COMING UP: Host NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round Klamath Falls Bracket, Monday-Thursday, Stilwell Stadium.
 
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE: MONDAY | Game 1: No. 4-seed Jamestown (N.D.) vs. No. 5-seed Arizona Christian,  11 a.m.; Game 2: No. 2-seed Southeastern (Fla.) vs. No. 3-seed Midland (Neb.), 1:30 p.m.; Game 3: No. 1-seed Oregon Tech vs. Winner Game 1, 4 p.m.;  TUESDAY | Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 11 a.m.; Game 5: Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3, 1:30 p.m.; Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 4 p.m.; WEDNESDAY | Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 5, 1 p.m; Game 8: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 7, 4 p.m.;  THURSDAY | Game 9: Winner Game 8 vs. Loser Game 8 (if necessary), 1 p.m.
 
GAME DAY INFORMATION: The entire Klamath Falls Bracket will be streamed live on the Owls Sports Network with Mike Safford on the call, with all games to be broadcast on radio in the Klamath Basin on 104.3 and 960 Sports with Josh Eldredge on the call. Live Stats from the tournament will be available through the NAIA's Stat Broadcast Platform. Gates to Stilwell Stadium will open one hour prior to the first game of the day (10 a.m. on Monday/Tuesday, 12 p.m. on Wednesday/Thursday), with tickets $15.00 for adults / $12.00 for seniors and military / $5.00 for students per day (all-tournament passes are available for $30.00 / $24.00). In addition, Smokin' H Barbeque will be selling pulled pork sandwich meals for $10.00.  
 
WHAT'S AT STAKE AT THE OPENING ROUND: The winner of the 5-team Klamath Falls Bracket will earn an automatic bid to the NAIA Softball World Series, set for May 22-28, at the South Commons Softball Complex in Columbus, Ga.
 
HISTORY OF THE NAIA OPENING ROUND: In 2013, the NAIA moved from a 32-team final site (Pool Play with eight pods of four teams and an 8-team single-elimination bracket) to a 40-team tournament with 10 Opening Round sites with four teams – with the winners advancing to the NAIA Softball World Series. Last year, the tournament expanded further, with 48 teams in the field – with eight Opening Round sites hosting five teams, while the Top-2 seeds in the tournament hosting 4-team brackets.
 
OPENING ROUND SITES: Along with Klamath Falls, other venues picked to host the Opening Round include Williamsburg, Ky. (Cumberlands), Lawrenceville, Ga. (Georgia Gwinnett), Marion, Ind. (Indiana Wesleyan), Sioux Center, Iowa (Northwestern), Oklahoma City, Okla. (Oklahoma City), San Antonio, Texas (Our Lady of the Lake), Chickasha, Okla. (Science & Arts), Ashland, Ore. (Southern Oregon) and Fayette, Mo. (Central Methodist).
 
OPENING ROUND #1 SEED – OREGON TECH: The Lady Owls (42-9), the 4-time defending Cascade Conference regular-season champs, are making their 11th-straight trip to the Opening Round and their 14th all-time trip to Nationals. The 2011 NAIA champs and NAIA runners-up in 2021 and 2023 have advanced to 5-straight World Series, with the team 51-26 all-time in the national tournament. The 2025 team heads into postseason play hitting .331 as a team, averaging 6.5 runs per game, while ranking No. 2 in the NAIA in fielding percentage (.981). Two-time All-America pitcher Kacie Schmidt (22-5 1.59 ERA, 189 K) anchors a pitching staff that has a 2.08 team ERA, with the Lady Owls veteran line-up features a pair of 4-year starters in left fielder Zoe Allen (.387 0 HR 25 RBI, 16 SB) and catcher Jayce Seavert (.338 1 HR 33 RBI) - both All-CCC performers. All-America second-baseman Nita Cook (.382 0 HR 27 RBI, 42 SB) was named CCC Player of the Year and has tied the OIT single-season stolen base record, with first-baseman Puakea Milbourne (.355 6 HR 53 RBI) is a 2-time All-CCC pick. It marks the fourth-straight year and fifth time in program history that the Lady Owls have hosted an Opening Round.
 
OPENING ROUND #2 SEED – SOUTHEASTERN: The Fire (40-9), from Lakeland, Fla., make their second trip to Oregon in the last three years - having played in 2023 at the Ashland Bracket, hosted by Southern Oregon - with the club making their fourth-straight Opening Round appearance and eighth in program history. SEU played an extremely competitive preseason schedule, including doubleheader sweeps of NAIA Tournament teams in Georgia Gwinnett and Grand View, before placing second in the Sun Conference regular-season race and in the Sun Conference Tournament - losing to St. Thomas in extra innings in the title game. Sun Player of the Year, shortstop Chapel Cunningham (.394 0 HR 17 RBI, 37 SB), is the table setter for first baseman Leah Gonzalez (.354 8 HR 54 RBI) and designated player Raylei McKinney (.365 9 HR 47 RBI). Sun Pitcher of the Year Maria Zelenka (17-4 1.18 ERA, 100 K) is the ace of staff that posts a stellar 1.46 team ERA. The Fire, ranked No. 15 in the final NAIA poll, are searching for their third trip to the NAIA Softball World Series, having placed third at the 2016 and 2022 events.
 
OPENING ROUND #3 SEED – MIDLAND: The Warriors (37-15), from Fremont, Neb., make their seventh-straight trip to the Opening Round, looking to return to the World Series after a one-year hiatus. Midland played a tough preseason, including trips for tournaments in Kansas, Oklahoma and Florida - which included a 2-1 loss to Oregon Tech at the NAIASB Invite and a 2-1 win over Southeastern at the Space Coast Classic. The Warriors offensive attack averages over five runs per game and has a .329 team batting average, led by All-Great Plains Athletic Conference selections in first baseman Reese Floro (.430 0 HR 25 RBI, 18 SB), shortstop Matti Reiling (.391 0 HR 34 RBI) and designated player Isabelle Pagan (.383 5 HR 43 RBI). The Midland pitching staff is anchored by a pair of 15-game winners - Campbell Petrick (15-6 1.86 ERA) and Paeton Coler (15-9 2.72 ERA). The No. 21-ranked team in the NAIA finished second to Northwestern in the GPAC regular-season standings and finished second in their GPAC Tournament pod to Morningside. Midland has made four previous trips to the NAIA Softball World Series - in 2003, 2010, 2011 and most recently in 2023, when they took fourth.
 
OPENING ROUND #4 SEED – JAMESTOWN: The Jimmies (35-15), from Jamestown, N.D., return to the NAIA Tournament for the first time since 2018 - searching for their first World Series berth since 1992. UJ is in their final season in the NAIA, as the school will be transitioning next year to the NCAA Division II and the Northern Sun Conference. The 2025 team began the season playing three consecutive weekends in indoor bubble tournaments, before going 10-1 at the Tucson Invitational Games - including wins over Madonna, Northwestern and Arizona Christian, before winning the North Star Athletic Association regular-season and conference tournament titles. The Jimmies average six runs a game, with a .329 team batting average, thanks to the play of shortstop Maddie Spaeth (.420 2 HR 51 RBI), catcher Kayla Quintanilla (.371 3 HR 43) and outfielder Trinity Gregg (.403 2 HR 18 RBI, 22 SB), while NSAA Pitcher of the Year, Hope Ransome (13-7 2.30 ERA) leads a trio of 10-game winners on the UJ pitching staff.
 
OPENING ROUND #5 SEED – ARIZONA CHRISTIAN: The Firestorm (27-24), from Glendale, Ariz., make just their second appearance in the NAIA Tournament and first since 2016 - looking for their first tournament win and searching for a first trip to the NAIA Softball World Series. ACU has four wins against Top-25 competition (all against Hope International), with the team finishing third in the Great Southwest Athletic Conference regular-season standings - but came through the elimination bracket of the GSAC Tournament, winning four-straight games to claim the crown and earn the NAIA bid. Pitcher Dayna Herrera (17-14 4.06 ERA, .376 1 HR 41 RBI) is the top arm on the ACU squad and one of the top bats in a line-up that hits at a .314 clip, helped by shortstop Morgan Bradford (.344 1 HR 28), second baseman Jyden Miles (.394 0 HR 20 RBI, 21 SB) and outfielder Sierra Lauko (.331 4 HR 39 RBI). Head coach Mike Mayben has Oregon ties, as he won multiple state titles as head coach at North Medford High and spent time as an assistant coach at Southern Oregon.
 
 
BACK IN THE NAIA TOURNAMENT: By virtue of their CCC regular-season title, Tech claimed the first of two automatic bids to the NAIA National Tournament – as the Lady Owls will compete at Nationals for the 11th-straight year. OIT and Oklahoma City are the only two teams who have competed in each of the last 10 NAIA Tournaments (OCU has played in all 11 Opening Rounds since they began in 2013), while the Owls are the only team to advance to each of the past five NAIA Softball World Series.
 
HISTORY IN THE POSTSEASON: Tech are competing in their 14th-straight postseason and make their 29th postseason appearance in the last 32 years. Since 1993, the Lady Owls are a combined 109-77 in postseason games – recording a 39-22 mark in CCC Tournament play, 17-28 in NAIA Region I Tournament play and 53-27 in the NAIA National Tournament.
 
40-WIN SEASON: With their win in Game 2 of the April 25-26 doubleheader at College of Idaho, the Lady Owls clinched their sixth-straight (non-COVID year) 40-win season and head into the Opening Round with a 42-9 record. OIT has logged 13-straight years with 30-or-more victory, with the team posting 50-or-more wins in 2022 and 2023.
 
TECH ENDS SEASON RANKED #2: Tech closed the year ranked No. 2 in the final NAIA Top-25 poll – the second time the Owls have been in the Top-2 nationally heading into the postseason (were ranked No. 1 in 2023). OIT has a win over No. 1 Science & Arts, two wins over No. 4 Southern Oregon and No. 14 Eastern Oregon, and victories over No. 21 Midland and No. 23 Grand View – along with four wins over teams in the "others receiving votes" category.
 
SUCCESS AT HOME: Stilwell Stadium has been a house of horrors for opponents, since the top venue in the Cascade Conference was opened in 2019. The Lady Owls are a combined 124-21 all-time on the artificial turf field, including wins in 104 of their last 116 home games. OIT heads into the tournament with a 16-5 mark on their own diamond.
 
CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT RECAP: Hosting the CCC Championships for the fourth-straight year, the Lady Owls dropped a pair of games over the weekend, finishing third in the event which featured five teams who received berths to the NAIA Championships (OIT, Southern Oregon, Eastern Oregon, British Columbia, College of Idaho). In the opener vs. UBC, Tech got three hits from Jayce Seavert and three shutout innings of relief from Alli Parker, as the Owls claimed a 5-4 win in eight innings off a Zoe Allen walk-off single. In the winners bracket semifinal, OIT ran into a buzzsaw, as EOU pitcher Kylie Parsons retired the first 20 batters in order – eventually losing the perfect game on a Seavert double – but EOU claimed a 5-0 win. The Owls met UBC again to determine who would play in the title game, with the T-Birds using a pair of pinch-hit homers to grab a 3-2 lead, before Allen punched an RBI infield single in the seventh to force extra innings. Unfortunately for the Owls, a walk-off homer in the tenth by Shae Sever gave UBC the 4-3 win. Marla Goodspeed had three doubles in the loss, becoming the eighth player in OIT history to have 3-or-more doubles in a game. EOU claimed their second-straight league tourney crown, topping UBC, 14-0, in the title game.
 
COOK NAMED PLAYER OF THE YEAR: For the second-straight year, an OIT player earned CCC Player of the Year honors, as Nita Cook was recognized by the CCC coaches. The 2024 All-American has been the anchor atop the Lady Owls line-up, hitting .382 with nine doubles, 27 RBI and 54 runs scored. She is 42-of-44 on stolen base attempts – tying the OIT single-season steals record, while defensively, has committed just one error in 194 chances – earning Gold Glove honors for the second-straight season.
 
STEWART NAMED COACH OF THE YEAR FOR 11TH TIME: The dean of CCC softball coaches, Greg Stewart earned his fourth-straight CCC Coach of the Year honor and the 11th Coach of the Year award in his OIT career. Stewart led Tech to a share of their fourth-straight CCC regular-season title and their 11th-straight NAIA Tournament appearance.
 
LADY OWLS DOMINATE ALL-CCC TEAM: Along with Nita Cook, four others earned first-team All-CCC honors – pitcher Kacie Schmidt, catcher Jayce Seavert, outfielder Zoe Allen and first baseman Puakea Milbourne. Gina Allen earned second-team honors, Addison Kachnik was an honorable mention pick, with Cook, Seavert, Milbourne and Marla Goodspeed earning Gold Glove Team accolades. Schmidt earns first-team honors for the third-straight year, ranking second in the league with a 22-5 record, a 1.59 ERA and 189 strikeouts. The senior ranks second in program history with 80 wins and surpassed the 600-strikeout mark for her career in April. Seavert earns her fourth All-CCC honor, but her first first-team pick. The Owls catcher heads into the Opening Round hitting .338 with a team-high 13 doubles, adding 32 RBI – while defensively has allowed just 12 stolen bases in 48 games. She is a 3-time CCC Gold Glove pick. Zoe Allen earns her second first-team selection, having posted a banner senior season – hitting .387 with eight doubles, two triples and 25 RBI, while stealing 16 bases. Earlier in the year, she surpassed the 200-hit total for her career. Milbourne earns first-team honors for the second-straight season, heading into the postseason with a league-best 53 RBI. The junior is hitting .355 with a team-high six home runs, while recording two errors in 343 defensive chances – picking up her second Gold Glove award. Gina Allen took over the shortstop role this season and ran with it, hitting .317 with 11 doubles and 31 RBI, while Kachnik is having a breakout season, hitting .294 with 13 doubles, three triples and a career-high 35 RBI. Goodspeed rounds out the list, making the move from catcher to right field – and leading all CCC outfielders with nine defensive assists. The senior is hitting a career-best .317 with 13 doubles and 25 RBI.

RECORD BOOK: Eight Lady Owls rank among the Top-25 in the OIT career record book. Jayce Seavert holds the all-time record for hit-by-pitches (67) and sacrifice flies (19), is No. 2 in games started (249), games played (251) and defensive chances (1,260), No. 3 in doubles (58) and defensive put outs (1,071), No. 5 in at bats (702), No. 7 in RBI (176), No. 9 in sacrifice hits (19), No. 10 in triples (9), No. 12 in runs scored (146) and  hits (230), No. 15 in walks (55), ranking No. 21 in home runs (18) and stolen bases (24); Zoe Allen is No. 4 in stolen bases (66), No. 5 in sacrifice hits (23), No. 6 in walks (73), No. 7 in runs scored (172) and games played (220), No. 14 in hits (225), No. 15 in at bats (602) and games started (199), ranking No. 19 in triples (6); Nita Cook is No. 2 in stolen bases (81), No. 6 in sacrifice hits (20), No. 7 in defensive assists (336), No. 10 in runs scored (155), No. 12 in triples (8) and walks (59), No. 15 in hit-by-pitches (12) and No. 22 in hits (187), ranking just outside the Top-25 in doubles (30) and at bats (527); Puakea Milbourne is No. 2 in defensive put outs (1,104), No. 4 in defensive chances (1,143), No. 8 in hit-by-pitches (19), No. 10 in RBI (147) and sacrifice hits (17), No. 13 in home runs (22), No. 20 in hits (189), No. 23 in stolen bases (23), No. 24 in at bats (544), ranking just outside the Top-25 in runs scored (115) and doubles (28); with Addison Kachnik No. 14 in defensive assists (251), No. 19 in doubles (34) and triples (6), ranking just outside the Top-25 in at bats (511), hits (151) and RBI (92). In the circle, Kacie Schmidt ranks No. 2 in wins (80), saves (7) and pitching appearances (143), No. 3 in innings pitched (639.2), shutouts (25) and strikeouts (612), No. 4 in pitching starts (97), ranking No. 6 in complete games (59); while Alli Parker is No. 4 all-time in saves (5) and No. 25 in strikeouts (72), ranking just outside the Top-25 in wins (10) and pitching appearances (33); Jenna Gorden is No. 23 in shutouts (2) and No. 25 in appearances (36), ranking just outside the Top-25 in innings pitched (89.0) and strikeouts (48), with Carli Moore just outside the Top-25 in pitching appearances (33) and strikeouts (57).
 
NEXT WEEK: If the Lady Owls win the Klamath Falls Bracket, they will advance to the NAIA Softball World Series, set for May 22-28 at South Commons Softball Complex in Columbus, Ga.