Heart Baseball Teams Compete in NAIA Opening Round
Three Heart of America Athletic Conference baseball programs competed in the opening round of the 2026 NAIA Baseball National Championship, as Missouri Baptist University, Mount Mercy University, and William Woods University represented the conference across three host sites.
Missouri Baptist – Williamsburg Bracket
No. 2 seed Missouri Baptist University opened tournament play with a 13-9 loss to William Carey (Miss.) before responding with an elimination-game victory over Central Baptist (Ark.).
The Spartans advanced to face top-seeded University of the Cumberlands, where their postseason run came to a close in the bracket final. Missouri Baptist finished the 2026 season with a 40-12 overall record.
Mount Mercy – Upland Bracket
No. 4 seed Mount Mercy University competed in the Upland Bracket, opening postseason play against Shawnee State (Ohio).
The Mustangs fell to Shawnee State, 12-1, before dropping an elimination matchup against Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. Mount Mercy concluded the season with a 38-15 overall record.
William Woods – Kingsport Bracket
No. 5 seed William Woods University opened the tournament with a 5-0 loss to Indiana Wesleyan before facing LSU Alexandria (La.) in an elimination contest.
The Owls battled back but ultimately fell 7-4 to Louisiana State University at Alexandria to conclude their postseason run. William Woods finished the 2026 campaign with a 29-23 overall record.