Baseball

NAIA Announces National Championship Field

Four Southern States Athletic Conference teams will play in an NAIA National Championship Opening Round next week

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round qualifiers were announced on Thursday and William Carey, Blue Mountain Chrisitan, Faulkner and Loyola will represent the SSAC.
 

The Opening Round tournaments will take place at campus sites across the country May 13-16, with 10 double-elimination brackets. The winners will advance to the NAIA Baseball World Series May 24-31 in Lewiston, Idaho. 
 

William Carey (34-14): Hattiesburg Bracket
#1 Mid-America Christian, #2 William Carey, #3 Oklahoma Wesleyan, #4 Milligan

  • William Carey grabbed an automatic bid by winning the SSAC Baseball Championship last week

  • WCU won all four games at the conference tournament, which included a 15-4 win over Blue Mountain Christian in the title game

  • The Crusaders are in the Opening Round for the 10th time overall and are 20-15 in opening-round action after advancing to their fourth NAIA World Series a season ago
     

Faulkner (35-15): Lawrenceville Bracket
#1 Georgia Gwinnett, #2 Faulkner, #3 OUAZ, #4 Bushnell, #5 Louisiana Christian

  • The Eagles earned an at-large berth to the national tournament after winning the SSAC Regular Season Championship

  • Faulkner won the SSAC regular-season title with a 22-8 mark in the league, clearing second-place William Carey by two games in the standings

  • Thursday’s announcement marked the 13th time the Eagles will be in the national championship field 
     

Blue Mountain Christian (31-21): Shreveport Bracket
#1 LSU-Shreveport, #2 Concordia, #3 Kansas Wesleyan, #4 Talladega, #5 Blue Mountain Christian

  • BMCU grabbed an automatic bid by advancing to the title game of the SSAC Baseball Championship

  • It’s the first-ever trip to the NAIA National Championship for the Toppers

  • Blue Mountain Christian took down No. 11 Faulkner and No. 16 Loyola in the conference tournament to help earn the automatic bid

  • Arderrius "Peeko" Townsend was named the SSAC Player of the Year
     

Loyola (36-17): Williamsburg Bracket

#1 Cumberlands (Ky.), #2 Bellevue (Neb.), #3 Loyola, #4 St. Francis (Ind.), #5 Park (Mo.)

  • Loyola was given an at-large berth after a program record-tying 36 wins this season

  • It’s the third time in the last four seasons the Wolf Pack will compete in the national tournament

  • Jaxon Buratt was named the SSAC Freshman of the Year