Tampa Baseball Tops Point Loma, Moves to National Semifinals

CARY, N.C. — The No. 2 University of Tampa baseball team moved within one victory of playing for the national championship with a 2–1 win over No. 6 Point Loma Nazarene University on Monday night at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.

The Spartans improved to 48–8 overall and advanced in the winners' bracket of the 2026 NCAA Division II National Championship Series. Tampa will face the winner of Tuesday's elimination game between No. 3 seed Catawba and No. 6 seed Point Loma on Wednesday at 6 p.m., with a berth in the national championship finals on the line.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP

Final: Tampa 2, Point Loma 1
Records: Tampa (48–8), Point Loma (50–12)
Location: USA Baseball National Training Complex | Cary, N.C.

HOW IT HAPPENED

In a matchup between two of the nation's top pitching staffs, runs were difficult to come by throughout the night.

Tampa struck first in the second inning when Jake Books doubled through the right side before Jesse Ponce worked a walk to place runners at the corners. Luke Fikar then delivered a two-out RBI single through the right side to give the Spartans a 1–0 advantage.

The one-run lead held through much of the game behind dominant pitching from B.J. Bailey and Tampa's defense.

Point Loma threatened repeatedly, leaving runners on base in the second, fifth, and seventh innings. Bailey escaped the biggest jam in the seventh after the Sea Lions loaded the bases with two outs before Luke Fikar entered in relief and recorded a strikeout to preserve the lead.

Point Loma finally broke through in the eighth inning after Tristan Moore singled and later scored on a Tampa fielding error, tying the game at 1–1.

The Spartans answered immediately in the ninth.

Jack Martinez reached on an error to begin the inning before advancing into scoring position. With two outs, Brayden Woodburn lined a clutch RBI single to center field, scoring Martinez with the eventual game-winning run and putting Tampa back in front 2–1.

Fikar returned to the mound in the bottom of the ninth and retired the side to secure the victory and keep the Spartans unbeaten in Cary.

ON THE MOUND

B.J. Bailey turned in another elite postseason outing, tossing 6.2 scoreless innings while allowing just four hits and striking out three.

Luke Fikar earned the win in relief, improving to 3–0 after allowing one unearned run across 2.1 innings with three strikeouts, including multiple key outs with runners aboard.

TOP PERFORMERS

Brayden Woodburn: 3-for-5, RBI — delivered a go-ahead hit in the ninth inning
Jake Books: 2-for-4, double, run scored, walk — sparked Tampa offense
Jordan Evans: 2-for-4 — recorded a multi-hit performance atop the lineup
Luke Fikar: RBI single offensively; 2.1 IP, 1 unearned run, 3 K in relief — impacted game on both sides
Jesse Ponce: 1-for-3, walk, helped set up early scoring inning
Javi Soto: pinch-hit single in the eighth inning — key late baserunner
Jack Martinez: scored the winning run in the ninth inning
Jhoander Irigoyen: walk, hit-by-pitch, reached base twice

Pitching:
B.J. Bailey: 6.2 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 3 K
Luke Fikar (W, 3–0): 2.1 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 K

NOTES

Tampa improved to 9–0 in NCAA Tournament play this postseason and remains two wins away from a third consecutive national championship.

The Spartans continue to add to one of the most successful postseason resumes in NCAA Division II baseball history. Tampa owns an NCAA-record 10 national championships and entered the 2026 championship tournament with an all-time NCAA Tournament record of 164-69.

Championship Series play began Friday with No. 5 seed UT Tyler defeating No. 4 seed Central Missouri, 8–3, while No. 1 seed West Chester earned a 12–3 victory over No. 8 seed UIndy. Saturday saw No. 6 seed Point Loma defeat No. 3 seed Catawba, 11–5, before Tampa opened tournament play with a 13–2 victory over No. 7 seed Bentley.

Sunday's elimination game featured No. 4 seed Central Missouri defeating UIndy, 23–9, to eliminate the Greyhounds, while West Chester advanced in the winners' bracket with an 8–2 victory over UT Tyler. Monday afternoon, No. 3 seed Catawba eliminated Bentley with a 15–8 victory before Tampa's 2–1 win over Point Loma concluded the evening session.

UP NEXT

Tampa returns to action Wednesday at 6 p.m. against the winner of Tuesday's elimination game between No. 3 seed Catawba and No. 6 seed Point Loma Nazarene University.

The Spartans are now one victory away from advancing to the best-of-three 2026 NCAA Division II National Championship Series.