), Bryan Rojas (First Team all-GNAC, .360, 10 HR, 51 RBI), Cris Enriquez (First Team all-GNAC, .296, 8 HR), and Adrian Arechiga (.312, 50 RBI, 25 SB). Cole Calnon (.303 AVG, 62 G, 34 RBI) also exits after starring as an everyday infielder alongside his two-way dominance on the mound. Those bats combined for 285+ hits, 40+ homers, and massive RBI production that powered the deepest postseason run in school history.
Returning Hitters
- INF Kaleb Karpstein – .383 AVG (GNAC batting title), 1.024 OPS, 53 G, 69 H, 12 2B, 5 HR, 42 RBI, First Team all-GNAC
- IF/P Gavin Brubaker – .300 AVG, .822 OPS, 60 G, 62 H, 33 RBI, 16 SB, Second Team all-GNAC
- OF Carter Walsh – .276 AVG, .762 OPS, 52 G, 50 H, 4 HR, 14-for-16 SB
- INF Carson Burns – .321 AVG, 23 G, 18 H
- OF Noah Palomares – .296 AVG, .827 OPS, 21 G
- IF Mason Leavitt – .343 AVG, .451 OBP, 11 SB in 2023, First Team All-GNAC (returns from mission trip)
Transfer Hitters
- C/UTL Caleb Boswell (Midland CC) – .387 AVG, 1.228 OPS, 29 XBH (12 HR)
- OF Max Paterson (Everett CC) – .381 AVG, 13 SB last year
- OF Parker Sobiesiak (Riverside CC) – .351 AVG, 10 XBH in 114 AB
- C Tate Lewis (Chandler-Gilbert CC/Southern Illinois) – .303 at D1 SIU
- INF Coleman Parry (Miles CC) – .423/.541/.743, 13 HR, 61 RBI
Key Pitching Departures
Ernesto Lugo-Canchola (D2 Pitcher of the Year, First Team All-American, 2.00 ERA, 13-0, 94.2 IP, 103 K) transfers to Florida. Cole Calnon (D2 Two-Way Player of the Year, First Team All-American, 2.27 ERA, 12-0, 111 IP, 9 CG) joins coaching staff. Jonathan Zayas (Second Team all-GNAC, 2.80 ERA), Josh Bishopp (27.2 IP), Kailer Saunders (23.2 IP) also gone—nearly 300 innings lost.
Returning Pitchers
- RHP Landen Parker – 5.46 ERA, 57.2 IP, 52 K (19 G/9 GS)
- RHP Wade Duncan – 2.93 ERA, 27.2 IP, 35 K, 4 SV (Honorable Mention all-GNAC)
- RHP Tyler Stolfich – 6.66 ERA, 25.2 IP (7 G/6 GS)
- RHP Dillon Eden – 7.56 ERA, 16.2 IP, 19 K (12 G)
- LHP Adam Brooks – 5.40 ERA, 16.2 IP, 12 K (16 G)
Transfer Pitchers
- LHP Corbin Talley (Northwestern State) – 3.95 ERA in 13.2 IP
- RHP Hawk Hill (Sonoma State) – 3.49 ERA, 28.1 IP
- RHP Hayden Crews (Sacramento CC/Fresno State) – 3.84 ERA, 79.2 IP, 73 K @ SCC
- P/OF Myles Anderson (Utah Valley) – 4.88 ERA, 86.2 IP, 84 K @ NPC
- P/OF Kyle Becker (Nevada)
Northwest Nazarene baseball eyes a World Series title after 2025’s historic run, opening January 30 at Concordia Irvine with early tests against Azusa Pacific and Cal State LA. GNAC play kicks off February 27 at home vs. Western Oregon, followed by Montana State Billings (33-22 last year) and Saint Martin’s. Coach Joe Schaefer’s reloaded roster faces a gauntlet of regional heavyweights—depth and transfers must deliver if NNU wants to return to Cary.
