ST. PAUL, Minn. – The 2026 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Baseball Playoffs got underway on Thursday from CHS Field in St. Paul. Saint Mary's defeated Bethel, 8-6, in 11 innings before Macalester came away with a 5-4 win over Saint John's.
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NO. 4 SAINT MARY'S 8, NO. 1 BETHEL 6 (11 inn.) | BOX SCORE |
In the longest MIAC Baseball Playoff game in more than a decade, No. 4 Saint Mary's outdueled top-seeded Bethel, 8-6, in 11 innings to begin the 2026 conference tournament. Bethel jumped out to a 4-0 lead after three frames, but the Cardinals' bats came alive late to give Saint Mary's a 6-4 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth inning. A wild scene unfolded in the Royals' half of the inning, as a foul ball over the left field wall was initially ruled a home run before the call was reversed in an umpire conference. Ben Trucke - who had already tallied a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning - belted the next pitch over the centerfield fence to tie the game at 6-6 and send the contest to extra innings. After a scoreless tenth inning, Saint Mary's scored twice in the top of the 11th, and the Royals were unable to answer. Cardinals relief pitcher Brady Patten earned the win after coming on in the tenth and kept the Royals off the board in extra innings. SMU shortstop Josh Costello went 3-for-6 and drove in what became the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly in the 11th. Bethel dual-threat Drew Girtz allowed two hits and no runs in four innings of work on the mound before sliding into the DH spot and finishing the game 4-for-6 at the plate, including a double in the bottom of the seventh.
NO. 2 MACALESTER 5, NO. 3 SAINT JOHN'S 4 | BOX SCORE |
Behind a gem of a relief performance from left-hander Jack Nussbaum, Macalester defeated Saint John's, 5-4, under the lights at CHS Field on Thursday. Nussbaum entered the game with the Scots down 3-1 in the second inning and went the rest of the way, allowing six hits and one run while striking out nine over the next seven-and-two-thirds. Johnnie leftfielder Owen Amrhein went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI in the second and third innings. Macalester third baseman Nathan Gumagay turned in a similar stat line, going 2-for-3 and evening the game at 3-3 with a two RBI single in the bottom of the second. Tristan Lander's single in the seventh brought home Raymond McCaskey for the game-deciding score.
The Royals and Johnnies will now meet at noon on Friday in an elimination game, while the Cardinals and Scots will match up at 3:00 p.m. to determine one-half of the 2026 MIAC Playoff Championship Game on Saturday. The winner of Friday's noon game will hang around to face the loser of the Saint Mary's versus Macalester matchup in the second elimination contest of the day at 6:00 p.m. Whichever team comes out on top in the 6:00 p.m. contest will return on Saturday for the title game. Gates for Friday's games will open roughly one hour before the scheduled first pitch.
Saturday's MIAC Championship will begin at 3:00 p.m. If necessary, a second game will follow 25 minutes after the first to determine the double-elimination tournament winner. Sunday will serve as a rain date if needed. The champion will receive the MIAC's automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Baseball Tournament. All playoff game dates and times are tentative and may be adjusted in the event of inclement weather.
PURCHASE GAME TICKETS
Tickets are required for each day of the MIAC Baseball Playoffs and are available for purchase now. Adult tickets are priced at $12.49, with student tickets at $9.20. MIAC pass holders and children ages five and under receive free entry. Tickets for Friday's tripleheader can be purchased here.
No outside food, beverage, cans, bottles, chairs, or coolers may be brought into the ballpark. Additionally, alcohol and tobacco are strictly prohibited inside CHS Field for the MIAC Playoffs. Service animals are allowed inside the stadium; however, other pets must stay at home. Fans should review the list of prohibited items at CHS Field before traveling to the stadium. A full ballpark guide to CHS Field can be found here. As a reminder, fans are not allowed onto the field at any time, including after the championship game.
PAY-PER-VIEW
The 2026 MIAC Baseball Playoffs will be streamed live on the MIAC Sports Network in a pay-per-view format. Fans who are unable to attend the tournament may purchase a $12 "championship pass" to stream the entire MIAC Baseball Playoffs live. On-demand access to playoff games will be available after the NCAA Tournament concludes.
The MIAC Sports Network Help Page provides guidance and links to help fans navigate the streaming platform. Hudl Customer Support is also available by email or 24/7 chat to assist with any issues.
CHAMPIONSHIP APPAREL
Official playoff and championship apparel is available for online purchase via the MIAC Shop powered by UNRestricted MKTG. The online MIAC Shop features officially licensed short-sleeve t-shirts, long-sleeves, and hooded sweatshirts to commemorate the 2026 playoff tournament. Team champion apparel will be added and available for purchase shortly after the championship game.
PLAYOFF HQ
The MIAC has a homepage dedicated to the 2026 MIAC Baseball Playoffs, containing schedules, links, and information on each of the four teams in the field. Throughout the tournament, the page will be updated with scores, stats, and updated schedules.
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