Point Park and IU Southeast to begin NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round tomorrow
MIDDLETOWN, Ohio -- It was announced on Thursday, May 9, by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) the teams and pairings for the 2024 NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round, which takes place at 10 campus sites around the nation on May 13-16.
Representing the RSC in the 46-team field are Point Park (Pa.) and IU Southeast (Ind.). The Pioneers are headed south to Waleska, Ga. for their opening round, while the Grenadiers will stay in the 'Hoosier State' and head north to Upland, Ind. for their opening round.
The 10 winning teams of the opening rounds will advance to the Avista NAIA Baseball World Series hosted by Lewis-Clark State (Idaho). The 67th annual event will be held at famous Harris Field on May 24-31.
Waleska Bracket
Point Park (41-13), who jumped up to No. 25 in the final NAIA Baseball Coaches' Top 25 Poll, earned the No. 3 seed after winning the RSC Baseball Tournament. The Pioneers went 3-0 on the final day of the tournament to win the title as they're making their fourth consecutive trip to the opening round and their eighth trip overall.
For their opening round matchup, they'll square off against the No. 2 seed Jessup (Calif.) on May 13 at 2 p.m. ET. The Warriors (39-9), who ranked No. 12 in the final top 25 ratings, won the Golden State Athletic Conference Tournament Championship and are making their third appearance in the opening round.
The other first round matchup in the four-team, double-elimination pod features the No. 1 seed Reinhardt (Ga.) and the No. 4 seed Keiser (Fla.). That matchup will follow Point Park-Jessup at 6 p.m. ET.
Reinhardt (38-16), who ranked No. 9 in the final coaches' poll, is making their fifth appearance in the opening round after finishing runner-up in the Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament. Meanwhile, Keiser (32-21), earned an at-large berth out of the Sun Conference and is making their fourth appearance.
The losers of the two opening round matchups will meet in an elimination game at 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday, while the winners will square off at 6 p.m. ET on the same day.
Upland Bracket
The Grenadiers (32-18), who are in the 'receiving votes' portion of the top 25 poll, earned the No. 4 seed in the five-team, double-elimination pod. They're making their eighth opening round appearance in program history after finishing runner-up in the RSC Baseball Tournament.
They'll battle the No. 5 seed Indiana Tech for their opening round matchup on May 13 at 11 a.m. ET. The Warriors (32-22) won the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Tournament and are making their 10th opening round appearance.
The winner of the IUS-Indiana Tech matchup will square off with the No. 1 seed Missouri Baptist, who ranked No. 7 in the final top 25 ratings, on May 13 at 6 p.m. ET. Like the Warriors, the Spartans (39-10-1) are also making their 10th opening round appearance after earning an at-large berth out of the American Midwest Conference.
The IUS-Indiana Tech loser will meet the loser of the of the second game on Monday featuring the No. 2 seed Taylor (Ind.) and the No. 3 seed MidAmerica Nazarene (Kans.). That elimination game will take place at 11 a.m. ET on Tuesday.
The Trojans (41-14), who finished the year ranked No. 17 in the top 25 poll, are making their ninth appearance in program history after winning the Crossroads League Regular Season Championship. The Pioneers (34-18), ranked No. 23 in the final top 25 ratings, earned an at-large berth out of the Heart of America Athletic Conference and are making their seventh opening round appearance.