Central Methodist Earns Back-to-Back Heart Baseball Conference Tournament Titles

No. 3 Central Methodist won its second-straight Heart of America Athletic Conference Baseball Conference Tournament Championship on Tuesday afternoon, as they defeated No. 1 MidAmerica Nazarene, 4-3, to earn an automatic bid to the 2022 NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round. 

The Eagles have now won the Heart Baseball Conference Tournament four times, 2022, 2021, 2016 and 2013.

MidAmerica Nazarene has also earned an automatic bid to the NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round with the runner-up finish.

This marked the second-straight season these two have met in the Heart Championship game, CMU won last year's Heart title by one run as well, 6-5.

The event took place at the US Baseball Park in Ozark, Mo.

MNU forced a second championship game, as they defeated the Eagles, 14-8 on Monday afternoon.

In Tuesday's contest, 2022 Heart Championship Tournament Co-MVP, Nick Merkel went 7.0 innings on the mound for CMU and allowed just four hits and two earned runs. He struck out nine Pioneers. Beau Atkins threw the final two innings to earn the six-out save.

Fellow 2022 Heart Championship Tournament Co-MVP, Robbie Merced went 1-for-3 at the plate and six different Eagles had a hit in the victory.

MNU sent five batters on the bump, with Kristian Hurtado earning the loss. Brycen Sherwood led MNU with a 2-for-5 day and two RBI's.

2022 Heart Baseball All-Tournament Team: