A comprehensive look at Southern Conference baseball results and momentum before league play.
The SoCon went 19–8 this weekend, recording two sweeps, four series wins, one split, and one series loss. With those results, conference teams now hold a 110–57 (.659) cumulative non‑conference record.
Below is the updated snapshot of SoCon performance against other conferences.
| 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 | 10–3 |
| MAAC | 13–2 |
| MAC | 5–3 |
| MVC | 12–2 |
| NEC | 14–1 |
| OVC | 12–5 |
| Patriot | 1–0 |
| SEC | 2–13 |
| Sun Belt | 10–4 |
| SWAC | 6–0 |
Series Sweeps
ETSU vs Bradley (Missouri Valley Conference)
Across four games, ETSU overwhelmed Bradley with relentless offense and steady pitching. Bradley, which entered the series with an RPI of 244, struggled to contain the Buccaneers at any point. ETSU took control early and maintained it throughout the series.
Game 1 — ETSU 12, Bradley 2 (7 innings)
ETSU opened the series with a run‑rule victory. Tristan Curless, Jamie Palmese, and Joey Little each hit home runs, while Friday starter Tadan Bell worked five innings, allowing two runs on four hits and striking out five.
Game 2 — ETSU 15, Bradley 2 (7 innings)
The Buccaneers exploded early, scoring three runs in the first inning and extending the lead to 5–0 in the second. By the third inning the score had grown to 8–0.
Axel Melendez delivered a standout performance, finishing 2‑for‑2 with a home run, four RBIs, a stolen base, and three runs scored. Tyler Fetterman went 3‑for‑3 while Henry Ferguson added two RBIs.
Game 3 — ETSU 10, Bradley 3
ETSU broke through with four runs in the third inning before adding five more in the fifth to stretch the lead to 10–0. Luke Matlock’s two‑run home run highlighted the offensive surge.
Game 4 — ETSU 15, Bradley 2 (7 innings)
The finale became another run‑rule victory. RBI singles from Fetterman and Palmese gave ETSU a quick lead before a six‑run second inning pushed the score to 8–0. Gabe Juarez added a fifth‑inning home run to cap the scoring.
UNC Greensboro vs Illinois‑Chicago (Missouri Valley Conference)
In a three-game series hampered by inclement weather, UNC Greensboro completed the Windy City sweep. UIC holds an RPI of 230, but any road sweep remains a noteworthy accomplishment and a confidence boost going forward.
Game 1 — UNC Greensboro 9, UIC 5
Jake Mueller opened the scoring with a first‑inning solo home run. After UIC briefly took the lead, UNCG responded with back‑to‑back three‑run innings.
Tanner Berry’s three‑run homer in the third inning helped break the game open.
Game 2 — UNC Greensboro 6, UIC 5 (10 innings)
Snow fell in downtown Chicago during a tightly contested game. After UNCG erased an early deficit, Brantley Truitt tied the game in the third with an RBI single.
In the tenth inning, Berry delivered again with an RBI hit off the wall. Ayden West closed the game by retiring the side in the bottom half.
Game 3 — UNC Greensboro 8, UIC 2 (6 innings, rain‑shortened)
Originally scheduled as part of a doubleheader, the game was moved to Sunday morning and shortened by heavy rain. Isaac Miles started and pitched four innings, recording three strikeouts and no walks.
Luke Jenkins drove in two runs with a double during a three‑run first inning. The Flames cut it to 3–2 in the bottom of the first with a two‑run homer off Miles. The Spartans responded with two runs in the second. As rain began to fall, the Spartans added two more in the fifth. Jason Budzik added a home run in the sixth to complete the sweep.
Series Winners
Mercer vs Tennessee Tech (Ohio Valley Conference)
This series felt like a conference matchup between two teams battling for standings position late in the season. With Tennessee Tech entering the SoCon next year, their energy and desire to win the series were evident. Tennessee Tech is a fun team and will be an exciting addition to the SoCon next season, but they could not keep pace with Mercer this weekend. Mercer is now off to its best start to a season since 1969.
Game 1 — Mercer 14, Tennessee Tech 11 (11 innings)
This game has a strong case for SoCon Game of the Year alongside Western Carolina at Georgia. I didn’t want it to end—and it almost didn’t, lasting four hours and twenty‑seven minutes. Mercer racked up 20 hits and scored in seven consecutive innings, yet it felt until the final out like Tennessee Tech might still win. The Golden Eagles battled back multiple times and refused to go away.
Tennessee Tech struck first with an RBI double in the opening inning, but Braydon Kersey tied the game in the next frame with a home run. The Golden Eagles answered with four runs in the bottom of the third before Mercer began chipping away. The Bears scored twice in the fifth, then Logan Shepherd and Chris Katz added RBI singles in the sixth. Kersey put Mercer back in front in the seventh when he came home on a wild pitch, and Shepherd extended the lead with his second RBI hit of the night in the eighth.
Tennessee Tech tied the game again in the bottom of the eighth, but Devyn McEachron responded with a three‑run homer that gave Mercer a 10–7 lead. The Golden Eagles rallied yet again, scoring three runs in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings.
In the tenth, Titan Kamaka lined an RBI double off the right‑field fence to put Mercer ahead, but Jorsixt Jimenez answered with a solo homer to tie it once more. The Bears broke through in the eleventh when Dylan LaPointe homered, and Katz followed immediately with a bomb to push Mercer ahead for good. Reid Fagerstrom then retired the side with two strikeouts in the bottom half to secure the win.
Shepherd and Katz each finished 4‑for‑6 at the plate, capping a wild, back‑and‑forth game that felt like it might never end.
Game 2 — Mercer 10, Tennessee Tech 2
Miguel Hugas dominated for eight innings to lead Mercer. After a third‑inning tie, the Bears broke it open with a three‑run rally highlighted by Kamaka’s two‑run double. In the fourth, Jimenez—who was fun to watch all weekend—launched a two‑run homer to cut the lead to 3–2. Mercer’s bats, however, were relentless from there, and the Bears pulled away to cruise to a 10–2 victory.
Game 3 — Tennessee Tech 16, Mercer 10
Mercer jumped out to an early six‑run lead across the first two innings, but Tennessee Tech responded in a big way, erupting for eight runs in the fourth to take control. Half of those runs came on a Jimenez grand slam that swung the momentum. Despite the loss, Mercer still pounded out 12 hits and scored 10 runs, never backing down even after already clinching the series win.
The Citadel vs UT‑Martin (Ohio Valley Conference)
UT Martin entered the weekend with an RPI of 298, so Friday’s opening loss was an unexpected result. Still, baseball often delivers surprises, and the Bulldogs responded well by taking control of the rest of the series.
Game 1 — UT‑Martin 3, The Citadel 2
A tight pitching duel featured strong outings from both starters. Will Holmes struck out eight over six innings while allowing just two earned runs, while UT‑Martin’s Jacob Sitton worked 6.2 innings, striking out six and giving up only one earned run. With the score tied 2–2, UT‑Martin pushed across a run in the bottom of the eighth that proved to be the game‑winner.
Game 2 — The Citadel 22, UT‑Martin 3
The Bulldogs erupted with a fourteen‑run seventh inning. Aryan Patel recorded five hits, Miles Barbrey drove in four runs, and catcher Garrett Fulmer added a home run.
Game 3 — The Citadel 8, UT‑Martin 4
With the score tied 4–4 entering the eighth inning, The Citadel broke through when Barbrey doubled and later scored on a wild pitch. The Bulldogs extended their lead in the ninth. Michael Gibson closed out the game with two perfect innings, striking out four.
Barbrey scored twice, drove in two runs, and stole two bases. Zach Hunt added a home run, while Patel recorded two hits.
Western Carolina vs Morehead State (Ohio Valley Conference)
WCU took 3-of-4 from the Eagles in a glorious, chippy non conference series against a foe who has already beaten #21 Kentucky, yet has yet to play a game in their home park. Game 4 ended with the two teams in a standoff chirping at each other in the infield. It felt a little more serious than the standard chirp fest.
Game 1 — Morehead State 8, Western Carolina 5
It was a strange one from the start. James Fordham surrendered five runs in the first inning, but then settled in and did not allow another Morehead State hit until a leadoff double in the seventh. After the rough opening frame, he retired 16 of the next 18 batters he faced and finished with 10 strikeouts. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pitcher give up a five-spot in the first inning and then dominate the next six while piling up double-digit strikeouts.
In a 5–0 hole after the first inning, the Catamounts barreled up several balls in the early frames, but many were hit right at defenders. Gradually, Western chipped away to cut the deficit to 5–3, but the bullpen couldn’t keep the Eagles off the board late as Morehead State added another run to make it 6–3.
Things unraveled further in the ninth. Errors by Noah Quarless and Wyatt Stanley allowed two more runs to score, pushing the lead back to five. Jaylen Jones delivered a two-run single later in the inning, but it proved to be too little, too late.
Game 2 — Western Carolina 11, Morehead State 0 (7 innings)
The Catamounts blasted five home runs while Carter Burnette delivered seven dominant innings with ten strikeouts. Freshman catcher Carlos Diaz delivered a memorable moment in the bottom of the seventh, blasting his first career home run with one on and two outs. The two-run shot sailed over the left-field fence and ended the game in walk-off, run-rule fashion.
Game 3 — Western Carolina 13, Morehead State 4
Freshman Marshall McGowan produced a breakout performance with three hits, six RBIs, and his first career home run. After this series he is hitting .375 with an OPS of 1.100.
Game 4 — Western Carolina 8, Morehead State 7
Morehead State spotted Western Carolina four early runs, then stormed back with six straight across the middle innings to take the lead. In the end, however, the Catamounts rallied late to claim an 8–7 win in a chippy, back-and-forth series finale.
At this point, Bryant Kimbrell is no longer simply emerging as a high-leverage arm—he has become the high-leverage arm for Western Carolina.
A pivotal moment came in the top of the seventh. With Morehead State leading 6–4, Aubrey Kearns doubled to lead off the inning against Owen Austin. Austin then hit the next batter, putting runners on first and second with no outs. Pitching coach Dusty White quickly turned to Kimbrell with the Eagles’ cleanup hitter and catcher, Caden Sheridan, stepping in.
Sheridan ripped a hard ground ball up the middle that looked destined to be an RBI single, but shortstop Jackson Lyda made a diving stop behind second base. In one motion, he sprang to his feet, stepped on the bag, and fired a strike to first to complete a stunning double play. Kimbrell followed by striking out the next batter, stranding Kearns at third and swinging the momentum back toward the Catamounts.
Western capitalized in the bottom half of the inning. Elijah Smith led off with a single, and Lyda followed with another base hit. Wyatt Stanley and Mason Holton then delivered back-to-back RBI singles to knot the score at 6–6 after seven innings.
Morehead State briefly reclaimed the lead in the eighth when Ian McCubbin launched a two-out solo homer over the center-field fence to make it 7–6.
The Catamounts answered immediately. In the bottom of the eighth, Western tied the game when the equalizing run scored on an error at third. Moments later, Stanley delivered the decisive blow with a single through the right side, giving WCU an 8–7 lead.
Kimbrell handled the rest, closing out the ninth to secure the series victory. The right-hander worked the final three innings, striking out five while allowing just one run on three hits.
Kearns was a constant problem for Western all weekend, going 5-for-5 in the finale and finishing the four-game series 9-for-16. Stanley came through in the clutch for the Catamounts, going 3-for-5 with three RBIs.
Elijah Smith also made a significant impact in his return to the lineup after an oblique injury. He went 3-for-4 and played outstanding defense in right field. His presence lengthens the lineup considerably as Western Carolina inches closer to conference play.
VMI vs Cornell (Ivy League)
Despite Cornell entering the series with a 259 RPI, the matchup proved to be highly competitive throughout. Both teams battled hard in every game, and the series carried a playoff-like intensity. By the time the rubber match arrived in Game 3, it truly felt like it could swing either way.
Game 1 — Cornell 7, VMI 4
Cornell rallied with five unanswered runs across the fourth and fifth innings to secure the win.
Game 2 — VMI 8, Cornell 0
VMI scored in five of eight innings, gradually pulling away from what began as a tight contest with a three-run sixth inning followed by two-run frames in both the seventh and eighth.
Cole Raile set the tone early, leading off the second inning with a home run to left-center to give VMI a 1–0 lead.
On the mound, Clark Driscoll delivered a strong outing, tossing 6.1 scoreless innings while striking out six. Hunter Sipe followed in relief and was equally effective, closing the game with 2.2 scoreless innings and six strikeouts.
Game 3 — VMI 7, Cornell 4
Cornell carried a 3–1 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning before VMI mounted its comeback.
With Owen Price aboard, Grayson Fitzwater launched a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to even the score. The Keydets kept the momentum going later in the inning when Ayden Schnarrs delivered an RBI single to push VMI in front, 4–3.
That lead held until the top of the ninth, when Cornell managed to tie the game and force late drama.
But the bottom half belonged to Bradley Garner. With two runners on, Garner crushed a three-run walk-off home run to lift VMI to a thrilling victory.
Series Split
Wofford vs Princeton (Ivy League)
Wofford split its four-game weekend series against Princeton in a tightly contested set. The series featured plenty of back-and-forth action, and in at least three of the games, the outcome easily could have gone the other way.
Game 1 — Wofford 12, Princeton 1
Kenny Michaels got the start for Wofford and turned in a solid outing, allowing six hits and one run while striking out five across five innings.
The Terriers jumped out to an early lead in the first inning when Andrew Mannelly delivered a two-run single. Princeton answered with a solo home run to left field to cut the deficit to 2–1.
Wofford added to its lead in the third as Cade Collins led off with a single and Niko Brini followed with a double. Logan Tribble drove in a run with an RBI single to left, pushing the advantage to 3–1. Ben Timblin then brought home another run with a groundout to shortstop, scoring Brini and extending the lead to 4–1.
The Terriers kept the pressure on, eventually extending the lead to 12–1.
Hiram Lewis closed out the run-rule victory for the Terriers, striking out three while leaving one runner on base.
Game 2 — Princeton 3, Wofford 0 (7 innings)
Princeton broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fifth inning with a three-run frame. On the mound, Justin Kim delivered a strong performance, limiting Wofford to just three hits over seven innings.
Game 3 — Princeton 6, Wofford 5 (11 innings)
Princeton struck first in the third inning, using a bunt single to take a 1–0 lead. Wofford answered in the fifth when Brady Gold led off the inning with a single. Niko Brini followed with a base hit to center field that drove in the Terriers’ first run of the day, tying the game at 1–1. Wofford capitalized on a pair of Princeton errors later in the inning, scoring three additional runs to take a 4–1 advantage.
The Terriers added another run in the sixth when Brini laid down a bunt single that brought a runner home, extending the lead to 5–1. Princeton responded by taking advantage of Wofford miscues, scoring twice in the seventh and adding two more runs in the ninth to force extra innings with the game tied 5–5.
The Tigers eventually pulled ahead in the top of the 11th with a run to take a 6–5 lead. Princeton then closed out the victory as Wofford stranded two runners on base in the bottom of the inning.
Game 4 — Wofford 5, Princeton 2
The Terriers responded in the finale, scoring four runs in the seventh inning. Champ Davis closed the game with three scoreless innings.
Series Loser
Samford vs Little Rock (Ohio Valley Conference)
Little Rock arrived at Samford with an RPI of 190, and the Bulldogs opened the series with a dramatic walk-off victory on Friday night. Samford was fortunate to take the opener, as Little Rock controlled much of the game before the Bulldogs rallied late.
However, the weekend quickly turned in Little Rock’s favor. Samford’s play declined as the series progressed, culminating in a noncompetitive performance on Sunday as the Bulldogs fell in a seven-inning run-rule loss.
Game 1 — Samford 5, Little Rock 4
Freshman Eddie Marshall delivered a walk-off two-run home run to lift the Bulldogs to a 5–4 victory.
The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Samford broke through to take a 1–0 lead. Little Rock responded in the top of the fifth, scoring three runs to move ahead 3–1.
Samford trimmed the deficit to 3–2 in the sixth inning, but Little Rock extended its advantage to 4–2 in the top of the eighth after scoring on an error. Holding a two-run lead and needing just six outs to secure the win, Little Rock appeared in control. However, the Bulldogs answered in the bottom of the eighth, cutting the margin to 4–3.
In the bottom of the ninth, Luke Boykin led off the inning with a double. With one out, Marshall stepped to the plate and launched a two-run homer to left field, giving Samford the 5–4 walk-off win.
Game 2 — Little Rock 5, Samford 1
After holding the lead for much of Friday night’s game but failing to close it out, Little Rock responded emphatically in Game 2. The Trojans launched back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning and controlled the contest from start to finish.
Mason Blasche, moved out of the Friday night role, allowed five runs and surrendered his team-leading seventh and eighth home runs of the season.
Tag Andrews—one of the great baseball names you’ll hear—tossed three scoreless innings to close out the victory for Little Rock.
Game 3 — Little Rock 12, Samford 2 (7 innings)
Little Rock rolled to a convincing run-rule victory in Sunday’s finale, defeating the Bulldogs 12–2 in seven innings to secure the series win.
The Trojans jumped on Samford early, scoring three runs in the first inning, adding three more in the second, and tacking on two in the third to build an 8–0 lead. The Bulldogs briefly showed signs of life by cutting the deficit to 8–2 in the fourth, but Little Rock quickly answered with a four-run sixth inning to stretch the margin to 10 runs and seal the run-rule victory.
Ranking the SoCon Weekend Performances
- ETSU
- UNC Greensboro
- Western Carolina
- Mercer
- The Citadel
- VMI
- Wofford
- Samford
ETSU delivered the most dominant performance with a four‑game sweep, while Western Carolina secured the most impressive series win by defeating a strong Morehead State team three times. Samford’s series loss placed the Bulldogs at the bottom of the weekend rankings.
Samford was the only SoCon team to finish the weekend with a losing record. With the rest of the conference building momentum heading into league play, the Bulldogs risk falling behind quickly. If they do not turn things around immediately, Samford could find itself buried in the standings by the third conference weekend.
The Point After
The Southern Conference continues to build a strong collective résumé in non‑conference play, and the 110–57 overall record reflects the league’s depth and consistency.
