2023 NAIA baseball tournament

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Teams46
Finals site
ChampionsWestmont (CA) (1st title)
Winning coachTyler LaTorre
2023 NAIA
baseball tournament
Teams46
Finals site
ChampionsWestmont (CA) (1st title)
Winning coachTyler LaTorre
MVPIsaiah Thomas (Lewis–Clark State)
  • ← 2022
  • NAIA baseball tournament
  • 2024 →

The 2023 NAIA baseball tournament was the 66th edition of the NAIA baseball championship. The 46-team tournament began on May 15 with Opening Round games across ten different sites and concluded with the 2023 NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho that began on May 26 and ended on June 2.

The Westmont (CA) defeated host Lewis–Clark State in a winner-take-all championship game 7–6 to capture their first national title in program history.

Lewis–Clark State's Isaiah Thomas won tournament MVP honors. Thomas became the first player since Oklahoma City's Chris Bradshaw in 1998 to win the tournament MVP on a non-championship winning team.

The 46 participating teams were selected from all eligible NAIA teams. The World Series host and 31 teams were awarded automatic bids as either champions and/or runners-up of their conferences, and 14 teams were selected at-large by the National Selection Committee. Teams were then placed into one of ten pre-determined Opening Round sites, with six sites consisting of five teams and four sites consisting of four teams, each of which is conducted via a double-elimination tournament. The winners of each of the Opening Round sites participated in the NAIA World Series.

A total of 46 teams entered the tournament, with Lewis–Clark State receiving an automatic bid into the Opening Round as World Series host. 31 automatic bids were determined by either winning their conference's regular season championship, conference tournament, and/or conference tournament runner-up. The other 14 bids were at-large, with selections determined by the NAIA Baseball National Selection Committee.

Opening round hosts

On May 1, the NAIA announced the ten opening round host sites, which were played from May 15–18.[1]

VenueLocationHost
Don Roddy FieldBellevue, NEBellevue University
Estes Baseball FieldFayette, MOCentral Methodist University
Doyle Buhl StadiumWilliamsburg, KYUniversity of the Cumberlands
Grizzly Baseball ComplexLawrenceville, GAGeorgia Gwinnett College
Harris FieldLewiston, IDLewis-Clark State College
Pilot FieldShreveport, LALouisiana State University Shreveport
Winterholter FieldUpland, INTaylor University
Hunter Wright StadiumKingsport, TNVisit Kingsport
Russell Carr FieldSanta Barbara, CAWestmont College
Milton Wheeler FieldHattiesburg, MSWilliam Carey University

Bids

Source:[2]

Automatic

School Conference Record Berth Last NAIA Appearance
Antelope Valley (CA) Cal Pac30–14Tournament champion2022 (Santa Barbara Bracket)
Bellevue (NE) North Star45–8Tournament champion2022 NAIA World Series
British Columbia Cascade34–19Tournament champion2022 (Lewiston Bracket)
Bryan (TN) Appalachian35–19Tournament runner-up2022 (Upland Bracket)
Columbia (MO) American Midwest38–13Tournament champion2022 (Upland Bracket)
Concordia (MI) Wolverine-Hoosier46–8Regular season championFirst appearance
Concordia (NE) Great Plains38–15Tournament runner-up2022 (Bellevue Bracket)
Cumberlands (KY) Mid-South46–7Tournament champion2022 (Kingsport Bracket)
Dillard (LA) Gulf Coast22–28Tournament championFirst appearance
Doane (NE) Great Plains42–10Regular season champion2022 (Lewiston Bracket)
Fisher (MA) Continental29–23Tournament runner-up2022 (Shreveport Bracket)
Freed–Hardeman (TN) Mid-South37–19Tournament runner-up2022 (Oklahoma City Bracket)
Georgia Gwinnett Continental47–5Tournament champion2022 NAIA World Series
Grand View (IA) Heart34–12Tournament champion2015 (Grand Rapids Bracket)
Houston–Victoria (TX) Red River26–25Tournament champion2014 (Jackson Bracket)
Indiana Wesleyan Crossroads36–18–1Tournament champion2021 (Marion Bracket)
Kansas Wesleyan Kansas42–13Regular season champion2022 (Oklahoma City Bracket)
Lewis-Clark State (ID) Cascade30–16World Series host2022 NAIA World Series
LSU–Shreveport Red River44–8Regular season champion2022 NAIA World Series
Madonna (MI) Wolverine-Hoosier35–15Tournament champion2022 (Kingsport Bracket)
McPherson (KS) Kansas36–14Tournament champion2022 (Miami Gardens Bracket)
MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) Heart30–25Tournament runner-up2022 NAIA World Series
Midway (KY) River States27–22Regular season champion2017 (Lima Bracket)
Mobile (AL) Southern States35–13Tournament champion2019 (Williamsburg Bracket)
Oklahoma City Sooner30–19Tournament champion2022 (Oklahoma City Bracket)
Point Park (PA) River States36–15Tournament champion2022 (Lawrenceville Bracket)
Southeastern (FL) The Sun52–4Tournament champion2022 NAIA World Series
Saint Xavier (IL) Chicagoland31–25Tournament champion2021 (Bellevue Bracket)
St. Francis (IL) Chicagoland25–26Regular season champion2015 (Montgomery Bracket)
Taylor (IN) Crossroads37–15Regular season champion2022 (Upland Bracket)
Union (KY) Appalachian30–17–1Tournament champion2019 (Lawrenceville Bracket)
Westmont (CA) Golden State40–8Tournament champion2022 NAIA World Series

At–Large

School Conference Record Last NAIA Appearance
Ave Maria (FL) The Sun34–162013 (Daytona Beach Bracket)
Benedictine–Mesa (AZ) Cal Pac42–122021 (O'Fallon Bracket)
Central Methodist (MO) Heart34–172021 NAIA World Series
Cumberland (TN) Mid-South35–13–12018 (Upland Bracket)
Hope International (CA) Golden State33–92022 (Lawrenceville Bracket)
Missouri Baptist American Midwest42–72017 NAIA World Series
Morningside (IA) Great Plains36–162016 (Hutchinson Bracket)
Reinhardt (GA) Appalachian33–182022 (Montgomery Bracket)
Science & Arts (OK) Sooner34–182022 (Shreveport Bracket)
Tennessee Wesleyan Appalachian42–92022 NAIA World Series
Texas Wesleyan Sooner36–142019 (Henderson Bracket)
Webber International (FL) The Sun40–152022 NAIA World Series
William Carey (MS) Southern States44–92022 (Lawrenceville Bracket)
Vanugard (CA) Golden State33–162022 (Lewiston Bracket)

Opening Round

Source:[3]

Bellevue Bracket

Hosted by Bellevue (NE) at Don Roddy Field

First round Semifinals Finals
          
1 Bellevue (NE) 7
4 Grand View (IA) 0
1 Bellevue 6
Winner's bracket
3 Oklahoma City 3
3 Oklahoma City 5
2 Doane (NE) 2
1 Bellevue 13 –
3 Oklahoma City 3 –
4 Grand View 2
2 Doane 3
2 Doane 6
Loser's bracket
3 Oklahoma City 811

Fayette Bracket

Hosted by Central Methodist (MO) at Estes Baseball Field

First roundSecond roundSemifinalsFinals
1Southeastern (FL)3
4Madonna (MI)94Madonna2
5St. Francis (IL)61Southeastern (FL)15
2Kansas Wesleyan1
2Kansas Wesleyan3
3Central Methodist (MO)1
1Southeastern (FL)11–
2Kansas Wesleyan3–
First roundSecond roundSemifinals
2Kansas Wesleyan16
4Madonna33Central Methodist7
5St. Francis (IL)23Central Methodist5
3Central Methodist14

Hattiesburg Bracket

Hosted by William Carey (MS) at Milton Wheeler Field

First roundSecond roundSemifinalsFinals
1William Carey (MS)7
4Union (KY)75Houston–Victoria0
5Houston–Victoria (TX)101William Carey11
3Ave Maria2
2Texas Wesleyan8
3Ave Maria (FL)20
1William Carey27–
3Ave Maria4–
First roundSecond roundSemifinals
3Ave Maria4
5Houston–Victoria95Houston–Victoria3
4Union (KY)82Texas Wesleyan3
2Texas Wesleyan11

Kingsport Bracket

Hosted by Visit Kingsport at Hunter Wright Stadium

First round Semifinals Finals
          
1 Webber International (FL) 4
4 Indiana Wesleyan 9
4 Indiana Wesleyan 8
Winner's bracket
3 Bryan 3
3 Bryan (TN) 10
2 Missouri Baptist 1
4 Indiana Wesleyan 7 –
2 Missouri Baptist 6 –
1 Webber International 7
2 Missouri Baptist 14
2 Missouri Baptist 21
Loser's bracket
3 Bryan 4

Lawrenceville Bracket

Hosted by Georgia Gwinnett at Grizzly Baseball Complex

First roundSecond roundSemifinalsFinals
1Georgia Gwinnett18
4Midway (KY)64Midway1
5Saint Xavier (IL)51Georgia Gwinnett21
2Freed–Hardeman4
2Freed–Hardeman (TN)7
3Concordia (NE)4
1Georgia Gwinnett67
2Freed–Hardeman71
First roundSecond roundSemifinals
2Freed–Hardeman11
4Midway73Concordia (NE)8
5Saint Xavier (IL)33Concordia (NE)11
3Concordia (NE)10

Lewiston Bracket

Hosted by Lewis–Clark State (ID) at Harris Field

First round Semifinals Finals
          
1 Hope International (CA) 14
4 Lewis–Clark State (ID) 15
4 Lewis–Clark State 5
Winner's bracket
3 Concordia (MI) 4
3 Concordia (MI) 11
2 Science & Arts (OK) 7
4 Lewis–Clark State 19 –
3 Concordia (MI) 7 –
1 Hope International 12
2 Science & Arts 20
2 Science & Arts 4
Loser's bracket
3 Concordia (MI) 10

Santa Barbara Bracket

Hosted by Westmont (CA) at Russell Carr Field

First roundSecond roundSemifinalsFinals
1Westmont (CA)710
4British Columbia11124British Columbia6
5Antelope Valley (CA)101Westmont7
2Benedictine–Mesa2
2Benedictine–Mesa (AZ)5
3Vanguard (CA)4
1Westmont10–
2Benedictine–Mesa1–
First roundSecond roundSemifinals
2Benedictine–Mesa11
4British Columbia23Vanguard7
5Antelope Valley23Vanguard10
3Vanguard4

Shreveport Bracket

Hosted by LSU–Shreveport at Pilot Field

First roundSecond roundSemifinalsFinals
1LSU–Shreveport4
4MidAmerica Nazarene (KS)54MidAmerica Nazarene6
5Dillard (LA)24MidAmerica Nazarene12
3Morningside7
2McPherson (KS)4
3Morningside (IA)10
4MidAmerica Nazarene67
1LSU–Shreveport146
First roundSecond roundSemifinals
3Morningside6
1LSU–Shreveport6101LSU–Shreveport7
5Dillard12McPherson4
2McPherson9

Upland Bracket

Hosted by Taylor (IN) at Winterholter Field

First roundSecond roundSemifinalsFinals
1Tennessee Wesleyan4
4Point Park (PA)204Point Park8
5Fisher (MA)34Point Park10
2Taylor12
2Taylor (IN)3
3Cumberland (TN)2
2Taylor12–
4Point Park0–
First roundSecond roundSemifinals
4Point Park610
1Tennessee Wesleyan30121Tennessee Wesleyan5
5Fisher93Cumberland (TN)18
3Cumberland (TN)17

Williamsburg Bracket

Hosted by Cumberlands (KY) at Doyle Buhl Stadium

First round Semifinals Finals
          
1 Cumberlands (KY) 13
4 Reinhardt (GA) 5
1 Cumberlands (KY) 18
Winner's bracket
3 Columbia (MO) 4
3 Columbia (MO) 10
2 Mobile (AL) 7
1 Cumberlands (KY) 8 –
3 Columbia (MO) 6 –
4 Reinhardt 5
2 Mobile 2
4 Reinhardt 6
Loser's bracket
3 Columbia (MO) 9

NAIA World Series

See also

References

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