LEWISTON, Idaho – IU Southeast baseball advanced in the winner's bracket after a 5-0 shutout win over No. 8 Tennessee Wesleyan in game ten of the 2026 Avista NAIA World Series.
For the second consecutive game, the Grenadiers' offense got on the board in the first inning. Joel Johnson got the rally started by drawing a walk, then advanced to second after Coulter Hamilton hit an infield single.
Johnson and Hamilton would both score after back-to-back singles by Trevor Goodwin and Bryson Arnette, respectively. Goodwin would score two at-bats later to put the Grenadiers ahead 3-0.
IU Southeast added two more in the fourth. Gabe Yonto led off the frame with a four-pitch walk, then moved to second after Kasen Parks singled to left. Yonto scored after a double by Johnson, and Parks scored after an infield single by Goodwin.
Tennessee Wesleyan made a push in the top of the fifth. The Bulldogs had runners on first and second after a fielding error and an infield single, but the Grenadier defense held strong. A flyout to center, a foul out to third, and a strikeout kept the Bulldogs off the board.
The Bulldogs' next push came in the seventh, but the Grenadier defense stood tall again. After a leadoff walk and a single, the next three TWU hitters went fielder's choice groundout, strikeout, and strikeout to end the frame.
Luca Sandrella got the start on the mound and put forth another great start. Sandrella earned the win after 5.0 innings, where he allowed just three hits and struck out five. Jake Gothrup finished off the game with 4.0 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just one hit and five strikeouts.
Monday's win is the Grenadiers' 44th win of the season. The Grenadiers will hit the field again Tuesday evening for a 9:30 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. PT game against No. 5 Southeastern.
