May 2, 2026 | Joplin, MO | SAC Championship Tournament - The postseason run for Nelson Baseball was defined by moments of fight that embodied everything this team has been all season.

But on Saturday evening at Joe Becker Stadium, the Lions' tournament journey came to a close in a hard-fought 4-2 battle against Mid-America Christian.

Nelson came out swinging.

The Lions struck first in the opening frame and added another in the third, fueled by a solo home run from Joshua Pinter that gave Nelson early momentum and belief. 

On the mound, the Lions matched that energy. Ryan Avalos delivered a steady start, navigating traffic and keeping MACU's offense from breaking through in the early innings.

But championship baseball is about timely swings and MACU found theirs.

The Evangels chipped away with a run in the second before breaking through in the sixth with a two-run inning that flipped the game. A late insurance run in the eighth created separation, while their ace Fabian Hernandez went the distance, holding Nelson to just two hits across nine innings with 12 strikeouts. 

Despite the loss, the Lions never stopped competing. Nelson's pitching staff battled through multiple arms, and defensively, the group stayed composed, committing zero errors in a high-pressure elimination game. 

Next Up
All eyes now shift to the national stage.

• NAIA Selection Show
• Wednesday, May 6
• 4:00 PM

The Lions await their fate.

Nelson University (formerly SAGU) is a private Christian university, established in 1927 by P.C. Nelson. The University is located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas, and offers more than 70 associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees on campus or online. For more information, visit www.nelson.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-NELSON.