Harvester Bees Begin World Series Saturday as No. 1 Seed

Dallas College Eastfield's baseball team earned the No. 1 seed in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III Tournament Saturday through Thursday at TVA Credit Union Ballpark.

The Harvester Bees (44-13) will play Oakton Community College (26-27) in the opening round 3 p.m. CT Saturday. The winner advances to play the Brookdale (N.J.) Community College-Alexandria Technical & Community College at 6:15 p.m. Sunday. The eight-team double-elimination tournament championship round is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 27, with an if-necessary title game the next night.

Eastfield earned the No. 1 seed by assuming the No. 1 spot in the national poll April 6, and holding on to it throughout the remainder of the season. The Harvester Bees on the Dallas Athletic Conference and NJCAA Division III South Central District titles.

The Bees last advanced to the World Series in 2024 when they finished as the national runner-up for a third straight year to Rowan College South Jersey-Gloucester. Eastfield won national titles in 2001, 2006 and 2011 – the last two under outgoing 25-year head coach Michael Martin. Martin, who will be inducted into the NJCAA Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame ahead of the World Series, is stepping into an administrative role at Dallas College following the conclusion of the season.

Eastfield's Sebastian Palma leads the country in home runs (26) and runs batted in (94). He is batting .436 on a team that leads the nation in home runs (84). Luke Sasser is hitting .377 with 14 doubles and 31 stolen bases. Sergio Gastelum has a .359 batting average with 17 doubles, 13 RBI and 64 RBI. Erik Aguirre is hitting .353 with 14 doubles, 10 home runs and 61 RBI. Ten regulars in the Bees' lineup are hitting over .300.

Harvesters pitcher Benjamin Sheppard is 9-1 with one save and a 3.07 earned run average in 11 starts. His nine wins are tied for second in the country. Cooper Sexton, Ian Roberts and Traelyn James each 5-1. Turner Corey is 4-0 with six saves, which ranks second nationally.

Oakton is coming off a Great Lakes District title, winning a three-game series with Terra State Community College 2-1. The Owls are hitting .304 as a team with 58 homers. Daniel Dellaria is batting .393. Giovanni Long is hitting .367 with 16 home runs and 12 doubles. Parker Reinke owns a .321 average with 14 homers and 16 doubles.

Owls pitcher Owen Jenkins is 7-1 with a 5.95 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 59 innings. Sam Gaffney is 3-3 with a 2.78 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 55 innings.

The tournament will air on the NJCAA Network, and Live Stats are available.