LEWISTON, Idaho – Jackson Syring and Ian Montz hit back-to-back solo home runs in the sixth inning and LSU Shreveport (La.) completed the first undefeated season in collegiate baseball history (59-0), beating Southeastern (Fla.), 13-7, to win the 2025 NAIA Baseball National Championship at the Avista NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho.
It’s the first national championship in any sport for the Pilots, wrapping up the most historic season ever by a college baseball team.
The win was anything but easy, as Southeastern scored two runs in the first and two more in the second, on a double by James Strom and a Charlie Collins triple. Through two innings, Collins was 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored, jumping out to an early 4-0 lead. He finished 2-for-5, and the Fire also had two hits from Alfonso Villalobos and Nick Streuer.
LSUS didn’t wait to cut the Fire lead to a single run, as Jose Sallorin drove in Montz and Syring, and Anthony Swenda came home on a wild pitch. In the next inning, the Pilots tied it and took the lead on bases-loaded walks by Diego Aragon and Ryan Davenport.
Southeastern regained the lead in the fourth with two runs, and in the fifth, Streuer singled to score Hicks, extending the SEU lead to 7-5.
In the bottom of fifth, the Pilots cut the deficit to one, as Aragon led off with a triple to center field. A ground-ball to the right side scored Cooper Huspen, who ran for Aragon, and LSUS was down 7-6.
LSUS took the lead an inning later, and after the homers by Syring and Montz, Davenport and Austin Gomm collected RBIs, stretching the Pilot lead to 10-7.
An insurance run came home for the Pilots in the seventh and they added two in the eighth, as Syring, Sallorin and Gibson finished with two hits each, while Sallorin and Davenport each had three RBIs.
Pitching decisions went to both bullpens, as Kenneth Schlechter picked up the win for LSUS, improving to 4-0, while the Southeastern loss went to Bryce McDonald.
At the conclusion of the game, members of the media and tournament committee named the 2025 Avista NAIA World Series All-Tournament Team.
2025 Avista NAIA World Series All-Tournament Team
- First Base: Corbin Shaw, Tennessee Wesleyan
- Second Base: Brandon Mooney, Loyola (La.)
- Third Base: Josh Gibson, LSU Shreveport (La.)
- Shortstop: Trotter Boston, Hope International (Calif.)
- Infielder: Alfonso Villalobos, Southeastern (Fla.)
- Catcher: Diego Aragon, LSU Shreveport (La.)
- Catcher: Matthew Lee, Georgia Gwinnett
- Outfielder: Ian Montz, LSU Shreveport (La.)
- Outfielder: Alex Harrell, Georgia Gwinnett
- Outfielder: Jon Ponder, Georgia Gwinnett
- Outfielder: Trent Prokes, Cumberlands (Ky.)
- DH: Connor Hicks, Southeastern (Fla.)
- Pitcher: Isaac Rohde, LSU Shreveport (La.)
- Pitcher: Chaz McWilliams, Hope International (Calif.)
- Pitcher: Aaron Robertson, Southeastern (Fla.)
- Pitcher: Draven Zeigler, LSU Shreveport (La.)
- MVP: Isaac Rohde, LSU Shreveport (La.)
- Hustle: Cooper Huspen, LSU Shreveport (La.)
- Gold Glove: Jose Sallorin, LSU Shreveport (La.)