A strong 7–2 week highlights the Southern Conference’s non‑conference momentum
SoCon baseball delivered one of its strongest midweek stretches of the season, producing a 7–2 midweek record, with every active program securing a victory. The standout performances came from The Citadel, Western Carolina, and Mercer, each producing convincing wins against non-conference rivals.
The SoCon now holds a 91–49 (.650) record in non‑conference play.
SoCon Non‑Conference Performance Snapshot
| Conference | Record |
|---|---|
| AAC | 1–2 |
| ACC | 0–10 |
| AEC | 1–0 |
| ASun | 1–0 |
| A‑10 | 6–2 |
| Big South | 1–4 |
| Big Ten | 0–1 |
| CAC | 4–0 |
| C‑USA | 1–5 |
| Ivy | 6–0 |
| MAAC | 13–2 |
| MAC | 5–3 |
| MVC | 5–2 |
| NEC | 14–1 |
| OVC | 4–0 |
| Patriot | 1–0 |
| SEC | 2–13 |
| Sun Belt | 10–4 |
| SWAC | 6–0 |
Winners
Mercer — at Georgia State (Sun Belt), W 16–6
Mercer delivered one of the most convincing victories of the week, overpowering Georgia State with a relentless offensive performance. The Bears produced a season‑high 17 hits, seemingly scoring at will throughout the game. Their .342 batting average now ranks 9th in all of D1.
Brant Baughcum highlighted the offensive surge with a three‑run home run, while Michael Graziano and Braydon Kersey also connected for home runs. Mercer’s lineup controlled the game from start to finish, turning the matchup into one of the most decisive wins of the midweek slate.
The Bears now turn their attention to an intriguing weekend series against future SoCon member Tennessee Tech.
Western Carolina — vs Appalachian State (Sun Belt), W 13–3
Western Carolina responded emphatically after a difficult weekend in Charlotte, defeating Appalachian State with a focused and energetic performance. The Catamounts established early momentum by taking a 1–0 lead in the second inning and never allowed the Mountaineers to recover.
Brody Raleigh continued his recent surge with his second home run in as many games, a fourth-inning solo shot that extended the lead to 2–0. Walker Fox delivered the biggest swing of the night with a three-run home run in the sixth inning, pushing the score to 9–1 and effectively putting the game out of reach. Without question, Fox has been one of the most impactful newcomers in the SoCon.
On the mound, Bryant Kimbrell provided a steady outing, striking out four batters while allowing just two hits across 3.2 scoreless innings. He could get stretched out and emerge as the regular midweek starter after this impressive performance. Western Carolina also showed a killer instinct late, adding four runs in the ninth inning despite already holding a comfortable lead. The Catamounts return home this weekend to host Morehead State for a four-game series.
The Citadel — vs South Carolina (SEC), W 8–3
The most notable midweek win belonged to The Citadel, which dominated South Carolina 8–3 to snap a six‑game losing streak against the Gamecocks. The Bulldogs combined effective pitching with disciplined situational hitting to secure one of the conference’s best wins of the season.
Five Citadel pitchers—Jacob Deacon, Andrew Buffkin, Trip Brown, Ben Brash, and Michael Gibson—combined to allow just four hits, limiting South Carolina’s offensive opportunities throughout the game.
T.J. Anderson sparked the offense with a two‑run home run, while two‑sport throwback athlete Rhyder Poppell added a solo blast. The Bulldogs also executed small‑ball effectively in the fourth inning, manufacturing two runs through a sequence that included a walk, a hit batter, a double steal, an RBI groundout, and a sacrifice bunt.
South Carolina committed four errors and walked nine batters. Once the darling of SEC baseball, the Gamecocks have dropped games to Northern Kentucky, Army, and Queens this season. Baseball coach Paul Mainieri is on the hottest of hot seats.
The Citadel showed killer instinct and sealed the victory with three insurance runs in the eighth inning, highlighted by RBI hits from Phillips Daniels and Matthew Lively. Considering that the Bulldogs have faced the sixth‑toughest schedule in Division I, the result stands as a major confidence boost heading into their weekend series at UT Martin.
Samford — vs Alabama A&M (SWAC), W 6–4
Samford secured a 6–4 victory over Alabama A&M, though the narrow margin against a 306 RPI opponent left the overall impression somewhat mixed.
The Bulldogs did receive solid production from several hitters. Jake Souders went 3‑for‑4 with an RBI, while Parker McDonald, Cade Carr, and Eddie Marshall each hit home runs to power the offense.
Despite flashes of offense, Samford was unable to create significant separation from its opponent. The Bulldogs will attempt to build stronger momentum when they host Little Rock for a three‑game weekend series.
VMI — at Norfolk State (NEC), W 15–10
VMI secured a 15–10 victory over Norfolk State in one of the highest‑scoring games of the midweek slate. The Keydets’ offense generated runs throughout the game, highlighted by Cole Raile’s grand slam.
Although the offense performed at a high level, Norfolk State remained competitive thanks to several scoring rallies. Hunter Sipe delivered the most effective outing on the mound, throwing 3.1 scoreless innings while allowing just one hit, helping stabilize the game for VMI.
The win demonstrated VMI’s offensive potential, even as the pitching staff looks to tighten execution moving forward. The Keydets return home this weekend for a three‑game series against Cornell.
Splits
Wofford — at USC Upstate (Big South), L 5–2; vs College of Charleston (CAA), W 13–9
Tuesday — at USC Upstate (L 5–2)
Wofford opened its midweek slate with a 5–2 road loss to USC Upstate on Tuesday. The Terriers kept things close early, but the Spartans pulled away with a three-run fifth inning that proved decisive. Wofford was unable to generate enough offense down the stretch as Upstate held on for the victory.
Wednesday — vs College of Charleston (W 13–9)
You definitely get your money’s worth at a Wofford game. The Terriers bounced back Wednesday with a 13–9 win over College of Charleston in a crazy high-scoring contest. Wofford jumped out to a 7–0 lead after two innings, but all season, the Terriers haven’t been able to hold a lead to save their lives, and the Cougars rallied to tie the game at 9–9 in the sixth. The Terriers regained control in the seventh when Tommy Kirwan delivered a two-run single, followed by RBI doubles from Cade Collins and Logan Tribble that capped a four-run inning and secured the victory.
UNC Greensboro — vs Liberty (C‑USA), L 12–10; at NC A&T (CAA), W 9–7
Tuesday — vs Liberty (L 12–10)
This was actually a great game, as the Spartans rallied from an 11-4 deficit but still fell 12–10 to Liberty on Tuesday. Luke Holland led the Spartans’ comeback by launching a two-run home run in the eighth to cut into the deficit, and UNCG loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth. Brody Gardner added a sacrifice fly, but Liberty reliever Tyler August closed the door to preserve the win.
Wednesday — at NC A&T (W 9–7)
The Spartans responded with a 9–7 win over NC A&T on Wednesday. The game was tied 6–6 entering the ninth before freshman catcher Tanner Berry delivered a bases-clearing double that broke it open. Ethan Nobles then struck out the final two hitters to seal the victory and give UNC Greensboro a midweek split.
Idle
ETSU — Idle
ETSU did not play during the midweek portion of the schedule. The Buccaneers will return to action this weekend with a four‑game series against Missouri Valley Conference opponent Bradley, including a Saturday doubleheader.
Ranking the SoCon Midweek Performances
- The Citadel
- Western Carolina
- Mercer
- VMI
- Samford
- Wofford
- UNC Greensboro
- ETSU (idle)
The Point After
The Citadel’s victory over South Carolina stood out as the defining result of the week. With the Southern Conference now holding a 91–49 non‑conference record, the league continues to position itself as one of the strongest mid‑major conferences in Division I baseball as teams prepare for the upcoming conference schedule.
