By CHASE UPTON/Sports Editor
CARY, N.C. — For much of the 2026 season, UT Tyler has responded every time adversity has appeared.
After Sunday night’s 8-2 loss to top-seeded West Chester in the NCAA Division II College World Series, the Patriots will have to respond again in the elimination bracket.
West Chester (46-10) struck quickly and never relinquished control, scoring five runs in the opening inning and adding another in the second to build a 6-0 lead before the Patriots could settle in.
The Golden Rams finished with 16 hits and improved to 26-1 this season when scoring in the first inning.
UT Tyler (49-13) spent the rest of the night trying to dig out of the early hole but never fully recovered despite multiple opportunities.
The Patriots broke through in the fourth inning after loading the bases, cutting into the deficit when Connor Clark drew an RBI walk and Brock Bearden was hit by a pitch to make it 7-2.
UT Tyler later loaded the bases two more times but could not deliver the timely hit needed to complete the comeback.
“I think the biggest thing is we just didn’t play characteristic of us. They punched us in the mouth early and we never really got back on our feet,” head coach Brent Porche said. “But I know that we’ll be able to turn it around and fight and give it all we possibly can to keep playing.”
West Chester’s early surge came against starter Julio Garcia, who was tagged for six runs in 1.2 innings as the Golden Rams capitalized on nearly every early opportunity.
After the rough start, UT Tyler’s bullpen stabilized the game.
Jacob Hadden delivered 4.2 stellar innings in relief, allowing just one run while keeping the Patriots within reach. Noah Lindt added 1.2 innings with four strikeouts, and Klayton Wingfield closed the night with a scoreless ninth.
“We had chances to climb back in the game and those guys did a really good job of keeping us in it, but we just couldn’t get it done,” Porche said. “Couldn’t get the big hit when we needed it.”
Offensively, Clark reached base three times and drove in a run, while Bearden added an RBI and Luke Smith finished with two hits. Kaston Mason also doubled and scored one of UT Tyler’s two runs.
West Chester was led by Austin Stalker, who went 3-for-5, and Harry Middlebrooks, who drove in three runs as part of the early offensive barrage.
The Road Ahead
The loss drops UT Tyler into the elimination bracket, where the road immediately leads back to a familiar opponent.
The Patriots will face Central Missouri (40-16) at 12:30 p.m. CST on Tuesday in a rematch of their College World Series opener, which UT Tyler won 8-3.
The Mules responded to that loss with a 23-9 elimination win over UIndy (39-24) on Sunday to stay alive and will look to ride that momentum into Tuesday afternoon.
A win Tuesday would send UT Tyler into a Wednesday rematch with West Chester and from there, the Patriots would need to beat the Golden Rams twice to reach the national championship series. West Chester, meanwhile, needs just one win to advance.
The Patriots have already proven themselves in elimination scenarios, going 3-0 in win-or-go-home games this postseason.
“We did a good job in those games of forgetting about the loss and not dwelling on the past,” Mason said of the team’s elimination matchups this year.
Now, they’ll need to do it again starting with Tuesday’s matchup against Central Missouri, the first step in a difficult road if the Patriots are going to bring home their first DII national championship.
Fans can watch every game of the NCAA Division II College World Series and follow the complete tournament bracket at NCAA.com.
Patriot fans can also listen live through the UT Tyler Athletics website and stay up to date with coverage, reactions and updates throughout the week at thepatriottalon.com and on The Patriot Talon’s and UT Tyler Athletics’ Instagram pages.
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