Box Score
NCAA Championship Bracket
CARY, N.C. – A memorable postseason run culminating with the Great Midwest Athletic Conference’s first-ever NCAA College World Series appearance concluded for Trevecca Nazarene on Monday afternoon in an elimination game against Northwest Nazarene, 9-3.
The Trojans, seeded fourth, and Nighthawks, seeded eighth, were both faced with a win or go home scenario following losses in their first-round games on Saturday at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.
It was a battle of the Nazarene’s and representatives from the Midwest Region and West Region that ultimately saw the Nighthawks prevail and keep their season alive.
Freshman Shawn Wallwork was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI, all-region outfielder Braden Odom tripled in a run and all-conference third baseman Joseph McNamee was 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Five different pitchers were utilized by TNU, including starter Chase Haley who finished with five strikeouts over four innings.
Wallwork’s two-run single with two outs in the second inning was up the middle of the diamond and Odom, another left-handed hitter, roped a shot to the right-center gap for one of three triples combined between both teams.
After the NNU’s offense was held in check, the bats came through for a seven-run seventh inning as three different extra-base hits resulting in RBI were delivered. Nighthawks’ LHP starter Kyle Ethridge didn’t have run support early, but recorded eight strikeouts over six full innings of work for a quality start.
Even though Ethridge received a no-decision, Blake McFadden threw three scoreless innings with just one hit to earn the win.
Northwest Nazarene fell in the winner’s bracket against No. 1 seed Central Missouri while Trevecca Nazarene was edged in extras by the last national champion crowned in Cary, the University of Tampa.
In the double-elimination bracket, Northwest Nazarene advanced to to face Tampa in another elimination game on Wednesday.
In a season with plenty of unknowns and question marks getting back to normalcy from COVID, the Trojans exceeded the outside expectations after being picked fifth in the conference preseason coaches poll.
Under Great Midwest Coach of the Year Chase Sain in his first season, the Trojans went 36-13 overall with a conference regular season title and the tournament crown at PRASCO Park. The Midwest Region title also headed back to Nashville as the No. 2 seeded Trojans defeated Davenport in the championship series.
Now that Sain and his players have the experience and College World Series pedigree, the program knows the work necessary to get there and will be anxious to get back in what will be another competitive spring season coming full circle in 2022.