TAMPA - The Trevecca Nazarene University baseball team (32-22) lost their opening game at the 2026 NCAA South Regional tournament on Thursday and are now in the elimination round on Friday.

 

The seventh-seeded Trojans lost to defending NCAA Division II National Champion and second-seed University of Tampa (42-8) 8-4 on the Spartans home field on Thursday.

 

On Friday, at Noon, Trevecca plays with their postseason lives on against a now familiar foe, sixth-seed University of West Alabama (34-16).

 

Video // Live stats // Post Game Press Conference

 

FLEDGLING TNU / UWA SERIES NOW

Despite only seven previous meetings, the Trevecca / West Alabama series has matured quickly, fueled by a split of six regular-season meetings, a matchup in last week's Gulf South Conference Championship, and now an NCAA South Regional elimination showdown. What remains a fledgling series has rapidly become one of the more intriguing emerging rivalries in the region.

Trevecca holds a 4-3 edge in the series.

An interesting wrinkle in the matchup is that all six regular-season meetings between the programs have been played in Livingston, Alabama. The original 2025 regular season series scheduled for Nashville was moved to West Alabama due to weather concerns in the Music City, meaning the first meeting played outside Livingston came last week in Oxford, Alabama at the Gulf South Conference Championships.

Trevecca upset the top-seeded Tigers in that meeting, sending West Alabama into the elimination bracket and giving TNU a 4-3 edge in the series.

Now, the programs meet again with even more at stake.

Will the Trojans eliminate the Tigers and end West Alabama's season, or will the Tigers answer with revenge and bring Trevecca's postseason run to a close?

THE NEXT TROJAN / TIGER MEETING

Trevecca plays an elimination game on Friday against the University of West Alabama (34-16). First pitch is slated for Noon CDT.

 

NCBWA ALL-REGION SOUTH HONORS
Cade Martin – First Team

GULF SOUTH ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
Cade Martin – First Team
Logan Harrell – Second Team

 

GULF SOUTH CONFERENCE ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM HONORS

Rylan Moses - Gulf South All-Tournament Team

WEEKLY PITCHER / PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Cade Martin – Gulf South Player of the Week (4/21/26)
Cade Martin – NCBWA South Region Player of the Week (3/19/26)
Cade Martin – Gulf South Player of the Week (3/17/26)
Logan Harrell – TSWA Pitcher of the Week (4/7/26)
Logan Harrell – TSWA Pitcher of the Week (3/10/26)
Rylan Moses – Gulf South Freshman of the Week (3/10/26)
Rylan Moses – Gulf South Freshman of the Week (2/10/26)
Jonah Smithson – Gulf South Pitcher of the Week (2/10/26)
Ryan Sweeney – NCBWA South Region Pitcher of the Week (3/19/26)
Ryan Sweeney – Gulf South Pitcher of the Week (3/17/26)

HEAD COACH – CHASE SAIN

Chase Sain is in his sixth season as head coach of the Trevecca Baseball program after previously serving three seasons as lead assistant coach under Ryan Schmalz.

In his first season leading the Trojans in 2021, Sain guided Trevecca to both the Great Midwest Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships before winning the NCAA Midwest Regional and advancing to the NCAA Division II College World Series in Cary, North Carolina.

Sain surpassed 100 career wins during his third season (2023) and enters the region with 192 career victories.

With Trevecca reaching 30 wins in the regular-season finale, Sain becomes the second head coach in program history to record 30 or more wins in five of his first six seasons.

Overall: 192-121
Conference: 123-67
Postseason: 18-14

Great Midwest Coach of the Year – 2021
ABCA/ATEC Midwest Region Coach of the Year – 2021

ALL-TIME TREVECCA NOTES
The Trojans completed their 56th regular season (NAIA/NCAA) and have recorded 37 winning seasons.

In the NCAA era, Trevecca has just two seasons below .500, finishing 22-23 in 2017 and 23-27 last season, not including the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.

This is Trevecca's 14th season competing on an NCAA Division II schedule.

420-275 overall, NCAA Era
36-30 Gulf South Conference regular-season games
203-77 Great Midwest regular-season games
41-26 NCAA Era postseason record (through 14 seasons)
7 | 30-win seasons in NCAA Division II Era
1,529-1,180-11 overall record (NAIA/NCAA, 56 seasons)
20 | 30-win seasons (NAIA/NCAA)

Trevecca coaches in the postseason since 2001:
Chase Sain: 18-14 (21-25)
Ryan Schmalz: 23-12 (13-19)
Jonathan Burton: 3-4 (2009, 2011)
Chris Collins: 9-8 (2007-08)
Jeff Forehand: 16-11 (2002-06)

TREVECCA GREAT MIDWEST CHAMPIONSHIPS
REGULAR SEASON	2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021
TOURNAMENT	2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2024

Trevecca did not qualify for the postseason in 2001, 2010 or 2012 (TranSouth Athletic Conference)

HISTORY | TREVECCA @ GREAT MIDWEST CHAMPIONSHIPS
Trevecca was a founding member of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference when the program transitioned to NCAA Division II and moved to the Gulf South Conference this season.

The Trojans won six G-MAC regular-season titles and five G-MAC Tournament championships. The first five regular-season titles and the first three tournament championships were claimed by Trevecca.

TREVECCA GREAT MIDWEST CHAMPIONSHIPS
Regular Season: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021
Tournament: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2024

MIDWEST REGIONAL
Trevecca has advanced to the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional twice in program history.

After winning the 2013, 2014 and 2015 Great Midwest Tournament titles, Trevecca did not receive an at-large berth, as the conference did not have an automatic bid. The Trojans secured their first NCAA postseason appearance by earning the automatic bid in 2021.

Trevecca went 4-1 at the 2021 Midwest Regional, winning the championship with a +14 run differential (37-23).

In 2024, Trevecca returned to the NCAA postseason after winning the Great Midwest Tournament. The Trojans defeated regional host Indianapolis in the opening game before dropping the next two games to conclude the season. The 2024 G-MAC Championship came as the final act for Trevecca in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.

 

MORE ABOUT THE TREVECCA TROJANS

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