Back-to-Back, Tampa sets DII National Championship Record with Historic Season

Some things just start to feel like destiny, and for the University of Tampa Spartans, winning baseball championships is one of them. For the second year in a row, they're bringing home the NCAA Division II national title. This isn't just another win; it's a statement. It's their tenth national championship, a record that puts them in a class all by themselves as the most titles in DII Baseball History.

And this title wasn't just handed to them—they earned it in the most thrilling way possible. The journey to the top was a rollercoaster, highlighted by a breathtaking, last-gasp comeback in the semifinals and a battle of two wins in the best-of-3 championship. With their backs against the wall, they simply refused to lose. That’s not just skill; that's heart. That’s family. That grit carried them all the way to the final victory, cementing their place in college baseball history.

With this tenth championship, the Spartans have built a legacy that’s second to none. Get ready, Tampa. Your team is coming home—not just as champions, but as living legends. The celebration is going to be one for the ages.

“FAMILY”, shouted Head Coach Joe Urso after winning the National Championship. A family that refused to give up on each other on their path to the National Championship. Think back to the regionals, the Spartans were down 8-1 to Mississippi College in the 5th inning and 8-6 in the bottom of the ninth, just a few outs away from elimination. A Brayden Woodburn home run then a Cole Russo single tied the game. J.D. Urso's walk-off single in extras kept the season alive for the Spartans.

A rather dominant Super Regionals against West Florida sent Tampa back to Cary to defend their title. In Cary, Tampa showed their dominance by blowing out Felician 20-3, in which the Spartans clobbered five home runs in that game (most by a single team in Cary in DII World Series History). After that game, the Spartans hit a bit of a road bump, as defensive miscues cost them a game against Northwest Nazarene, losing 5-3. 

That left Tampa in a tough spot, one that they have been in a position before. Win or go home. They were neck and neck in their first elimination game with UT Tyler, until a seven-run seventh gave them the late lead and win.

The Spartans rematched to face the team that beat them, Northwest Nazarene. The catch was they needed to beat them twice. In the first game, Tampa was behind the eight ball early, giving up three runs in the first and trailed 4-1 after two. However, the Spartan offense got active with a four-run fourth and a four-run sixth, ultimately winning that game 13-5 and had hit four team home runs. 

Prior to this season, since 2010, teams that were previously unbeaten in the if-necessary game were 11-2, so the odds were already not in Tampa’s favor. Plus, due to weather, if Tampa won that game, they would have to play a second game against Central Missouri to begin the best-of-three championship series. The odds were extremely NOT in Tampa’s favor being down 5-1 in the 9th inning. In fact, NNU had a 98.6% win probability going into that final frame. The challenge was set for Tampa, and here’s how it went down:

Kevin Karstetter hit one of the biggest home runs of his life, a three-run blast to left center to tie the game at five.

Three batters later, an errant pick off throw sent Tampa back to the Championship Finals, a place that they were there before with a much different team.

That brings us to the first ever best-of-three championship series between top seeded Tampa and 2nd seeded Central Missouri. It MORE than lived up to the billing with three incredibly contested and exciting baseball games.

Game 1 of the best-of-3 started with the Spartans scoring 3 runs in the bottom of the first. Central Missouri responded with two runs in the 4th only to be immediately erased with a 2-run Nico Saladino single to make it 5-2 in the 4th. Another run by an Edgardo Villegas single made it 6-2 in the 6th and Tampa started to pull away, or so it seemed. 

Central Missouri kept themselves in the game with two runs in the 7th to make it 6-4. Then comes the 8th inning, two outs, one runner on, it seemed the Spartans were going to get out the inning. A single and a walk followed to load the bases, in which then Central Missouri’s Dayvin Johnson cleared the bases with an opposite field grand slam to put Central Missouri up two in the 8th.

The Mules added a run in the 9th via a fielder’s choice and Tampa now trailed by three. They did not go down without a fight. A leadoff home run by Edgardo Villegas made it 9-7. Kevin Karstetter and Cole Russo followed with a hit each and the tying run was on base. Tampa goes to a pinch runner for Russo. Jhoander Irigoyen in the next AB hits a fly ball deep enough to make it 9-8, but a baserunning blunder cost them two outs on the play, and the Spartans would ultimately fall in that game by one run.

A familiar place once again, not in terms of making the national championship game but in terms of needing to win to stay alive. Something that Tampa was all too familiar, starting in the regionals, continuing in the World Series, then finally in the championship game. With the format of the tournament, the Spartans needed to win two games on Saturday and four games in two days to claim the title.

The first inning of Game Two of the best-of-3 went about as disastrous as you can think of for Tampa. Central Missouri loaded the bases and cleared them on a flyball double that was misplayed by Maddox King. Tampa went quietly for four innings before a Nico Saladino double put the Spartans on the board, trailing 4-1 after five innings. The very next inning, Nico Saladino gets another opportunity with runners on base, this time the bases loaded. He delivered a big 3-run double to tie the game at four.

Once again, Saladino came up and delivered a go-ahead single in the 8th to give Tampa it’s first lead of the game. A dropped pop fly in that inning gave Tampa an 8-4 lead.

However, Central Missouri battled back with six straight hits to begin the 8th, ultimately tying the game. Give credit to Central Missouri for fighting back. Speaking of fighting, after the fourth batter of the inning reached, Joe Urso went to All-American starter CJ Williams, a senior in his final day of baseball. What was so interesting about that is that in the semifinal game the day before, Williams threw 106 pitches and here he was trying to save Tampa’s season the next day.

Williams gave up two hits which tied the game, but was able to retire the next three hitters to keep the game tied, which was enough to give Tampa an opportunity to take the lead in the 9th and win this game.

Another Nico Saladino hit gave Tampa the 9-8 lead in the 9th, giving him six RBI in the game and his third game-tying or go-ahead hit of the game. The Spartans scored its 10th run on something you just don’t see everyday. J.D. Urso hit a ball to the warning track in center field and speedster Jordan Williams tagged up from SECOND BASE and SCORED.

Going to the bottom of the ninth, Central Missouri yet again battled. Two errors and a walk loaded the bases for Isaiah Keller, who tied the game in the 8th with a single. Tampa went to left hander Ryan Stefiuk and he delivered, with a key strikeout to force a Game Three.

The final game of the DII Baseball season, Tampa forced it and battled back from the loser’s bracket to make it here and have the opportunity to play for a national title. This time, Tampa struck first with three runs in the 2nd inning, starting off with a 113 mph Edgardo Villegas home run (the hardest hit HR of the entire World Series) and RBI hits from Mike Valdez and Jordan Williams. 

The Spartans, however should feel nervous, since the first two games, the team that scored first actually lost the game. It sure didn’t get any easier that after a rain delay of over an hour, Central Missouri scored one run in the 4th to make it a 3-1 game. This game, just like the other two was going to be a battle. 

Tampa added a run in the 5th with a bases loaded walk and a run in the 6th via a Nico Saladino single to make it 5-1. Tampa starter Eli Thurmond stepped up, making his first start in two years and allowed 0 earned runs in 4 ⅓ innings.

Fast forward to the 8th inning, the Spartans led by four…then led by just one after the Top of the 8th. Central Missouri OF Vance Tobol led off that inning with a home run. Isaiah Keller with two outs homered to make it 5-4, Tampa clinging to a one-run lead.

The Spartans knew a one-run lead would not be enough, but were faced with a runner on and two outs. J.D. Urso worked a crucial two out walk that would immediately pay off as next batter Brayden Woodburn doubled in two to make it a 7-4 ballgame. 

Another walk and a hit by pitch set up the bases loaded for Cole Russo, who just a few days prior fouled a ball just above his left eye. The fact that he’s even playing is incredible. More incredibly, he stepped up and delivered one of the biggest hits of his life, a grand slam to give the Spartans an 11-4 lead going to the 9th.

Enter CJ Williams, in his final game of his baseball career, asking for the ball after 106 pitches on Friday and 22 pitches in the first game Saturday.

A run goes by for the Mules, but three outs later and the Tampa Spartans repeat as National Champions and set the record for most National Championships in DII Baseball History with ten.

The Spartans went back-to-back for the first time since they also did it in 2006 and 2007. The time before that was, you guessed it, the Tampa Spartans in 1992 and 1993, in which Joe Urso was a player in the 1992 season.

What an incredible run for Tampa. Congratulations to the team, Head Coach Joe Urso, who finally got a championship with his son J.D., and the entire Tampa Spartans Family. Tampa will look to become the first program in DII History to complete a three-peat in 2026.