LSU Shreveport has etched its name into the history books by becoming the first college baseball team ever to complete a season unbeaten. The Pilots finished a remarkable 59-0 campaign by capturing the NAIA championship with a 13-7 win over Southeastern (Florida) in Lewiston, Idaho. This triumph also marked the university’s first national title in any sport.
The 10,000-student school in northwest Louisiana has been a consistent contender in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) for over two decades. However, this season stood out as the culmination of years of excellence, with the Pilots dominating on all fronts offense, pitching, and defense.
For the past 25 years, LSU Shreveport has been a fixture in NAIA postseason play, regularly competing at a high level. The program has participated in every NAIA national tournament since 2005 and made three appearances in the NAIA World Series in 2021, 2022, and now in 2025. Under head coach Brad Neffendorf, now in his sixth season, the team has amassed an impressive 270-49 overall record, including a staggering 142-13 mark in Red River Athletic Conference games.
What made this season especially remarkable was the Pilots’ sheer dominance across the board. They were rarely challenged, with only four of their 59 games decided by a single run. Offensively, they ranked second in the NAIA with an average of 11.3 runs per game and were third in batting average at .361. Their lineup featured three players hitting above .400, led by Josh Gibson’s standout .436 average.
On the mound, LSU Shreveport set itself apart from the competition with a pitching staff that boasted a team ERA of just 2.38 more than a full run better than any other program in the NAIA. Star pitcher Isaac Rohde played a major role in that success, leading the nation with 146 strikeouts and a 16-0 record while maintaining a 2.09 ERA.
Defensively, the Pilots were just as impressive, finishing with a .982 fielding percentage the best in the nation. That balance across all phases of the game was key to their perfect run and ultimate title.
In achieving the 59-0 season, LSU Shreveport broke the previous NAIA record for winning percentage, which was .935, set in 1996 by Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) with a 43-3 record. The Pilots’ flawless season now sets the new gold standard for NAIA programs.
By comparison, the best single-season winning percentages in NCAA history fall short of LSU Shreveport’s mark. Arizona State’s 64-6 record in 1972 (.914) leads Division I, Savannah State’s 46-3 season in 2000 (.939) tops Division II, and Trinity College of Connecticut posted a .978 mark with a 45-1 record in 2008 in Division III. None of those teams, however, managed to go undefeated.
LSU Shreveport’s accomplishment is not only unprecedented but also a testament to the consistency, depth, and determination of a program that has long been a powerhouse within the NAIA. The 2025 season will be remembered as a historic benchmark, one that may not be matched for years if ever.
