The 2026 college season will be here before you know it as the majority of our NCAA D2 squads will begin their seasons the last weekend of January.

In the past, we have looked ahead to the season with season previews, but this year we are changing it up a bit with a fall report that will also provide a look to the season ahead.

SSBR recently sent out questionnaires to each head coach of the small college (NCAA D2, NAIA, NCCAA) and JUCO schools in the state. We asked them to provide who their top returners, top newcomers, and top performers were in the fall. We’ve compiled that information into the fall report with an outlook for the upcoming 2026 season.

Today’s team: Southwestern Christian Eagles

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Level: NAIA

Conference: Sooner Athletic Conference

2025 Overall Record: 35-19

2025 GAC Record: 17-10 (4th)

Head Coach: Joe Blackwell

Head Coaching Experience: 11 seasons (all at SCU)

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Top Returning Players

• Elian Cuevas, RHP (Sr): All SAC 1st Team in 2025; 82 IP, 3.40 ERA, 134 K in 2025
• Frangely Morel, RHP (Sr): Rotation arm; 67.2 IP, 5.05 ERA, 80 K in 2025
• Mozart Duarte, LHP (Sr): Rotation arm: 37.2 IP, 6.93 ERA, 58 K in 2025
• Jacob Hogan, LHP (Sr): Led SCU in appearances in 2025 with 17; 29.1 IP, 5.83 ERA
• Dario Paredes, INF (Sr): All SAC Team in 2025; .371 AVG, 30 XBH, 66 RBI in 2025
• Braden Browning, OF (Sr): Gold Glove level defender; 1.000 Fielding Pct in 2025
• Braden Tucker, RHP (So): In program for multiple years will see role expand in 2026
• Kash Van Brunt, INF (JR): In program for multiple years will see role expand in 2026

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Top Newcomers

• Rolfy DePaula, RHP (Connors State): Rotation level arm who will see significant innings
• Anderson Paredes, RHP (Cenapec HS, Dominican Republic): Will add stability in bullpen
• Royce Florenzano, 1B/OF (Carl Albert State College)
• Dominic Ornelas, C (Carl Albert State College)
• Nate Anderson, OF (Redlands CC): NJCAA Region 2 Gold Glove winner
• Bryan Melo, INF (NEO): 2x NJCAA Defensive Player of the Week
• Aidan O’Malley, OF (Umpqua CC): Began collegiate career at ORU

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Top Performers in Fall

• Elian Cuevas: Continued success from Spring 2025
• Rolfy DePaula: Led team in IP in Fall and competing for rotation spot
• Mozart Duarte: Best Fall while at SCU; Expect him to take step forward in 2026
• Anderson Paredes: Led team in ERA in Fall; Significant IP in 2026
• Dario Paredes: Middle of the order bat providing stability and leadership
• Royce Florenzano: Middle of the order bat with speed; Led team in AVG in Fall
• Aidan O’Malley: Has opportunity to bring slug to the team; Led team in stolen bases in Fall

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Outlook

Southwestern Christian saw a big leap in their program in 2025. After spending previous years in the bottom half of the SAC standings, the Eagles finished 4th in the regular season only 1 game behind 3rd place USAO.

Head coach, Joe Blackwell, has a lot of pitching returning in 2026 that should provide the backbone for this team in 2026. It includes Elian Cuevas who as an All SAC performer in 2025. Frangely Morel has been known to throw dominant starts and Mozart Duarte has been in the program for 3 seasons and had his best Fall this year.

They should also have plenty of depth with others joining program in Rolfy DePaula and Anderson Paredes.

The offense will be led by 3 year starter Dario Paredes. Paredes has batted .373 with a SLG of .635 in his 3 seasons at SCU. He’s batted in 170 runs while stacking 27 home runs and 45 doubles in that time.

Carl Albert State College transfer, Royce Florenzano, will be a nice addition to the Eagles’ lineup. A top performer in Poteau last year, Florenzano led the Eagles in batting average thi Fall and has pop to his bat.

NCCAA World Series participants every year since 2106 including a runner up finish in 2023 and a national championship in 2024, the Eagles are looking to make the next step and contend in the SAC and qualify for the NAIA National Tournament. If they get pitching they expect to have and the lineup comes together, Southwestern Christian just may do that.

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