Whitworth set for D-III Regional opener at Montclair State
Whitworth’s baseball team, making its fifth appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament, opens Regional play across the country against a historically successful program.
The third-seeded Pirates (28-14) will meet second-seeded host Montclair State (30-9) at 11:30 a.m. on Friday at Yogi Berra Stadium in Montclair, New Jersey, in the four-team, double-elimination D-III Regional. The game will be available to stream on ncaa.com.
“In past years, we’ve always been sent to California or Texas, places we’re familiar with from preseason travels,” said Whitworth coach CJ Perry, the Northwest Conference Coach of the Year, in a video released Tuesday by the school. “But it’ll be really fun to go somewhere completely new.”
The Red Hawks, who are ranked 13th nationally in the latest ABCA D-III poll, qualified for the D-III tournament for the first time since 2022, but they have an impressive track record in the postseason with 29 national tourney berths, including 13 D-III World Series appearances, and three national titles (1987, ’ 93 and 2000).
Montclair State received an at-large bid to the tournament. The team finished second in the New Jersey Athletic Conference regular season but lost to William Paterson in the conference tournament semifinals. The Pirates hosted and won the single-elimination NWC Tournament on May 8, blanking Puget Sound in the semifinals and rallying past Linfield in the title game to improve to 14-0 at Merkel Field in Spokane and clinch a D-III tournament berth for the second straight season.
“It’s just a testament to our guys,” Perry said. “We’ve played really well this year, and there’s been a couple times where we’ve had our backs against the wall.”
Like Whitworth, the Red Hawks boast a productive lineup. They rank fifth nationally with a team batting average of .354. They’re 10th nationally in on-base percentage (.462) and 11th in runs per game (10.2). Montclair State tallied double-digit hits in 27 games this year.
“It’s kind of a scramble,” Perry said of preparing on short notice for an unfamiliar opponent. “We kind of go through a network of coaches to see if we can get scouting reports. If nothing else, you always tell your guys, ‘Well, we just need to play our best game. If we pitch it well, we play good defense and we hit just like we have all year, we’ve got a pretty good shot at winning.’ ”
The Red Hawks are led by a trio of All-NJAC first-teamers: senior catcher Zach Stearns (.378, nine doubles), senior infielder Matt Kaliske (.347, five homers, 12 doubles) and sophomore outfielder Michael Wansaw Jr. (.414, 10 doubles).
Power at the plate is an advantage for Whitworth, which ranks 13th nationally with 53 home runs – the Red Hawks have 21 homers on the year. The Pirates hit .295 as a team this season, but they’ve got plenty of reliable options in a lineup that is paced by two-time NWC Player of the Year Kyle Memarian, a senior outfielder and .408 hitter who recorded 13 doubles and 10 homers, and ranked 17th nationally with 61 runs scored and 43rd with 111 total bases.
Fellow All-NWC first-teamers include senior shortstop Spencer Shipman (.325, 11 homers) and senior third baseman Caleb Gray (.306, 11 doubles, eight homers), both West Valley High products.
Starters for Friday’s game haven’t been announced, but the Pirates will presumably go with sophomore right-handed ace Dillon Hartman (8-1, 4.36 ERA), an All-NWC first-teamer. The Red Hawks’ top arm is freshman righty Chris Matesic (8-1, 3.36 ERA).
Top-seeded Endicott College (35-9) and fourth-seeded Husson University (24-16) are on the other side of the bracket. Endicott ranks fourth in D-III with a 2.87 team ERA.
The losers of Friday’s games will square off at 8 a.m. Saturday, and the Friday winners will meet after. The loser of Saturday’s second game will then play the winner of the morning game. The two remaining teams will clash at 8 a.m. Sunday and another game will be played, if necessary, after that.
NotableMontclair State has a reputation as a small-school baseball heavyweight on the East Coast, as highlighted by its connection to Yogi Berra. The late New York Yankees legend and longtime Montclair resident maintained close ties with the program and even received an honorary degree from the school in 1996. The Yogi Berra Museum is located on the university’s campus.