The 2023 NAIA softball tournament was the 42nd edition of the NAIA softball championship.The 40-team tournament began on May 15 with Opening Round games at ten different sites and concluded with the 2023 NAIA Softball World Series in Columbus, Georgia on May 25-31.
Southern Oregon won its third NAIA title, defeating Oregon Tech 11-0 in five innings. Cayla Williams of Southern Oregon was named tournament MVP.
Format A total of 40 teams entered the tournament, with 32 receiving an automatic bid by either winning their conference's tournament, finishing as their conference tournament runner-up, or by finishing in first place in their conference. The remaining 8 bids were issued at large, with selections extended by the NAIA Selection Committee.
Bids Conferences with 10 or more members received two automatic berths, while conferences with less than 10 received one. All conferences awarded a bid to their tournament champion.
Automatic +SchoolConferenceRecordQualifying MethodLast NAIA AppearanceAvila (MO)Kansas34–19Tournament champion2019Campellsville (KY)Mid-South31–15–2Tournament runner-up2022Central Methodist (MO)Heart38–10Regular season champion2022Coastal GeorgiaThe Sun40–10Tournament champion2022College of IdahoCascade46–8Tournament runner-up2022Columbia (MO)American Midwest24–17Tournament champion2022Cottey (MO)American Midwest34–19Regular season champion2022Cumberlands (KY)Mid-South44–3–1Tournament champion2017Embry–Riddle (AZ)Cal-Pac37–14Tournament champion2022Georgia GwinnettContinental40–10Tournament champion2022IU SoutheastRiver States33–17Regular season champion2021Indiana TechWolverine-Hoosier40–10Regular season championFirst appearanceMadonna (MI)Wolverine–Hoosier36–12Tournament champion2022Marian (IN)Crossroads45–6Regular season champion2022Middle Georgia StateSouthern States46–12Tournament championFirst appearanceMidland (NE)Great Plains36–12Tournament champion2022Mount Mercy (IA)Heart32–18Tournament runner-up2021Northwestern (IA)Great Plains46–8Regular season champion2018Oregon TechCascade47–7Regular season champion2022Ottawa (KS)Kansas41–9Regular season champion2022Our Lady of the Lake (TX)Red River47–5Regular season champion2022Reinhardt (GA)Appalachian35–11Regular season champion2021St. Mary-of-the-Woods (IN)River States36–14Tournament champion2022Saint Xavier (IL)Chicagoland34–12Tournament champion2022Science & Arts (OK)Sooner39–13Tournament champion2022St. Francis (IL)Chicagoland32–9Regular season champion2018Taylor (IN)Crossroads26–30Tournament runner-up2022Tennessee WesleyanAppalachian27–15Tournament champion2022Texas A&M–San AntonioRed River30–21Tournament runner-upFirst appearanceUSC–BeaufortContinental14–43Tournament runner-up2019Valley City State (ND)North Star28–21Tournament champion2022Vanguard (CA)Golden State26–28Tournament champion2019
At–Large +SchoolConferenceRecordLast Opening Round AppearanceBaker (KS)Heart44–92019Freed–Hardeman (TN)Mid-South25–132022Hope International (CA)Golden State39–142021Indiana WesleyanCrossroads40–132022Mobile (AL)Southern States38–132022Oklahoma City (OK)Sooner45–92022Southeastern (FL)The Sun33–162022Southern OregonCascade42–112022
By conference +ConferenceTotalSchoolsCascade 3College of Idaho, Oregon Tech, Southern OregonCrossroads 3Indiana Wesleyan, Marian (IN), Taylor (IN)Heart 3Baker (KS), Central Methodist (MO), Mount Mercy (IA)Mid-South 3Campellsville (KY), Cumberlands (KY), Freed–Hardeman (TN)American Midwest 2Columbia (MO), Cottey (MO)Appalachian 2Reinhardt (GA), Tennessee WesleyanChicagoland 2Saint Xavier (IL), St. Francis (IL)Continental 2Georgia Gwinnett, USC–BeaufortGolden State 2Hope International (CA), Vanguard (CA)Great Plains 2Midland (NE), Northwestern (IA)Kansas 2Avila (MO), Ottawa (KS)Red River 2Our Lady of the Lake (TX), Texas A&M–San AntonioRiver States 2IU Southeast, St. Mary-of-the-Woods (IN)Sooner 2Oklahoma City (OK), Science & Arts (OK)SSAC 2Middle Georgia State, Mobile (AL)The Sun 2Coastal Georgia, Southeastern (FL)Wolverine-Hoosier 2Indiana Tech, Madonna (MI)Cal-Pac 1Embry–Riddle (AZ)North Star 1Valley City State (ND)
Opening Round The Opening Round brackets were held May 15-17.
Ashland Bracket Hosted by Southern Oregon University at University Field
Baldwin City Bracket Hosted by Baker University at Cavaness Field
Chickasha Bracket Hosted by University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma at Bill Smith Ballpark
Henderson Bracket Hosted by Freed-Hardeman University at Tucker Field
Indianapolis Bracket Hosted by Marian University at Marian Softball Diamond
Klamath Falls Bracket Hosted by Oregon Tech at Stilwell Stadium
Lawrenceville Bracket Hosted by Georgia Gwinnett College at Grizzly Softball Complex
Oklahoma City Bracket Hosted by Oklahoma City University at Yukon High School in Yukon, OK and Ann Lacy Stadium
San Antonio Bracket Hosted by Our Lady of the Lake University at St. Mary's University Softball Stadium
Williamsburg Bracket Hosted by the University of the Cumberlands at UC Softball Complex
NAIA Softball World Series The 42nd annual NAIA Softball World Series was held May 25-31 at the South Commons Softball Complex in Columbus, Georgia.
Participants +SchoolConferenceRecord (conference)Head CoachWorld Series Appearances (including 2023)World Series Record (excluding 2023)BakerHeart47-10 (21-5)Dana Goss1 (2023)0-0Central MethodistHeart41-10 (21-5)Pat Reardon4 (2023, 2015, 2012, 1981)3-6CumberlandsMid-South47-3-1 (21-0)Bailey Dillender1 (2023)0-0Georgia GwinnettContinental43-10 (7-1)Kat Ihlenburg3 (2023, 2019, 2018)4-4MarianCrossroads League49-7 (31-5)Scott Flemming6 (2023, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2003)3-10MidlandGPAC39-13 (16-6)Beth Singleton4 (2023, 2011, 2010, 2003)2-7Oregon TechCascade50-8 (29-1)Greg Stewart8 (2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2015, 2012, 2011, 1997)18-12Our Lady of the LakeRed River51-6 (28-0)Bruce Lenington1 (2023)0-0Science & ArtsSooner42-13 (25-7)Jaydn Wallis7 (2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2006, 2005, 2004)16-12Southern OregonCascade46-12 (25-5)Jessica Pistole5 (2023, 2021, 2019 2018, 2017)16-6
Bracket Source:
Game results +DateGameWinning teamScoreLosing teamWinning pitcherLosing pitcherSaveNotesMay 25Game 1Marian2-0MidlandSydney Wilson (23-3)Aliyah Rincon (23-7) - -Game 2Central Methodist2-0 (8 inn.)BakerJordyn Ball (19-3)Kira Baker (24-2) - -Game 3Southern Oregon5-1Georgia GwinnettCayla Williams (21-5)Annalise Wood (23-3) - -Game 4Cumberlands2-1Science & ArtsTalli Burgess (20-0)Sophie Williams (24-7) - -May 26Game 5Georgia Gwinnett6-2BakerKailyn Berry (9-4)Kira Baker 924-3) -Baker eliminatedGame 6Midland3-2 (11 inn.)Science & ArtsAliyah Rincon (24-7)Sophie Williams (24-8) -Science & Arts eliminatedGame 7Oregon Tech4-1Central MethodistKacie Schmidt (27-1)Haley Cotter (7-1) - -Game 8Marian6-3Our Lady of the LakeOlivia Stunkel (25-3)Cassandra Valdez (28-5)Sydney Wilson (2) -May 27Game 9Georgia Gwinnett9-7Central MethodistAlexa Good (12-4)Haley Cotter (7-2)Annalise Wood (4)Central Methodist eliminatedGame 10Midland6-5Our Lady of the LakeAliyah Rincon (25-7)Angela Ramirez (17-2) -Our Lady of the Lake eliminatedGame 11Southern Oregon10-0 (6 inn.)Oregon TechCayla Williams (22-5)McKenzie Staub (23-7) - -Game 12Cumberlands9-6MarianTalli Burgess (21-0)Olivia Stunkel (25-4)Morgan Radford (1) -May 29Game 13Marian6-0Georgia GwinnettSydney Wilson (24-3)Kailyn Berry (9-5) -Georgia Gwinnett eliminatedGame 14Oregon Tech6-0MidlandKacie Schmidt (28-1)Aliyah Rincon (25-8) -Midland eliminatedGame 15Southern Oregon9-1 (5 inn.)CumberlandsCayla Williams (23-5)Talli Burgess (21-1) - -May 30Game 16Oregon Tech8-5MarianMcKenzie Staub (24-7)Olivia Stunkel (25-6) -Marian eliminatedGame 17Oregon Tech3-0CumberlandsKacie Schmidt (29-1)Morgan Radford (15-2) -Cumberlands eliminatedMay 31Game 18Southern Oregon11-0 (5 inn.)Oregon TechCayla Williams (24-5)Kacie Schmidt (29-2) -Southern Oregon wins NAIA Softball World Series
Championship game Source:
All-Tournament Team +PositionPlayerSchoolPMorgan RadfordCumberlandsAliyah RinconMidlandSydney WilsonMarianP/1BCayla Williams (MVP)Southern Oregon2BDeja AcostaSouthern OregonCarly OliverCumberlandsSSSavannah HarwegerMarianKaila MickOregon TechMadison WhiteCentral MethodistINFLindzie OwenGeorgia GwinnettOFMaggie BuckholzOregon TechMakenzie KeattsCumberlandsSarah KerlingSouthern OregonAbby MadereMarianCRiley DonovanSouthern Oregon
Media coverage
Live-streaming The Opening Round live streams were produced by the host schools. World Series games from May 25-29 were streamed on the NAIA Network with play-by-play by Jack Kreuzer.
Television The semifinals and national championship were broadcast on ESPN3, with Kreuzer providing play-by-play. Columbus State University softball coach Brad Huskisson served as the analyst.
Notes
References