There’s a buzz in the Pine Belt this week as William Carey University prepares to host the 2025 NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round at Milton Wheeler Field. From Monday through Thursday, the historic campus in Hattiesburg transforms into one of 10 national hubs for postseason action as four elite programs battle it out in a double-elimination bracket for a coveted trip to the Avista-NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho.
This marks the third consecutive year William Carey has hosted the NAIA Regional — and the seventh time overall — further cementing the university’s reputation as one of the South’s premier small-college baseball powers and a go-to postseason destination.
The 2025 Hattiesburg Bracket is as stacked as ever, featuring four teams ranked in the NAIA Top 25 and one team from Canada:
- No. 10 William Carey Crusaders (Hattiesburg, MS) (38–12) – Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) runner-up
- No. 11 Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles (Bartlesville, OK) (46–9) – Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) champions
- No. 18 IU Southeast Grenadiers (New Albany, IN) (30–16) – River States Conference tournament finalists
- No. 24 University of British Columbia Thunderbirds (Kelowna, BC) (36–17) – Cascade Collegiate Conference regular-season champs
The opening games on Monday, May 12 include:
- 2:00 p.m. – Oklahoma Wesleyan vs. British Columbia
- 6:00 p.m. – William Carey vs. IU Southeast
From there, the double-elimination format kicks in, with matchups running through Wednesday — and potentially Thursday — to decide the lone ticket to Idaho.
William Carey enters the tournament with momentum and star power. Their lineup is paced by All-SSAC slugger and Louisiana transfer Josh Alexander, who blasted 14 home runs and drove in 77 RBIs during the regular season. Leadoff man DeeJay Booth brings a spark to the offense with a .407 batting average, while Rigoberto Hernandez adds pop and consistency with 13 homers and a .370 average.
On the mound, the Crusaders rely on a deep rotation led by senior righty Chase Hammons (8-2, 2.91 ERA) and closer Zach Sutton, whose high-velocity fastball has shut the door on multiple late-inning threats this season.
Hosting the NAIA Opening Round is more than just a baseball honor — it’s a regional boon. With traveling fanbases, national attention, and media coverage, the event brings an influx of visitors to the Pine Belt, boosting local hotels, restaurants, and small businesses.
Mayor Toby Barker called it “a home run for Hattiesburg,” pointing out the “economic impact and school pride that come with postseason tournaments.”
The tournament also gives high school and youth players in the region a front-row seat to college baseball at a high level — something the Crusader program sees as part of its broader mission to grow the game locally.
The winner of the Hattiesburg Regional will advance to the 2025 Avista-NAIA World Series, held May 23–31 at Harris Field in Lewiston, Idaho — a storied stage for small college baseball since 1957.
Games will be played at Milton Wheeler Field on the William Carey campus. Daily tickets and all-tournament passes can be purchased at the gate or via careyathletics.com.
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