No. 3 Seed Baseball Wins 2025 Avista NAIA World Series Opener Against No. 8 Seed Loyola

LEWISTON, Idaho- For the eighth time in program history, the baseball team played a game in the Avista NAIA World Series. In the 68th edition of the NAIA World Series, Tennessee Wesleyan entered the field as the third seed and faced the No. 8 seeded Loyola University New Orleans Wolfpack. The Bulldogs won the game 7-3.

Kolton Reynolds broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning with a solo home run. Back-to-back doubles gave TWU their second run of the inning, with Corbin Shaw scoring on Jack Stevens' double. Devin Dixon moved the lead to 3-0 when Stevens scored on his single. 

With the bases loaded by Josh Shelly, Jonathan Bosque, and Reynolds, Shelly scored on a ground out to move the lead to 4-0.

A no-hitter pitched by Blake Peyton was broken up in the sixth inning and the seventh inning saw Loyola score two runs to cut the lead in half. Daniel Stewart's single in the bottom of the seventh gave the team their four run lead back as Chris Catalano and Shelly scored on the hit. 

Kruise Newman pushed the lead to five runs, hitting a single up the middle that brought in Brayan Espinoza to move the lead to 7-2. The opponents scored a run in the top of the ninth and had the bases loaded before Cameron Goffar was able to force the third out to end the game with the Bulldogs ahead 7-3. 

Peyton finished the game with seven strikeouts in seven innings. Goffar was credited with a save. Christian Delashmit had two strikeouts in 1.2 innings of relief. 

Tennesse Wesleyan (47-12) will be back in action on Monday to face No. 2 seed Georgia Gwinnett College, a team they faced in the regular season. The meeting in the World Series between the two teams is set for 6:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT.