Ecclesia earns NCCAA World Series berth

Ecclesia College earned at-large bid to the National Christian College Athletic Association World Series in Mason, Ohio.

The Royals (32-20) are a No. 9 seed and will take on No. 4 seed Alice Lloyd College from Pippa Passes, Ky., at 4 p.m. Wednesday in their first pool game at Prasco Park.

This is the first World Series berth for the fifth-year program.

Oklahoma Baptist University, the defending champion, is the No. 1 overall seed. Southwestern Christian University also earned an at-large bid.

Ecclesia College will take on Oklahoma Baptist at noon Thursday, then Bluefield College at 3 p.m.

The Royals, coached by Derrion Hardie, will complete pool play at 1 p.m. Friday against Campbellsville University.

The top four teams in pool play will move into bracket play Friday. The championship game is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday.

JT Stalnaker, a 5-11, 220-pound junior catcher from Tallahassee, Fla., led the Royals this season with a .410 batting average, seven home runs and 48 RBIs. Former Springdale Har-Ber player Matt Garrison, a sophomore, batted .284 with 32 stolen bases and 33 RBIs.

Former Har-Ber pitcher Madison Bates, a junior right-hander, led the team with a 10-1 record with a 3.217 ERA and 63 strikeouts.