Chaparrals Take Southwest District Title, To Play Wabash Valley College in JUCO World Series Opener

NJCAA Division I Baseball National Tournament/JUCO World Series

Sam Suplizio Field 

May 23-30, 2026

Grand Junction, CO

The Midland College Chaparrals punched their ticket to the NJCAA Division I Baseball National Tournament by winning the NJCAA Southwest District Super Regional Championship.  The Super Regional Tournament was played at Weatherford, TX and hosted by Weatherford College.  Midland College advanced to the Super Regionals after defeating Hill College in a Southwest District Regional Series that was played at Midland College's Christensen Stadium. 

The Chaparrals won the 2026 WJCAC title going 30-6 in conference play.  MC, by virtue of winning the conference title, earned the right to host the Hill College Rebels in Midland.  The Chaps defeated the Rebels 2-1 in the best-of-three series to move on to the Southwest District Super Regional round. 

The Super Regionals featured the four first-round series winners:  #1 seed Midland College, #2 seed Weatherford College, #3 seed McLennan Community College and #4 seed Howard College.  Weatherford and McLennan play in the always-tough NTJCAC, while the Chaps and Howard College Hawks represented the WJCAC.  The Super Regionals were hosted by Weatherford, the highest seed from the NTJCAC.    

Midland's first round opponent was #4 seed Howard College.  Howard pulled off a dramatic upset over NTJCAC regular season champion, Grayson College in Denison, TX to advance to the Super Regional series.  The Hawks won the series over Grayson two games to one, after losing the opening game.  Midland College and Howard College met for a four-game WJCAC series March 20-21 with the Chaparrals winning the three games to one.  In the Southwest District Super Regional game, Midland College won in dramatic fashion coming back from a 13-8 deficit in the ninth inning to post an incredible 14-13 win in 11 innings.  

Howard College vs. Midland College Box Score:
https://gochaps.com/sports/bsb/2025-26/boxscores/20260514_5fhh.xml 

MC's second round opponent was the McLennan CC Highlanders who defeated their opening round opponent Weatherford College by a score of 8-0.  With McLennan leading Midland 5-4 after seven innings, the Chaps posted a three-run eighth to take a 7-5 lead.  The Highlanders scratched across a run in the bottom of the eighth inning to pull to within a run of the Chaparrals at 7-6.  Midland College was held scoreless in the top of the ninth and managed to hold off McLennan for the 7-6 win.  Offensively Midland College was led by Bammer Maes and Jorge Gil.  MC's Keller Linderman picked up his seventh win of the year, coming in in relief of starter Jason Berglund.  Burglund went six innings striking out two.   

McLennan Community College vs. Midland College Box Score:
https://gochaps.com/sports/bsb/2025-26/boxscores/20260515_liwx.xml 

Midland College then had to await the result of a second McLennan versus Weatherford barnburner.  This time the Coyotes successfully defended their home field, defeating MCC 10-8.  At this point both Howard College and McLennan Community College saw the end of their respective seasons in the double-elimination Super Regionals.  Weatherford College survived a long, brutal elimination game with McLennan to play a somewhat rested Midland College Chaparrals for the Super Regional title.  

In the championship game, the Weatherford College Coyotes struck first with a home run in the bottom of the first inning.  That was the totality of the Coyotes' offensive output in the contest, while the Chaparrals lineup took full advantage of Weatherford College's depeated pitching staff.  The Chaps pounded out 13 hits to the Coyotes four and in the process defeated Weatherford by a score of 13-1 to take the Southwest District championship.  MC's Caleb Eagar, Olivas and AJ Velarde led the hit parade with Olivas and Velarde contributing three RBI each.  Midland College's starting pitcher Luke Hayhow was masterful, striking out eight batters over 5.2 innings.  Chaps relief pitcher Lane Shultz was even more impressive recording nine Ks in his 3.1 innings on the mound. 

Midland College vs Weatherford College Box Score:
https://gochaps.com/sports/bsb/2025-26/boxscores/20260516_fktq.xml 

With the win the Chaps picked up their 50th win of the season versus 10 losses.  More importantly Midland College earned a berth in the 2026 JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, CO (May 23-30).  This will be the Chaparrals third appearance in the JUCO World Series ('13, '14), the first under head coach Hector Rodriguez.    

Midland College joins a 10-team national tournament field that includes:  Johnson County Community College (KS), Blinn College (TX), Walters State Community College (TN), LSU-Eunice (LA), Miami-Dade College (FL), Seminole State College (OK), Wabash Valley College (IL), Salt Lake Community College (UT) and Harford Community College (MD).  The Chaparrals were awarded a #3 seed, where they will open tournament play on Saturday, May 23rd @ 7:30 p.m. (MT) versus #8 seed Wabash Valley College.  Wabash Valley enters the tournament with a 43-20 record this season. 

NJCAA Division I Baseball National Tournament Information: 
https://njcaachampionship.prestosports.com/sports/bsb/div1/index 

For Tournament Brackets, Tickets and Other Information:
https://jucogj.org/index.aspx 

Watch All Tournament Games Live on ESPN+:  
https://www.espn.com/watch/schedule?channel=ESPN_PLUS&path=baseball 

Live Audio Broadcast of the Midland College and Blinn College Games (audio only):

https://tsbnsports.com/click-title-of-game-to-watch/ 

Go Chaps!