NORMAL, Ill.—May 16, 2026—The Parkland College baseball team is headed to the NJCAA Division II World Series after splitting a pair of high-stakes games against Heartland Community College in the NJCAA Central District Championship Finals on Saturday.

After falling to Heartland 5-19 in the opening game, the Cobras responded in emphatic fashion with a 21-8 victory in the winner-take-all finale to claim the Central District Championship and secure a berth in the NJCAA DII World Series.

In the opening game of the day, Heartland jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, handing Parkland the loss. The Hawks collected 18 hits and scored in seven different innings.

Despite the loss, the Cobras continued to battle offensively. Max Michalak and Cal Hanson each recorded 2 hits, while Ryan Kondrad drove 2 runs. Matt Knapcyzk and Kael Karczewski also added RBIs in the defeat.

Parkland quickly turned the page in the decisive second game.

The Cobras exploded offensively in the championship clincher, piling up 21 runs on 22 hits to overwhelm Heartland and secure the district title. Parkland broke the game open with a massive 14-run seventh inning, turning a close contest into a celebration.

Jayden Patel delivered a monster performance, going 3-for-7 with 6 RBIs and 2 doubles. Matthew Carrano finished with 4 runs scored, 3 hits, and 3 RBIs, while Matt Knapcyzk added 3 hits and 3 RBIs of his own. Cody DelFavero contributed 3 RBIs, and Cal Hanson and Kael Karczewski each scored 3 runs.

The Cobras launched 3 home runs in the win, including blasts from Carrano, Patel, and Knapcyzk.

On the mound, Alec Bergman earned the win in relief, while Tyler Tylka provided 3.1 scoreless innings to stabilize the game after Heartland scored 3 runs in the second inning.

With the victory, Parkland captures the NJCAA Central District Championship and advances to the NJCAA Division II World Series in Enid, Oklahoma, beginning May 23.