The NAIA revealed the 45 teams that make up the 2018 NAIA National Championship Opening Round, hosted at nine locations around the country. Northwestern College earned the No.5 seed in the five-team Upland Bracket (Ind.), hosted by Taylor University at Winterholter Field in Upland, Ind. They are joined by top seed and seventh-ranked Oklahoma Wesleyan, No.2 seed / 24th-ranked Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.), No.3 seed (RV) Cumberland (Tenn.) and No.4 seed and host Taylor.
The Red Raiders will play No.4 seed Taylor in the first game on Monday, May 14. Over the weekend it was announced that the start time had been moved up to 10(CST) from an original 11am start.
The winner of the four day, double-elimination tournament will earn a spot in the 2018 Avista-NAIA Baseball World Series in Lewiston, Idaho on May 25 – June 1.
Quick Look at the teams in the Upland Bracket:
No.1 Seed Oklahoma Wesleyan-ranked 7th in final poll; 51-6 overall record, 25-5 (1st) conf.
-won both the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season/postseason titles
-making second straight and fourth overall opening round appearance
-9-3 record in opening round; advanced to the World Series 2x (2014, 2017)
No.2 Seed Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.)-ranked 24th in final poll; 40-14 overall, 21-7 (2nd) conf.
-finished second in American Midwest Conference; won postseason title
-making fourth overall opening round appearance; 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018
-3-6 record in opening round
No.3 Seed Cumberland (Tenn.)-received votes in final poll; 34-19 overall, 10-7 (3rd) conf.
-finished third in the Mid-South Conference; earned at-large bid
-making sixth overall opening round appearance; 1st since 2014
-13-7 overall record in opening round; 12 World Series Appearances overall, 2 in current format (2010, 2014)
-3 World Series Championships; 2004, 2010, 2014
No.4 Seed Taylor University (Ind.) unranked 43-14 overall, 207 (2nd) conf.
-finished second in Crossroads league; earned at-large bid
-making sixth overall opening round appearance; 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2018
-4-10 overall record in opening round
No.5 Seed Northwestern College unranked 30-18 overall, 19-7 (1st) conf.
-won both the GPAC regular season/postseason titles
-making fourth overall opening round appearance; 2010, 2013, 2014, 2018
-4-6 overall record in opening round
