LAKELAND, Fla. -- The road back to Lewiston runs through Lakeland this week as top-seeded Southeastern opens play in the 2026 NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round at Ted A. Broer Stadium. The Fire enter the postseason as the Sun Conference Tournament champions and winners of six straight games, tied for the team's longest streak of the season. Southeastern will face fourth-seeded Faulkner on Monday night at 6 p.m. ET in the final game of opening day action after Milligan and British Columbia begin the tournament at 2:30 p.m.
The double-elimination format continues Tuesday with the semifinal and elimination games before the bracket shifts toward championship play on Wednesday. The Opening Round Final is scheduled for 6 p.m. on May 13, while the if-necessary championship game would be played Thursday at noon. Southeastern enters the tournament with a 25-6 all-time record in NAIA Opening Round play and has won 21 consecutive Opening Round games dating back to 2017.
Streaming Mode
Every game of the NAIA National Championship Opening Round will stream free through the Urban Edge Network on smart TVs, mobile devices, and web browsers. Complete tournament coverage, ticket information, live stats, schedules, and bracket updates can be found at
fire.seu.edu/baseballOR.
The Fire Five
- Southeastern enters the NAIA Opening Round at 39-15, winners of six straight, and owners of a 21-game Opening Round winning streak.
- The Fire offense has been one of the nation's best in 2026: .315 AVG, .441 OBP, 52 HR, 176 XBH, and 488 runs scored entering postseason play. SEU is 24-1 when scoring 10+ runs.
- Southeastern has been elite in clutch situations this season, hitting .345 with runners in scoring position and .364 with the bases loaded while opponents are hitting just .254 in RBI chances.
- Pitching and power have fueled another postseason run for the Fire. SEU enters the Opening Round with a 4.27 ERA, 445 strikeouts, and NAIA top-25 rankings in ERA, WHIP, and K/9.
- Southeastern is making its 11th NAIA Opening Round appearance with seven trips to the World Series and national titles in 2018 and 2022. The Fire are 25-6 all-time in Opening Round play.
Built for the Bracket
Southeastern enters postseason play with a 39-15 overall record and a 19-9 mark in Sun Conference play after capturing the conference tournament title. The Fire have been especially strong away from home, posting a 12-4 road record while also going 22-9 at Ted A. Broer Stadium. The current six-game winning streak has helped position SEU as one of the nation's most balanced teams heading into the tournament.
The Fire rank among the NAIA leaders offensively, entering the Opening Round ranked 19th nationally in on-base percentage (.441), 27th in extra-base hits (176), 30th in OPS (.931), 35th in slugging percentage (.490), and 39th in home runs (52). Southeastern is hitting .315 as a team with 529 hits and 488 runs scored through 54 games.
What has made Southeastern particularly dangerous is its situational hitting. The Fire are batting .345 with runners in scoring position and .364 with the bases loaded while opponents are hitting just .254 in RBI opportunities. SEU has also excelled at manufacturing offense, recording 190 productive advancement outs while posting a 1.28 flyout-to-groundout ratio. The offense becomes especially difficult to contain once it gets rolling, as the Fire are 24-1 when scoring 10 or more runs and 31-3 when outhitting opponents.
Pitching has also been a major strength for the Fire throughout the season. Southeastern enters the tournament with a 4.27 ERA, a 1.44 WHIP, and 9.17 strikeouts per nine innings, all ranking inside the NAIA top 25. Opponents are batting just .260 against SEU pitching, and the staff has recorded 445 strikeouts across 437.2 innings.
Historically, Southeastern has been one of the NAIA's premier postseason programs. This marks the program's 11th NAIA Opening Round appearance. The Fire have advanced to the NAIA World Series seven times and captured national championships in 2018 and 2022. Their 21-game Opening Round winning streak is among the longest active postseason streaks in college baseball.
Bats That Travel
Nathaniel Hopkins has been one of the leaders of the Southeastern offense. The shortstop earned First Team All-Sun Conference honors after batting .361 with 61 hits, 52 runs scored, and 44 RBIs while starting all 54 games. Hopkins also enters the NAIA postseason with a .477 on-base percentage and 23 stolen bases in 24 attempts.
Armani Cozza has emerged as one of the breakout players in the country during his freshman season. The Sun Conference Freshman of the Year and First Team All-Sun Conference selection is batting .383 with 54 hits, 61 runs scored, and 42 RBIs despite appearing in just 47 games. Cozza has also reached base at a .467 clip while adding 13 doubles and 11 stolen bases.
Cooper Ciesielski has provided some of the biggest power numbers in the lineup this season. The First Team All-Sun Conference selection is hitting .367 with 15 doubles, 10 home runs, and 49 RBIs while slugging .691. His ability to drive the baseball into the gaps has helped Southeastern become one of the most explosive offenses in the nation.
Cade Parry has been another major run producer for the Fire this season. The veteran infielder is batting .328 with a team-leading 54 RBIs while adding nine home runs and 13 doubles. His physical approach in the middle of the order has consistently helped SEU capitalize on scoring opportunities throughout the season.
Charlie Collins has been one of the most complete offensive players on the roster. Collins is batting .343 with six home runs, 30 RBIs, and a .474 on-base percentage while drawing 23 walks. He has also added 10 doubles and two triples, giving the Fire another versatile hitter capable of impacting games in multiple ways.
Paul Wittmann has helped ignite the Southeastern offense throughout much of the season. Wittmann has scored 54 runs while stealing 25 bases and posting a .443 on-base percentage. His speed and patience have consistently created scoring opportunities for the middle of the order.
Jace Essig has brought additional athleticism and depth to the lineup. Despite limited at-bats compared to many starters, Essig is hitting .316 with four home runs and 15 stolen bases while reaching base at a .481 clip. His ability to impact the game as both a hitter and baserunner has made him a valuable postseason weapon for the Fire.
Arms Race in Lakeland
Byler Reither has served as the ace of the Southeastern rotation throughout the season. The First Team All-Sun Conference selection enters postseason play with an 8-2 record across 12 starts while striking out 51 batters in 65 innings. Reither has consistently worked deep into games and helped stabilize the rotation against some of the toughest competition on the schedule.
Austin Peddycoart has been another key arm for the Fire this season. The Second Team All-Sun Conference selection owns a 5-1 record with a 3.76 ERA and 42 strikeouts across 40.2 innings. Opponents are batting just .245 against him, and his ability to miss bats has made him an important postseason option.
Brody McMullen has filled multiple roles for Southeastern throughout the season and was named to the Sun Conference All-Tournament Team. McMullen has posted a 3.68 ERA with 35 strikeouts over 36.2 innings on the mound. His versatility gives Southeastern flexibility both in the bullpen and in matchup situations.
Blake Albritton has quietly provided valuable innings throughout the season for the Fire staff. The right-hander has made 14 appearances with five starts, posting a 5-2 record while striking out 47 batters across 60 innings. His ability to attack hitters early in counts has helped Southeastern maintain stability throughout the rotation and bullpen.
Bracket Busters
Milligan enters the Opening Round as the No. 2 seed after compiling a 40-13 overall record and a 22-5 mark in Appalachian Athletic Conference play. The Buffaloes feature one of the nation's most productive offenses, batting .324 as a team with 54 home runs while also posting a 4.07 ERA on the mound. Gaven Jones and Braxton Baird headline a lineup that has scored 414 runs this season, while Canyon Geren enters postseason play with a 9-1 record and a 1.86 ERA.
British Columbia returns to the Opening Round after finishing as the Cascade Collegiate Conference Tournament runner-up. The Thunderbirds are 38-15 overall and reached the NAIA World Series last season. UBC brings another balanced roster to Lakeland, hitting .311 as a team with 55 home runs while striking out 469 batters on the mound. Myles Chamberlain leads the pitching staff with a 10-1 record, while David Krahn and Braeden Scott pace an offense that has produced 446 runs.
Faulkner rounds out the field as the No. 4 seed after earning an at-large bid from the Southern States Athletic Conference. The Eagles are making their 14th Opening Round appearance and bring extensive postseason experience, including 10 NAIA World Series appearances and the 2013 national championship. Offensively, Faulkner is led by Edrien Martínez, who is batting .421 with 17 home runs, while Ramses Guerra and Samir Rojas headline the pitching rotation.
Playing for a Trip West
The winner of the Lakeland Opening Round will advance to the 2026 NAIA World Series at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston. The tournament is scheduled for May 22-30 at Harris Field, with the national champion crowned at the conclusion of the nine-day event.
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