LEWISTON, Idaho — William Carey opened the 2026 NAIA World Series with a 7-4 upset over No. 1 seed Taylor (Ind.) on Monday.
Taylor took an early lead in the bottom of the first inning when Brayden Manning hit an RBI single to right field. William Carey responded in the second, scoring three runs on three hits. Gage Hinnant tied the game with an RBI single, and Alan McClean followed with a double that drove in a run. DeeJay Booth capped the inning with an RBI groundout, giving the Crusaders a 3-1 lead.
Both pitching staffs settled in after the second inning. Taylor left multiple runners in scoring position, including the bases loaded in the fourth. Meanwhile, William Carey’s offense cooled during the middle innings.
Booth reignited the Crusaders’ offense in the fifth with a solo home run to center field, extending the lead to 4-1. Taylor responded in the sixth with a rally, tying the game 4-4 on RBI singles from Rylee Singleton and Luke Sutter, along with a run scored on a wild pitch.
The game remained tied through the seventh and eighth innings, with both teams leaving runners on base. In the ninth, William Carey scored the go-ahead runs. Gage Hinnant led off with a double, and Taylor Walters followed with an RBI single. Jayden Mark then hit a two-run double to center field, extending the lead to 7-4.
In the bottom of the ninth, Taylor threatened, putting runners on first and second, but reliever Jimmie Johnson induced a double play to end the game. Johnson earned the win in relief, allowing one hit and striking out three over 3.2 innings.
William Carey was led offensively by Booth and Mark, each with two RBIs, and Hinnant, who added two hits and scored twice. The Crusaders will face Mid-America Christian on Monday at Harris Field, with first pitch scheduled for 5 p.m.
