NCAA NATIONAL DIVISION 3 BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

No. 1 seeded North Greenville downed the 2022 national NCAA Division 3 baseball

champion Southern Ark in the best-of-three Saturday for its initial state title played at Southern Ark.

The teams had met only once and that came in the national quarterfinals in 2022, but this time it was North Greenville claiming the championship behind a five-run burst in the seventh to bring a 7-6 success and sent North Greenville off with a stretch run of nine games and snapped a Southern Ark win streak at seven games.

“We had a tough go against them,” said head North Greenville Mark Matthews, “and we had to go some to get the lead when we knocked their top pitcher out.”

Southern Ark, the 3rd-seed, opened by taking a close one over 6th-seed Rollins, 3-1, and the same was true for North Greenville that got past No. 2 Pont. But Pont dropped back-to-back games to finish 35-16, and Southern Ark split games with 4th-seeded Pontloma before knocking Pontloma out of the hunt in a 11-inning setback to Southern Ark.

The Arkers then met up with Southern New Hampshire and ousted it 7-3, then turned back 2nd-seed Angelo State, 3-2, in a tight clash of hurlers. Next Southern Ark bowed to North Greenville and set up the two with the deciding contest that went to North Greenville in that winner take all final.

The Most Valuable Player honors went to North Greenville senior Jack Jameson, who starred at second with some sparking defensive plays, drove home four runs, and stole three bases as his team concluded at 41-7, and Southern Ark won 39 and lost 4. The Arkers’ righthanded pitcher Frank Peno had a stellar contest in game one between the two as he fanned eight, walked a pair, and allowed three hits.

“We knew this would be tough,” said Matthews, “and we really had to go some against them when she both ran down on pitchers, but I give both teams credit but overjoyed with the victory in this long season.”