Grapevine, T.X. – Top-seeded Columbia International University and six-seed University of Northwestern both recorded perfect 2-0 opening days at the 2026 NCCAA Softball World Series on Monday, May 18.
 
GAME ONE: #1 Columbia International University 5, #8 Dallas Christian College 3

Top-seeded Columbia International University took advantage of three Dallas Christian College errors to knock off the host Crusaders 5-3 to open play at the 2026 NCCAA Softball World Series.

• After getting an infield single and stealing second, Tristan Phillips scored the first run of the game thanks to a Lilli Petty sac fly in the bottom of the first, putting Columbia International ahead 1-0. 
• After back-to-back errors by the Crusaders in the bottom of the second, another sac fly for the Rams, this time from Carmella Korte to score Caydon Thompson, before an RBI double from Raleigh Stewart extended the CIU lead to 3-0. The Rams looked to add another on a hit to left field by Phillips, but a great throw home from Kayla Looper kept CIU to just a three-run lead.
• Dallas Christian opened the top of the fifth inning with a single from Nizhoni Yellow, but a diving stop at third base from Sophia Noriega-Mora kept the Crusaders in check, and CIU held on to a 3-0 advantage.
• After another miscue by Dallas Christian allowed CIU to load the bases, before Hannah Murphy brought home Phillips with an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth. Yet another sac fly for the Rams, this time from Caydon Thompson pushed CIU ahead 5-3.
• Kayla Looper started a rally for Dallas Christian, sending the ball over the left field fence to put the Crusaders on the board in the top of the sixth, cutting the CIU lead to 5-1.
• After a leadoff single from Kyleigh Lewis in the top of the seventh, Yellow brought her home with an RBI double, and an error from CIU saw Dallas Christian cut the lead to 5-3. Emily Sampson came on to pitch for the Rams, and a pop fly to right field ended the game for DCC, as Columbia International held on for the 5-3 win. 
• Phillips paced the Rams, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Yellow was a perfect 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored for Dallas Christian.

GAME TWO: #2 Southwestern Christian University 4, #7 Kentucky Christian University 3

A strong performance from the bullpen and a late home run from Trinity Norwood gave #2 Southwestern Christian University the 4-3 come-from-behind win over #7 Kentucky Christian University.

• Kentucky Christian took the early lead with authority, as Rebecca Engler hit a two-run shot over the left centerfield wall to put the Knights ahead 2-0 on just the tenth pitch of the game. 
• Ariana Adams got in on the home run hitting for KCU, launching one into the gusty Grapevine air to swell the Knights to a 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning.
• Southwestern Christian finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning, thanks to an RBI double from Ebony Garza that brought home Trinity Norwood, cutting the Knights lead to 3-1. 
• KCU had a chance to add on to their lead in the top of the fifth, but a double play connection from Keele and Garza and a strikeout by Lainey King kept the Kentucky Christian lead to two.
• The Eagles continued to score in the bottom of the fifth, as a single to center field from Kylee Coy scored Hannah Keele, before a home run from Norwood put SCU on top 4-3 after five innings.
• Adams opened up the top of the seventh with a single, looking to start a late rally for the Knights, but a pair of ground outs ended the threat, as Southwestern Christian completed the comeback for the 4-3 win. 
• Norwood led the way for SCU, going 2-for-2 with two RBI and one stolen base, while King went five innings in relief, giving up five hits, and striking out a pair and kept KCU off the scoreboard.

GAME THREE: #4 Wayland Baptist University 5, #5 Alice Lloyd College 2
 
In their first appearance in the NCCAA Softball World Series, #4 Wayland Baptist University used strong defense and pitching to pick up the 5-2 win over #5 Alice Lloyd College.

• Reagan Davis opened the contest by showing off the speed, recording a triple off the right field wall in the bottom of the first inning for Wayland Baptist, before a sac fly from Mikayla Carrillo brought her home to put the Pioneers ahead 1-0. 
• After back-to-back singles from Carrillo and Yaneli Jaramillo to open the bottom of the third, an error by the defense allowed Carrillo to score from second, before an RBI groundout by Mikenzi Carlo was enough to bring home Jaramillo, and the Pioneers went ahead 3-0. 
• Alice Lloyd looked to get on the board in the top of the fourth inning, but a pair of diving stops from Lia Lozano and Carlo, along with a strikeout by Kynleigh Kirby ended the frame with WBU still on top 3-0. 
• Davis drew a walk to open the bottom of the fifth inning for the Pioneers, and a Berkley Bradley single brought her home, and Wayland Baptist pulled ahead 4-0.
• A bunt single from Jordan Rakes and a walk drawn by Mckenzie Orfield got Alice Lloyd going in the top of the sixth, and an error by the Pioneers allowed both Eagles to score, and ALC cut the deficit in half, trailing just 4-2.
• Kailee Sanchez drew a walk to open the bottom of the sixth, and after stealing second, a groundout from Brooke McLaurin brought her home and Wayland Baptist grew their lead to 5-2.

 
GAME FOUR: #6 University of Northwestern 5, #3 Arlington Baptist University 2
 
The longball and timely hitting pushed #6 University of Northwestern to the 5-2 upset win over #3 Arlington Baptist University

• Gabrielle Keith picked up a double to open the top of the second inning for Northwestern, and a single from Hannah Lexvold brought her home to put the Eagles ahead 1-0.
• UNW loaded the bases in the top of the third inning, and another hit from Keith scored Hannah Storey, before an error by Arlington Baptist let Emma Edwards score, pushing the Eagles ahead 3-0. 
• Bryn Anderson added to the advantage for Northwestern in the top of the fourth, sending the second pitch she saw over the fence, and the UNW lead swelled to 5-0 for the Eagles.
• Arlington Baptist would not go down quietly, as a double from Sadie Ryan scored Caelie Evans, before a throwing error by UNW allowed Ryan to come home and score, and the Patriots cut the Eagle lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the fifth
• ABU would threaten again in the bottom of the sixth thanks to a Brianna Escalante single, but UNW retired the final five batters to win the game 5-2.
• With a pair of strikeouts in the first inning, Ireland Strubbe became the UNW single-season strikeout leader, tossing her 154^th strikeout of the season. Strubbe finished the game with five strikeouts, allowing six hits hit and one earned run in the win. Anderson went 2-for-3 with 2 RBU and a run scored for UNW.

 
GAME FIVE: #1 Columbia International University 2, #4 Wayland Baptist University 1
 
In a defensive slugfest, #1 Columbia International University scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to knock off #4 Wayland Baptist University 2-1 to earn their second win of the day.

• Neither side recorded a hit until the bottom of the second inning, a single from Caydon Thompson, but a double play ball from Mikayla Carrillo, Yaneli Jaramillo and Kynleigh Kirby ended the threat and kept the game scoreless.
• Reagan Davis and Lia Lozano tallied the first hits of the game for WBU in the top of the third, but a pair of balls hit to the CIU middle infield sent the Pioneers back to the dugout. 
• Wayland Baptist’s next best chance for a run came in the top of the fifth following a leadoff single from Brooke McLaurin, but a smart play by Hannah Murphy helped CIU turn the double play and keep the contest scoreless. 
• After a bunt single by Tristan Phillips and a single to right field from Abigail Guthrie opened the bottom of the sixth inning, Lilli Petty came up clutch with a two-RBI double to the outfield, and the Rams went ahead 2-0.
• Wayland Baptist loaded the bases in the top of the seventh, and a sac fly from Lozano scored Mikenzi Carlo to cut the deficit in half, 2-1. But CIU was able to force a flyout, ending the game and giving Columbia International the 2-1 victory.
• Abby Ragan shined in the circle for CIU, allowing just one run, four hits, while striking out five. Despite the loss, Logan Schultz allowed just two runs and five hits and struck out one for Wayland Baptist on just 50 pitches over six innings of work. 

GAME SIX: #6 University of Northwestern 9, #2 Southwestern Christian University 3
 
A pair of home runs sparked a six-run top of the seventh for #6 University of Northwestern, as the Eagles from St. Paul knocked off #2 Southwestern Christian University 9-3 to earn their second win of the day.

• Southwestern Christian opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning, as Sabrina Gilbert brought home Trinity Norwood and Hannah Keele to put SCU ahead 2-0. 
• Gilbert was not done, adding a solo shot in the bottom of the third over the centerfield fence, pushing the SCU Eagle lead to 3-0.
• Kate Van Ess started the run for UNW in the top of the fourth inning, bringing home Kate Trump with an RBI single to cut Southwestern Christian’s lead to 3-1.
• Emma Edwards tied the ballgame with a home run in the top of the fifth, a two-run homer that knotted the game at three runs apiece. 
• After a single from Hannah Storey and an error allowed Bryn Anderson to reach in the top of the seventh, Gabrielle Keith broke the deadlock with a three-run blast to put Northwestern ahead 6-3. A single from Trista Oberle and a walk drawn by Jenna Nusbaum extended the inning, and Van Ess added another trio of runs for UNW, sending a shot over the left field wall to swell the Northwestern advantage to 9-3. 
• Keele and Kylee Coy recorded a pair of hits for Southwestern Christian in the bottom of the seventh, but a strikeout from Ireland Strubbe and a lineout to Trump ended the contest in favor of the Eagles from UNW.
• Van Ess paced UNW, going 2-for-4 with four RBI and one run scored, while Oberle went 3-for-4 and scored a run in the victory. 

Action continues in the 2026 NCCAA Softball World Series from the Oak Grove Complex in Grapevine, Texas on Tuesday, May 19. Due to anticipated weather in the Grapevine, Texas area, the first games are set to begin at 10:30 AM CT with the final game set to start at 3:30 PM CT. A full schedule of games along with box scores can be found here.
 
About the NCCAA
Established in 1968, the National Christian College Athletic Association uses intercollegiate athletics to further the Great Commission and is committed to equipping student-athletes and coaches to make a positive impact for Christ. The NCCAA currently holds 23 national championship events, along with one national invitational for 88 member schools across 28 states and two Canadian provinces. For more information on the NCCAA, visit our website, thenccaa.org, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram at @thenccaa.