NAIA Release
Opening Round Schedule/Results
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- For the second-straight year and fourth time overall the Bellevue University baseball team will host four teams in the 2022 NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round – Bellevue Bracket at Don Roddy Field.
The NAIA announced the entire field of qualifiers for this year's National Championship on Thursday afternoon with 46 teams set to compete in 10 four- or five-team Opening Round sites around the country from May 16-19. The 10 Opening Round winners will advance to Lewiston, Idaho for the 65th Avista-NAIA World Series.
Five teams comprise the Bellevue Bracket. Joining host Bellevue are Central Methodist University, Tabor College, Concordia University Nebraska, and Judson University.
The Bruins are the top-seeded team in the Bellevue Bracket and qualified by winning the North Star Athletic Association Tournament. Bellevue enters the tournament with a 45-10 overall record, going 25-2 in NSAA play, and are ranked No. 6 in the final NAIA Coaches' Poll.
Central Methodist won the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament Championship and will be the No. 2-seed in the Bellevue Bracket. The Eagles enter the tournament with a 42-13 overall record (23-9 HEART) and are ranked No. 11 in the final NAIA Coaches' Poll.
Tabor, receiving votes in the final NAIA Coaches' Poll, earned an at-large bid and will be the No. 3-seed. The Bluejays posted a 37-17-1 overall record, going 22-11 in KCAC play, while placing third in the conference during the regular-season and reaching the KCAC Tournament Championship Game.
Concordia, also receiving votes in the final NAIA Coaches' Poll, won the GPAC Tournament Championship to secure their bid. The Bulldogs posted a 36-15-1 overall record (20-8 GPAC) and were the second seed in their conference tournament but won five-straight elimination games to take home the tournament crown.
Judson (21-28/15-14 CCAC) secured qualification by reaching the championship game of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference. After splitting their first two games in their conference tournament, the Eagles ran off three-straight elimination game victories to reach the final and will be the No. 5 seed.
Tabor (2015), Judson (2017), and Concordia (2021) have all competed in previous Opening Round Tournaments hosted by BU. Tabor and Concordia both won their tournaments and reached the Avista-NAIA World Series in their previous trips to Bellevue.
Bellevue is making their 24th National Tournament Appearance and playing in their 12th Opening Round. Last season, Bellevue reached the final round as the No. 4-seed where they fell to then No. 3-seed Concordia in the "If Necessary" game.
NAIA National Championship Opening Round
Bellevue Bracket | Don Roddy Field
Monday, May 16:
Game 1: #4 Concordia vs. #5 Judson, 11 a.m.
Game 2: #2 Central Methodist vs. #3 Tabor, 2:30 p.m.
Game 3: #1 Bellevue vs. Winner of Game 1, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, May 17:
Game 4: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2, 11 a.m.
Game 5: Winner of Game 2 vs. Winner of Game 3, 2:30 p.m.
Game 6: Loser of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, May 18:
Game 7: Loser of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6, 11 a.m.
Game 8: Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 7, 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 19:
Game 9: Same teams as Game 8, noon (If Necessary)
