NAMPA, Idaho – After taking care of business at last weekend's regional pod, Northwest Nazarene baseball is now set to host the NCAA DII West Super Regional round this weekend with a berth in the College World Series on the line.
 
The super regional will take place at NNU's Elmore W. Vail Field from Thursday to Saturday, May 22-24. It is a best-of-three series for the top seeded Nighthawks against the winner of the West Region's other pod, three-seed Cal State Monterey Bay. Games are scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m. MT each day, with Saturday's matchup an 'if necessary' contest if the teams each go 1-1 in the first two games.
 
The winner of the super regional will advance to the eight-team DII College World Series at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina from May 30-June 7.
 
 
Fan Information
 
Tournament Central Page: Click Here
Tickets: Tickets are available for purchase online here.
Live Stream: Click Here
Live Stats: Click Here
 
Ticket Info
General Admission - $10.00
Seniors (65+) - $8.00
Students w/ ID - $5.00
Children (6-18 years old) - $5.00
Children under age five and under are admitted free with a paying adult
 
Listed prices are per day, so one ticket will get you in to all games on that same date of purchase. Tickets can be purchased online or with cash at the gate. Tickets for Saturday's game will come available on Friday night if the teams go 1-1 over the first two games, to result in the need for the 'if necessary' game.
 
Note for NNU fans: Because this is an NCAA postseason event, season passes will not be accepted, and tickets will need to be purchased for all attendees (NNU students, faculty, & staff included).
 
 
NCAA Tournament History

• This is NNU's fourth appearance in the NCAA DII Baseball Championships tournament
• The Nighthawks are 7-8 all-time in NCAA postseason play, including this years' 2-1 record so far
• In NNU's first NCAA Regional appearance in 2021, the Nighthawks won the West Regional as the two seed (only three teams qualified with the CCAA not playing that season) and advanced to the DII College World Series in Cary, North Carolina, where they went 1-2 with a victory over Trevecca Nazarene
• The following season in 2022, NNU was the four seed in the regional and won their first game over Cal Poly Pomona before falling twice to top seed Point Loma
• Last year in 2024, the Nighthawks were the three-seed and dropped a pair of games to six-seed San Francisco State and two-seed Cal State Monterey Bay
• Since the 2021 team went straight from the regional round to the CWS due to COVID-19 effects, 2025 marks the first time that NNU has ever played in a DII Baseball Super Regional

 
 
NNU Team Notes

• NNU is entering the Super Regional with a 42-14 record and went 27-5 in GNAC play this season
• Both the 42 overall wins and 27 conference wins are new program records (previous overall high of 36 and GNAC high of 23 were achieved last season)
• The 42 wins also ties the GNAC single-season record, equaling Western Oregon in 2005
• NNU won the GNAC Regular Season Championship for the second-straight season and the fourth time in the last five years
• NNU also won the GNAC Tournament title for the second season in a row and third in the last five years
• The Nighthawks earned the No. 1 seed in the West Region for the first time in program history
• This is also the second time in Northwest Nazarene's Division II history that a team has been the top seed at regionals, joining the 2014 volleyball squad
• Head Coach Joe Schaefer has been a catalyst for NNU's rise to one of the top programs in the West Region, as he enters Super Regionals with a 201-122-1 (.622) overall record in his seventh season at the helm
• Schaefer is undisputedly the most successful coach in Northwest Nazarene baseball history, as he is the only skipper with a total win percentage over .510 and one of just two with winning records in their careers
• Schaefer also has a career head coaching record of 542-349-2 (.608) in 18 total seasons, spending the first 11 years of his career at Point Loma, where he went 341-227-1 (.600)
• NNU is currently averaging a composite ranking of 11^th in the nation, appearing in the latest rankings at 7^th in the ABCA Coaches Poll, 8^th in the NCBWA poll, and 18^th on D2Baseball.com
• The Nighthawks had a 13-game win streak from March 8 to April 11, and another 8-game win streak from April 18-26
• NNU is one of the hottest teams in Division II baseball with a 27-4 record in their last 31 games
• NNU only lost one series this year, falling in two of three games from Feb. 7-8 at Chico State
• In the regular season, NNU went 16-4 at home this year and 22-8 on the road
• The pitching staff is 20^th nationally with a 4.27 ERA, fourth with a 2.88 strikeout-to-walk ratio, fourth with 2.88 walks allowed per nine innings, ninth with seven shutouts, and 14^th with a 1.38 WHIP
• Offensively, NNU is 31^st in the country with a .317 batting average, 26th with 115 doubles, ninth with 23 triples, and 22^nd with 599 hits
• The Nighthawks are 32-4 this year when they score six or more runs and 28-2 when they hold opponents to less than six runs
• NNU is 37-1 when leading after six innings, 22-1 when leading after seven innings, and 21-0 when leading after eight innings this season
• When the Nighthawks hit at least one home run, they are 25-3 on the year
• NNU is 34-3 when they out-hit their opponent this season
• NNU has scored eight or more runs 26 times this year and is 25-1 in those games

 
Team Season Records Check (program records in bold)
 
Category                     Stat     Rank    Notes
Wins                            42        1^st        New Record, previous was 36 in 2024
Batting Average          .317     3^rd        .321 in 2010 is 2^nd, .324 in 1983 is 1^st
Slugging Percentage   .492     2^nd       .495 in 2021 is 1^st
On-Base Percentage   .402     3^rd        .405 in 1983 is 2^nd, .421 in 1984 is 1^st
Games Played             56        2^nd       57 in 2015 is 1^st
Runs Scored                432      1^st        New Record, previous was 366 in 2021
Hits                              599      1^st        New Record, previous was 540 in 2010
Doubles                       115      2^nd       117 in 2010 is 1^st
Triples                         23        1^st        New Record, previous was 20 in 2015
Home Runs                 56        3^rd        62 in 2021 is 2^nd, 63 in 2017 is 1^st
Walks                          217      3^rd        227 in 2021 & 2023 is T-1^st
Stolen Bases               112      1^st        New Record, previous was 104 in 2024
Strikeouts Per 9 Inn.   8.29     5^th        8.55 in 1960 is 4^th, 10.15 in 2022 is 1^st
Shutouts                     7          1^st        New Record, previous was 5 in 2015
Strikeouts                    421      2^nd       490 in 2022 is 1^st
Fielding Percentage    .969     2^nd       .972 in 2024 is 1^st
 
 
Potential Starting Lineup (based on # of starts this season and recent games)
C – Jason Bell (30 GS) or Drew Deal (26 GS)
1B – Kaleb Karpstein (43 GS)
2B – Gavin Brubaker (54 GS)
SS – Cole Calnon (42 GS at SS)
3B – Bryan Rojas (49 GS)
LF – Casey Wayne (16 GS)
CF – Carter Walsh (42 GS)
RF – Nin Burns II (55 GS)
DH – Cris Enriquez (51 GS)
SP – Ernesto Lugo-Canchola (14 GS), Cole Calnon* (13 GS), or Landen Parker (8 GS)
 
*When Calnon starts on the mound, the likely scenario is that Brubaker shifts from 2B to SS and Jake Mestas (8 GS) comes in to play 2B. Also, if Calnon hits while pitching then Enriquez's DH spot will be taken out of the order.
 
 
NNU Player Notes
 
Pitchers
Ernesto Lugo-Canchola

• Lugo-Canchola was named the first First-Team All-American and second overall in NNU baseball's Division II history, earning the honor from the NCBWA
• He is also is the fourth NNU baseball player to be named the GNAC Newcomer of the Year, and was a consensus First Team All-Region selection by the D2CCA and NCBWA
• The Utah transfer immediately established himself as a top pitcher in both the GNAC and across all of Division II, entering this weekend with a 11-0 record, 2.10 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, .171 opposing batting average, and 91 strikeouts
• At the national level, he is currently fourth with just 5.31 hits allowed per nine innings, 10th in ERA, 9th with a 1.00 WHIP, and 25^th in strikeouts
• His 11 wins are a new NNU single-season record, his .171 opponent batting average this year is currently second in program history, and his 91 strikeouts are currently fourth in NNU history
• He has gone at least five innings and allowed two or fewer runs in 11 of his 14 starts

Cole Calnon

• Calnon was named the third All-American in NNU baseball's Division II history, earning Honorable Mention recognition from the NCBWA
• He is also the third Nighthawk to earn GNAC Pitcher of the Year honors, and has also been named a consensus First Team All-Region pick by the NCBWA and D2CCA
• After only throwing 24 innings last season, the senior has broken out to be one of the best pitchers in all of Division II this season
• Entering the Super Regional, he has a 10-0 record and 2.34 ERA, .248 opposing batting average, eight complete games, and 65 strikeouts to just 13 walks
• He is tied for the national lead in complete games and ranked 19th in DII in ERA and 12th in the nation with just 1.32 walks allowed per nine innings
• Calnon's career 2.87 ERA at NNU is ninth in program history, and his 1.43 walks allowed per nine innings is currently an NNU record (min. 50 IP)
• When Calnon starts on the mound, NNU is a perfect 13-0 this season
• Calnon is also NNU's starting shortstop when not pitching, and is hitting .302 with 11 doubles, three homers, and 31 RBIs

Landen Parker

• Parker earned his first All-GNAC pick in his first season at NNU with an Honorable Mention honor
• After starting the season in the bullpen, he transitioned to a starter role midway through the season and has recorded eight starts and 54.0 innings pitched with a 4.83 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 49 strikeouts, and two saves

Wade Duncan

• After a First Team All-GNAC honor last year, Duncan picked up his second-straight All-GNAC selection this season with Honorable Mention honors
• This season, he has compiled a 2.02 ERA out of the bullpen with four saves, a 5-1 record, 33 strikeouts to just three walks, a .206 opposing batting average, and a miniscule .86 WHIP
• His 1.01 walks allowed per nine innings is currently fourth in a single season at NNU
• His career 1.62 walks allowed per nine innings is currently second in program history, only behind teammate Cole Calnon
• He is also fourth in program history with 13 career saves

Jonathan Zayas

• Zayas earned his second All-GNAC nod of his career this year with a Second Team recognition as a relief pitcher, also being named Honorable Mention in 2023
• Across 31.1 innings out of the bullpen for the Nighthawks, he has a 2.59 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, .238 opposing batting average, and a ratio of 37 strikeouts to seven walks

Joseph Ihli

• Ihli has been very productive in limited action this season, throwing 18.1 innings across 11 appearances
• He enters the weekend with a 4.42 ERA and ratio of 17 strikeouts to three walks
• Ihli is the only remaining player on the team from the 2021 College World Series squad, going to Cary as a freshman
• He is also tied for seventh in program history with eight career saves and sixth with 61 career appearances on the mound

The Rest of the Bullpen

• Adam Brooks (15.2 IP, 4.60 ERA, 12 K, 6 BB), Josh Bishopp (26.2 IP, 6.07 ERA, 26 K, 8 BB), Jakob Rochelle (15.2 IP, 6.89 ERA, 7 K, 7 BB), and Dillon Eden (15.2 IP, 7.47 ERA, 17 K, 9 BB) have been the other Nighthawks with at least 10 appearances on the mound this season

 
Position Players
Nin Burns II

• Burns II has made an immediate impact in his first season in Nampa after transferring from Texas Southern, earning First Team All-GNAC honors
• He was also named Second Team All-Region by both the NCBWA and D2CCA
• The right fielder and leadoff hitter is currently hitting .349 with 13 doubles, 13 homers, 49 RBIs, 31 walks, and 16 stolen bases
• He has smashed the NNU single-season record for runs scored (previously 51), entering the weekend with 66 this season, just one away from the GNAC record of 67
• His 74 hits are currently tied for third in a single season at NNU, his 13 homers are currently sixth, and his 49 RBIs are currently eighth
• Burns had a hitting streak of 15 games earlier this season and an on-base streak of 31 games that was broken at the regional opener against Point Loma

Kaleb Karpstein

• Karpstein earned First Team All-GNAC honors at first base and a Second Team All-Region honor from the D2CCA and Honorable Mention from the NCBWA
• The junior leads the Nighthawks with a .401 batting average and a .497 on-base percentage, while also registering 12 doubles, five homers, 40 RBIs, and 23 walks
• He is currently on a 25-game reached base streak, the longest current streak on the team
• NNU is 20-3 this year when Karpstein bats third in the lineup
• His .401 batting average is currently eighth in NNU single-season history and .497 on-base percentage is currently fifth
• He is tied for ninth all-time at NNU with 59 career walks
• Karpstein has a .997 fielding percentage, playing great defense at first base with just one error in 339 chances

Bryan Rojas

• Rojas was named First Team All-GNAC at third base, joining a Second Team honor in 2024
• He was also named NCBWA Second Team All-Region
• The senior third baseman is currently hitting .365 with a team-leading 18 doubles, nine homers, and 44 RBIs
• His 73 hits are currently tied for fifth in a single season at NNU, and his 18 doubles are tied for fifth as well
• For his NNU career, Rojas is currently seventh in program history with a .357 batting average in his two seasons
• He is currently on a 21-game reached base streak
• Rojas had three homers in the two games against Point Loma in last weekend's regional

Cris Enriquez

• Enriquez earned First Team All-GNAC honors at designated hitter in his first season at NNU after transferring from Tarleton State
• He was also named Honorable Mention All-Region by the NCBWA
• He is currently hitting .292 with 12 doubles, five homers, is tied for the team lead with 50 RBIs, and has 25 walks
• His 50 RBIs are currently tied for fifth in a season at NNU
• He is currently on a 17-game reached base streak

Gavin Brubaker

• Brubaker picked a Second-Team All-GNAC honor in his second season, joining an Honorable Mention award last year
• The sophomore is hitting .314 with seven doubles, five triples, four homers, and 30 RBIs
• He has started 42 games at second base and 12 at shortstop while Calnon is on the mound
• His five triples are tied for third in program single-season history

Carter Walsh

• Walsh earned his second-straight All-GNAC honor in his second season in Nampa with Honorable Mention honors, also receiving Second Team and Freshman of the Year honors in 2024
• The sophomore has recorded 38 runs scored, six doubles, three triples, four home runs, 21 RBIs, 18 walks, and 11 stolen bases
• NNU is 24-2 this season when Walsh hits in the ninth spot in the lineup
• He is tied for fourth all-time at NNU with 38 career stolen bases
• Walsh has also played sparkling defense across 42 appearances in center field (37) and at second base (5), not recording an error in 116 chances this season with 101 putouts and 15 assists

Casey Wayne

• Wayne started to see more playing time towards the end of the season, and now figures to be a mainstay in the lineup with Arechiga's injury
• In 31 appearances and 65 at-bats, Wayne has hit .369 with four homers and 20 RBIs
• Wayne had a uniquely impressive GNAC tournament, reaching base safely in all 11 plate appearances with four hits, two homers, and seven walks

Jason Bell

• Bell earned an Honorable Mention All-GNAC nod at catcher for the first time in his senior campaign at NNU
• Sharing catcher responsibilities, he has still managed to make an impact in the lineup with a .244 average, six doubles, three home runs, 11 RBIs, and 10 walks
• Bell has caught seven runners stealing this season and allowed just five stolen bases while catching

Drew Deal

• Deal has appeared behind the plate for the other half of NNU's games this year, and enters the weekend with a .250 batting average, four doubles, 10 RBIs, 10 walks, and is 8-9 in stolen bases
• Deal has caught six runners stealing this season and allowed just seven stolen bases while catching
• NNU is 22-4 this season when Deal starts behind the plate

 
 
 
Scouting Cal State Monterey Bay
 
The Otters are making their third straight Super Regional appearance after topping regional two-seed Westmont twice on Championship Saturday to take the NCAA West Regional Pod #2 title. CSUMB enters the Super Regional at Northwest Nazarene with a 39-17 overall record. The 39 wins equal the program record.
 
Monterey Bay won the CCAA regular season title for the fourth year in a row and then claimed its third straight tournament championship to earn its eighth berth to the NCAA postseason. KW Quilici, a NCBWA and D2CCA All-Region selection was named the CCAA Player of the Year and heads to Idaho with a team-leading .392 average, adding 13 home runs and 50 RBI. Javier Felix, who also garnered all-region accolades from both outlets was named the CCAA Newcomer of the Year. He enters the Super Regional with a conference-best 21 doubles and sports a .322 average with 11 home runs and 42 RBI. 
 
NNU and Monterey Bay have played each other just four times in program histories. The first three games were part of a non-conference series in 2009, with the Nighthawks taking two of three on the road in Seaside. The only recent matchup came just last season, when the two teams faced off in NCAA Regional action hosted by Monterey Bay, and the Otters were the ones to end the Nighthawks' 2024 season with a 6-3 victory. With the series tied at 2-2, this week's matchups between the teams will be the first not played in Seaside.