Misenheimer, N.C. (May 11, 2026) – The Pfeiffer University baseball team will make their NCAA Division III debut this upcoming Friday, May 15 when they travel to Baltimore, Md. to take on Johns Hopkins University in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Falcons, who captured their first USA South Tournament Title this past Saturday with a 6-0 home shutout win over William Peace, are making just their second NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. 

Pfeiffer last played in the NCAA Division II Tournament in 2004, following a Conference Carolinas Tournament Title. Pfeiffer would open the 2004 NCAA South Atlantic Regional in Jacksonville, Fla. with a loss to Columbus State and followed with a 13-0 win to eliminate Augusta State.  North Florida would end Pfeiffer's season that year with a narrow 4-3 win over the Falcons.

This past season, Pfeiffer claimed the No. 2 seed in the USA South tournament with a 14-7 league record. The Falcons would go on to host the USA South Tournament advancing to the Championship series with a 7-3 home win over Southern Virginia.

Pfeiffer would then take a 17-7 win in game one over WPU before a 6-0 win to send the Falcons to their first league title.

The Falcons' James Eason, a sophomore from Rockingham, North Carolina, is the first Pfeiffer player to be named USA South Pitcher of the Year. During the regular season, Eason compiled a 5-3 record in 11 appearances, nine starts, with a 4.40 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 57.1 innings pitched. In Conference contests-only, Eason posted a 5-1 record in seven starts with a 3.37 ERA while striking out 27 batters. This season, he collects First Team All-Conference honors as a pitcher after being named USA South Pitcher of the Week on two occasions.

Freshman teammate Cam Cooper, from New London, North Carolina, was the first Falcon to earn USA South Baseball Rookie Pitcher of the Year accolades. Cooper posted a regular season record of 3-0 with one save in 12 appearances, all in relief. In a total of 35.2 innings pitched, Cooper posted a 2.02 ERA with 39 strikeouts, which ranked tied for fourth in the League. Against USA South foes-only, Cooper was 2-0 with one save, compiling a 2.25 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 20.0 innings. For his efforts this season, Cooper was named a Second Team All-Conference relief pitcher and earned USA South Rookie Pitcher of the Week twice.

All told, Pfeiffer had four players earn All-USA South honors.  Senior Jack Brandle (first base), freshman Ben Mecimore (catcher) along with Eason and Cooper were named All-USA South.  Brandle would go on to be tabbed as the USA South Tournament MVP.

Johns Hopkins (33-9) earned an automatic bid after winning the program's 20^th – and fourth straight – Centennial Conference Championship, which marks the 28^th time JHU has appeared in the NCAA Tournament dating back to 1976, with the Blue Jays holding a 56-42 record in regional games.

Pomona-Pitzer (31-12) and Mary Washington (26-12) will also join the host Blue Jays and Pfeiffer in the Baltimore Regional.

Pfeiffer and JHU share a common opponent in 2026 in Swarthmore College.  Pfeiffer split with Swarthmore, winning 14-11 and falling 5-2 on Feb. 21 at the D3 Showcase in Kannapolis, N.C.  JHU dropped two Centennial conference games at Swarthmore on April 18, losing 12-6 and 8-4 

Pfeiffer also shares common opponents with Mary Washington in Southern Virginia, RPI, Hampden-Sydney, and Mary Baldwin.

Pfeiffer and Pomona-Pitzer do not share common opponents.

All information pertaining to the upcoming NCAA Division III Baseball Tournament can be found by visiting NCAA.com and ticket information will be made available as it is announced.

The full weekend schedule is below.

• Virginia Beach, Va. – Hosted by Virginia Wesleyan University - Tom & Betty Broyles Field at TowneBank Park
  • Friday, May 15
    • Game 1: No. 1 Johns Hopkins vs. No. 4 Pfeiffer -| 11 a.m.
    • Game 2: No. 2 Pomona-Pitzer vs. No. 3 Mary Washington - 2:30 p.m.
       
  • Saturday, May 16
    • Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser - 11 a.m. - loser eliminated
    • Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner - 2:30 p.m.
    • Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser - 6 p.m.
       
  • Saturday May 16
    • Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner - 11:00 a.m.
    • Game 7 (if necessary): 45 minutes after Game 6