Box Score Cary, NC - The North Greenville Crusaders are the 2022 NCAA Baseball Division II National Champions. North Greenville emerged victorious over the Point Loma Sea Lions with a final score of 5-3 tonight at Coleman Field. This championship is North Greenville's first-ever NCAA National Championship. 

Reece Fields would take the mound for his 20^th start of the season. He would start off the game with two strikeouts. Point Loma would get into the hit column with a base hit to center field, but Fields would collect his third strikeout of the inning to keep the inning scoreless. Gehrig Octavio led off but was called out in strikes looking. After a fly out to center field by Ethan Stringer, John Michael Faile would draw a walk to become NGU's first base runner of the game. However, Marek Chlup would ground into a fielder's choice to go scoreless in the 1^st. Reece would start off the top of the 2^nd with a called strike out but would then run into some trouble, walking two batters. With two outs and runners at first and second, Fields would get out of the jam with a swinging strikeout to end the threat. Pat Monteith led off the bottom of the 2^nd, and would reach on a throwing error to end up at second base. A deep fly ball by Josh Senter would get Monteith to third, where Jordan Holladay would bring him home from with an RBI groundout to get North Greenville on the board. Jax Cash would keep the inning going with a single to center field, but Cory Bivins would fly out to center to close out the bottom of the 2^nd. After starting the top of the 3^rd with a groundout, Point Loma would get in scoring position with a double to left center. The Sea Lions would get an infield single to get runners on second and third, but Fields would record a swinging strikeout to once again keep PLNU off the board. Gehrig Octavio started off the bottom of the 3rd with a fly out to left field. Ethan Stringer would then draw a walk, which was followed by a single to right center by John Michael Faile. With runner on first and second, Marek Chlup would bring in NGU's second run with an RBI groundout to third base, making the score 2-0 in favor of the Crusaders. Point Loma began the 4^th with a leadoff double to right center, but once again Reece Fields would work his way out of trouble, keeping the Sea Lions off the board. Josh Senter led off the bottom of the inning with a single to center field. After a stolen base, Jordan Holladay would draw a walk. A bunt single by Jax Cash would load the bases with nobody out, but Point Loma would get out of the jam by recording three straight outs including a diving catch down the left field line to rob Ethan Stringer of a bases-clearing double. Momentum would swing to Point Loma as a leadoff home run to left field would put the Sea Lions on the board and cut the deficit to a run. After a single, a sacrifice bunt would move the tying run into scoring position. Reece would walk the next batter, but would record a big strikeout followed by a groundout to minimize the damage. Marek Chlup was able to get on base in the bottom of the 5^th with a one out single through the left side. However, a strikeout by Pat Monteith would turn into a double play as interference was called. Nate Roof took the mound to relieve Fields in the top of the 6^th. After getting a base hit with one out, Point Loma would ultimately strand the runner at third as the Crusaders would once again wiggle out of trouble. A 1-2-3 bottom of the 6^th went by quickly as things would remain the same on the scoreboard. Roof would settle in during the top of the 7^th, recording an easy two outs before allowing a double to left center. He would avoid trouble as a fielder's choice ended the top of the inning. Cory Bivins would get the bottom of the inning started with a single through the left side. Gehrig Octavio then bunted for a single to put runners on first and second with no outs. Ethan Stringer also bunted, resulting in a sacrifice that moved runners to second and third. A wild pitch would score Bivins and move Octavio to third. John Michael Faile would then come through with a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Octavio. A challenge by Point Loma would be unsuccessful as the run would stand. A fly out by Marek Chlup would end the bottom of the inning but the Crusaders would take a 4-1 lead into the 8^th. Nate Roof would put together a dominant top of the 8^th on the mound, striking out the side. Pat Monteith led off the bottom of the 8^th by drawing a walk. He would initially be caught stealing at second for the third out. Head coach Landon Powell would challenge the play, and the call would be overturned, giving Monteith the stolen base with two outs. Jax Cash would step up to the plate and would knock a single to center field, scoring Monteith and getting North Greenville a huge insurance run. Cory Bivins would hit a fly out to center field for the third out , and the Crusaders would head to the 9^th three outs away from the university's first-ever NCAA National Championship. Tristen Hudson would take over on the mound to attempt to close out the 2022 NCAA Division II season. The Sea Lions would start off with a base hit to left field, but Hudson would come back with a strikeout for the first out. Point Loma proved that they wouldn't go down without a fight, however, as a two-run home run to right field would cut the Crusader lead to two. Afterwards, a groundout to Bivins would put NGU just one out away from history. Then, Tristen Hudson would strike out the final batter to give North Greenville its first ever NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.

Results

• Score: NGU 5 / PLNU 3
• Location: Coleman Field / Cary, NC
• Records: NGU 54-10 / PLNU 50-11

Individual

• Jax Cash went three for four at the plate and drove in the final run of the game.
• Reece Fields pitched 5.0 innings, receiving the win and allowing just one run on six hits and three walks while striking out eight. He was also named the tournament MVP.
• Nate Roof pitched a dominant 3.0 innings, allowing no runs, two hits, and a walk.