SoCon

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SoCon Baseball Tournament '26 (tOWwQsXkzDU)

SoCon BSB Championship: Game 12 - ETSU vs Samford - Highlights

Box Score

Greenville, SC

Samford Bulldogs

Samford Bulldogs Baseball team

ETSU Buccaneers

ETSU Buccaneers Baseball team

2025-05-25 12:00 AM (EDT) | Baseball | Samford Bulldogs vs. ETSU Buccaneers | #6385348 | COMPLETE

SoCon BSB Championship: Game 12 - ETSU vs Samford - Highlights (32cBIHLR34c)

<div class="payload-richtext">GREENVILLE, SC – The Citadel used a strong pitching performance from ace Will Holmes and some early offense to beat Samford Saturday night, 3-1, for its ninth SoCon Baseball Championship win and the conference’s automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Baseball Championship. The Citadel (35-24) remained one of the hottest teams in the country, winning its eighth in a row and 10th in the last 11 games. The Bulldogs drew early energy from a large, loud partisan Bulldog crowd to plate a pair of runs in the top of the first on timely RBI singles from Christian Stratis and Zach Hunt. TJ Anderson drew a two-out walk and Michael Gibson was plunked to fuel the rally, with Stratis driving home Anderson with a poke through the left side and Hunt scoring Gibson on a hit up the middle. Samford (31-25) got a run back in the bottom of the sixth after Parker McDonald led off with a walk and moved around to third on a wild pitch and a ground ball. Pierce Dutton drove home the run with a ground ball before Holmes worked out of the jam. The Citadel got back-to-back doubles from Zach Hunt and Sam Dansky in the eighth to go up 3-1, but Samford would threaten in the bottom half. Pierce Dutton singled to second base with two outs and Jeffrey Ince reached on a dropped third strike that got to the backstop. Cade Carr hit a ball to third base that proved to be a touch chance, but Dansky’s dive at the bag forced out Dutton at third to end the threat. Tournament Most Outstanding Player Michael Gibson took the mound again in the ninth for his second inning of work and got a nice fielding play in right by Jayden Williams on a 105-mph line drive off the bat of All-SoCon outfielder Jake Sounders for the first out of the frame. After a groundout, Gibson fanned the final batter of the game for his third save of the tournament and the win. The Citadel finished with 11 hits and had 77 knocks over their five tournament games, just 13 shy of the record set by UNC Greensboro in 2022. Williams led the way with three hits (3-for-5), with Stratis (2-for-3), and Hunt (2-for-4) also collecting multiple hits. Gibson (1-for-4, run) finished the tournament with 14 hits, just two shy of the record set by Kennedy Jones (UNCG) in 2022. Holmes (7-4) picked up the win, pitching 7.0 strong innings with only one run allowed. He gave up only two singles, walked just one and struck out 10 batters. Andrew Buffkin came on for two outs, and Gibson fanned two in 1.1 innings of relief. Samford got hits from Ince (1-for-4), Carr (1-for-4), Eddie Marshall (1-for-3), and Dutton (1-for-2). The Citadel won its first tournament title since 2010 and will learn its next postseason destination on Monday at Noon when the NCAA releases its championship bracket. 2026 SoCon Baseball All-Tournament TeamSP – Will Holmes, The CitadelSP – Garrett Lambert, Mercer (tie)SP – Mason Blasche, Samford (tie)RP – Cannon Lee, UNC GreensboroC – Phillips Daniels, The Citadel1B – Zach Hunt, The Citadel2B – Jeffrey Ince, SamfordSS – Lane Tobin, The Citadel (tie)SS – Gus Gandy, Samford (tie)3B – Brant Baughcum, MercerOF – Chris Katz, MercerOF – Luke Boykin, SamfordOF – Christian Stratis, The CitadelDH – Michael Gibson, The Citadel 2026 Walt Nadzak Most Outstanding Player: Michael Gibson, The Citadel (DH / RP) 2026 SoCon Baseball Championship ResultsPresented by Holston Gases Wednesday, May 20Game 1: #5 The Citadel 21, #8 VMI 11 (8 innings) Game 2: #7 UNCG 6, #6 ETSU 5Game 3: #5 The Citadel 13, #4 Wofford 7Game 4: #3 Samford 13, #7 UNCG 1 Thursday, May 21Game 5: #5 The Citadel 9, #1 Mercer 2Game 6: #3 Samford 9, #2 Western Carolina 5Game 7: #1 Mercer 9, #4 Wofford 8Game 8: #2 Western Carolina 4, #7 UNC Greensboro 3 Friday, May 22Game 9: #5 The Citadel 14, #1 Mercer 4Game 10: #3 Samford 5, #2 Western Carolina 1 Saturday, May 23Game 11: #5 The Citadel 3, #3 Samford 1</div>

2026-05-23 | Baseball | The Citadel Bulldogs vs Samford Bulldogs | #6581972 | COMPLETE

The.Citadel.2026

The Southern Conference

The Citadel

Citadel

Samford University

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VMI Baseball

Just stretching🎨

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Mercer Baseball

Mercer

Nobody deserves it more.

Big Diesel is an All-American 🇺🇸🐐

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ETSU Baseball

East Tennessee State University

Less than one week away! 🚨

There are still spots remaining for our June Prospect Camp, but space is limited. Come compete, get seen, and take the next step in your baseball journey.

See you at Thomas Stadium on June 15.

Signup here:
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Some of the best in the Southeast.

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The comeback kid.

@_garrettlambert becomes the 10th All-American in the @CraigGibson_MU era.

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They grow up so fast 🥹🧡

@Collin_Pricee and @colby_thomas2 representing Mercer in the bigs. 

📸 : @astros 

#MLBears | #GoodToGreat | #WinnersWin https://t.co/c1GkAJM3Dg

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He's right where he belongs.

@Collin_Pricee got the call from Space City.

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🚨 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT 🚨

Headlined by his 426-foot blast that sparked the A's comeback win at Wrigley last night, @colby_thomas2 has been making the most of his opportunity with the @Athletics this season.

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There are still spots remaining on our Bucs Baseball Summer Youth Camps! 👀

Session 1 has been a blast. 💥 Don’t miss your chance to have some fun in the sun ☀️ ⚾️ with the Bucs Coaches!

Session 2 starts Monday. Register today!

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The kid does it all.

@BraydonKersey is a finalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year award.

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The Citadel Trophy Raise 2026

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Southern Conference

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<div class="payload-richtext">GREENVILLE, SC – The Citadel continued its red-hot run at Fluor Field, beating top-seed Mercer 14-4, Friday morning, and Samford used a pair of late home runs to win a 13-inning marathon over Western Carolina and advance to Saturday’s SoCon Baseball Championship Game. The Citadel and Samford will meet for the first time ever in the SoCon Baseball Championship, as two sets of Bulldogs battle for the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championship at 7:00 pm ET on ESPNU. GAME ONE: #5 The Citadel 14, #1 Mercer 4 (7 innings)The Citadel scored five runs in the third inning and six runs in the seventh to power a 14-4 win over No. 1 seed Mercer and advance to their first SoCon Championship Game appearance since 2013. The Bulldogs have won eight SoCon baseball championships, with the last trophy coming in 2010. The Citadel’s Bryce Coulter went the distance on the mound, scattering 10 hits and four runs for the win. Christian Stratis provided plenty of pop at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a home run and four RBI to lead a 16-hit offensive effort for the ‘Dogs. Lane Tobin (2-for-4), Jayden Williams (2-for-3), Michael Gibson (2-for-4, 4 RBI), Zach Hunt (2-for-5), and Phillips Daniels (2-for-3) also had big days in a balanced attack. The Citadel wasted little time going in front, scoring twice in the top of the first on RBI singles by Gibson and Hunt. Gibson now has 13 hits in the tournament, just three shy of the event record set by Kennedy Jones (UNCG) in 2022. Mercer cut the lead to 2-1 on a sacrifice fly in the second, but Straits roped a two-run single in the third, followed by an RBI knock from Sam Dansky, and another RBI single from Daniels. Williams pushed the lead to 7-1 when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Gibson had the big hit in the seventh, clearing the bases with a double to put the Bulldogs up 12-2. Stratis followed with his fourth RBI of the game, and Zach Hunt plated the final run for The Citadel with a double. Mercer got long home runs from Chris Katz (419 feet) and Michael Graziano (420 feet) in the game, with Katz going 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Brant Baughcum also went 3-for-4 for the Bears, who remain inside the top 30 nationally in the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI). GAME TWO: #3 Samford 5, #2 Western Carolina 1Samford scored four runs in the top of the 13th after a rain delay that lasted nearly three hours (2:57) and held on for a 5-1 win over Western Carolina to advance to face The Citadel for the 2026 SoCon title on Saturday night. The game was halted with a man on second in the top of the 12th with one out. Western Carolina relief ace Mason Snyder retook the mound after the lengthy delay and quickly got a ground ball and strikeout to get the Catamounts back on offense. Western Carolina managed a base runner, but Samford tracked down a deep fly ball to avoid a potential winning run – and got a strikeout to send the game into the 13th. Gabe Gandy drew a leadoff walk, and Jeffrey Ince was plunked with one out to set the stage for high drama. Jackson Harris lined a 1-1 pitch to right that caught a piece of the replica Pesky’s Pole 302-feet away in right field for a 4-1 lead. A replay review upheld the call, and Luke Boykin belted his 20th home run of the season to left center two batters later for what would be the final margin. Zak Spurrier came on for Samford in the bottom of the 13th and recorded a pair of strikeouts to end the game. Samford had 12 hits in the game and Western Carolina had 10, but the teams combined to strand 29 base runners in a low scoring affair.  Boykin led Samford offensively, going 3-for-6 with the solo home run. Trey Higgins had a pair of hits as well. Cameron Murray went 4-for-5 to pace Western Carolina’s offense. The Bulldogs are making their fourth championship game appearance in four seasons, last winning the title in 2023. Samford also won titles in 2012, 2018, and 2021. 2026 SoCon Baseball ChampionshipPresented by Holston Gases Wednesday, May 20Game 1: #5 The Citadel 21, #8 VMI 11 (8 innings) Game 2: #7 UNCG 6, #6 ETSU 5Game 3: #5 The Citadel 13, #4 Wofford 7Game 4: #3 Samford 13, #7 UNCG 1 Thursday, May 21Game 5: #5 The Citadel 9, #1 Mercer 2Game 6: #3 Samford 9, #2 Western Carolina 5Game 7: #1 Mercer 9, #4 Wofford 8Game 8: #2 Western Carolina 4, #7 UNC Greensboro 3 Friday, May 22Game 9: #5 The Citadel 14, #1 Mercer 4Game 10: #3 Samford 5, #2 Western Carolina 1 Saturday, May 23Championship Game, 7:30 pm (ESPNU) </div>

Citadel Game 9

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<div class="payload-richtext">GREENVILLE, SC – The Citadel won its third game in two days, racing past top-seed Mercer, and Samford knocked off Western Carolina to remain undefeated heading into Friday’s semifinals at the 2026 SoCon Baseball Championship, presented by Holston Gases. Mercer bounced back with two home runs to eliminate Wofford and Western Carolina followed suit to eliminate UNC Greensboro in the nightcap. GAME ONE: #5 The Citadel 9, #1 Mercer 2Michael Gibson continued his torrid SoCon Championship performance Thursday morning, going 3-for-5 with three RBI and picking up the save in The Citadel’s 9-2 upset of regular season champion Mercer in the early game. Gibson drove in a run with an RBI double in the third for a 1-0 lead and helped the Citadel out of a jam with two outs in the seventh. Gibson needed only two pitches to end the inning and scored an insurance run on an error by the Bears in the eighth. The Citadel exploded for seven runs in the top of the ninth, getting RBI knocks from Jayden Williams and Gibson to go up 4-0 and taking advantage of another error to forge a 5-0 lead. Zach Hunt roped a two-run home run down the right field to put the game out of reach. Phillips Daniels closed the scoring with a two-run single for a 9-0 lead. Mercer came alive for two runs in the ninth – on solo home runs by Chris Katz and Titan Kamaka – for the final margin. Trip Brown stifled one of the country’s top offenses for the win, pitching 6.0 scoreless frames with seven strikeouts and three walks. CJ VanSlooten worked the first two outs in the seventh, before Gibson came on for his ninth save of the season, scattering four hits and allowing the two late runs in 2.1 innings of relief. The Citadel had 11 hits, giving the Bulldogs 50 hits over three games this tournament. UNC Greensboro set the SoCon Championship record with an eye-popping 90 hits in their 2022 title run. In addition to Gibson’s torrid effort – the Rock Hill native has 11 hits himself through three games – The Citadel got two hits Hunt, TJ Anderson, and Sam Dancy. Mercer collected 10 hits, with Eli Stephens and Brant Baughcum both going 2-for-5 to lead the charge. The Bears stranded 12 runners in the game. The Citadel advanced to Friday’s semifinal game and will play Mercer again at 9:00 am after the Bears’ rally over Wofford. GAME TWO: #3 Samford 9, #2 Western Carolina 5 Samford stayed hot at the plate Thursday, using a steady effort to get past No. 2 seed Western Carolina Thursday afternoon. Jeffrey Ince went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI, Jake Souders went 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored, and two other Bulldogs had a pair of hits in the win. Samford went up 1-0 in the first and never trailed, adding two runs each in the fourth and the sixth for a 5-0 advantage. Western Carolina cut into the lead in the bottom of the sixth, taking advantage of a fielding error, and the two teams traded volleys over the next three innings for the final margin. Western Carolina pulled closer in the late innings, getting a two-run home run from Mason Holton in the seventh and a two-run blast from Noah Quarless in the eighth. Samford used its bullpen heavily after starter Noah Berry exited after only 0.2 innings of work, with John Whitney getting the win after 3.1 scoreless frames. Trent Turner led Western Carolina’s 11-hit offense, going 3-for-5, while Quarless and Holton each had two hits. Samford advanced to Saturday’s semifinals and will face Western Carolina at 12:30 pm. GAME THREE: #1 Mercer 9, #4 Wofford 8Mercer used a pair of late home runs to rally past Wofford Thursday night and stay alive for rematch with The Citadel on Friday morning. Trailing 8-6 in the seventh, Mercer got a leadoff walk from Brant Baughcum but needed some heroics from pinch hitter Kaleb Huffman with two outs in the frame to even the score. The senior from Locust Grove, GA, stepped into the box and pounded a 2-1 fastball high and deep over the fence in right field to tie the game – giving the Bears a heavy momentum swing. Lawson Cole retired Wofford in order in the top of the eighth, setting the stage for the final blow. With one out in the inning, SoCon Player of the Year Chris Katz came through, ripping a ball off the base of the wall in right field and hustling all the way around for an inside-the-park home run and what proved to be the game winner. It was the 22nd home run of the season for Katz. Wofford got a one-out single to right from Lucas Manning in the ninth, but Braydon Kersey the hit and a two-out walk with a strikeout and ground ball to end the game. Mercer had nine hits in the game, led by Katz (2-for-2) and Eli Stephens (2-for-5). Wofford managed 12 hits, with Niko Brini (3-for-5), Cade Collins (2-for-4), Manning (2-for-5), Raul Feliz (2-for-4), and Tanner Hardin (2-for-5) leading the effort. Cole picked up the win with his scoreless inning out of the pen and Kersey picked up his sixth save of the season. Mercer advances to face The Citadel on Friday morning. If the Bears win, the two teams will play again later in the day for the right to play in Saturday night’s championship game. GAME FOUR: #2 Western Carolina 4, #7 UNC Greensboro 3Western Carolina rallied with two runs in the fifth and a big hit in the bottom of the eighth to get past UNC Greensboro in Thursday night’s finale, 4-3. After Jackson Lyda led off the eighth with a walk, the Spartans’ Hunter Shuey recovered with a pop fly, but Catamounts’ standout Trey Turner blistered an RBI double off the Fluor Field Green Monster in left and Lyda sprinted in under the tag after a great relay throw for what proved to be the game winner. UNC Greensboro led 3-1 after four innings, using a two-run blast from Jacob Budzik in the top of the first and a bases loaded walk in the fourth. Wyatt Stanley got the Cats on board with a solo home run in the second. Western Carolina tied the score in the bottom of the fifth after Jaylen Jones hit a solo home run and Cameron Murray scored from second on an error one out later. After Turner’s heroics, which was only the Catamounts’ third hit of the game, Davis Wright marched back to the mound and recorded a strikeout and foul pop up to put the Spartans’ backs against the wall. Wright followed with another strikeout on three pitches to end the game. The southpaw picked up the win, tossing 5.0 scoreless innings of relief with four strikeouts and no walks. He scattered three hits. Stanley, Jones, and Turner had all three of Western Carolina’s hits in the win. Jake Mueller collected a pair of UNC Greensboro’s six hits. Western Carolina advances for a rematch with No. 3 Samford on Friday at 12:30 pm. Should the Catamounts win, the two teams will play again at 7:30 pm for the right to play in Saturday’s championship game. 2026 SoCon Baseball ChampionshipPresented by Holston Gases Wednesday, May 20Game 1: #5 The Citadel 21, #8 VMI 11 (8 innings) Game 2: #7 UNCG 6, #6 ETSU 5Game 3: #5 The Citadel 13, #4 Wofford 7Game 4: #3 Samford 13, #7 UNCG 1 Thursday, May 21Game 5: #5 The Citadel 9, #1 Mercer 2Game 6: #3 Samford 9, #2 Western Carolina 5Game 7: #1 Mercer 9, #4 Wofford 8Game 8: #2 Western Carolina 4, #7 UNC Greensboro 3 Friday, May 22Game 9: #1 Mercer vs. #5 The Citadel, 9:00 AMGame 10: #2 Western Carolina vs. #3 Samford, 12:30 PMGame 11: If Necessary (Game 9), 4:00 PMGame 12: If Necessary (Game 10), 7:30 PM Saturday, May 23Championship Game, 7:30 pm (ESPNU)</div>

Michael Gibson, The Citadel

Wofford

Wofford College

UNC Greensboro

North Carolina Greensboro

Western Carolina

SoCon_Day2.Baseball

<div class="payload-richtext">GREENVILLE, SC – The Citadel picked up a pair of wins Wednesday to advance to Thursday’s second round to face top-seeded Mercer and Samford captured its lone game in a run-heavy day to open the 2026 SoCon Baseball Championship, presented by Holston Gases. GAME ONE: #5 The Citadel 21, #8 VMI 11 (8 innings)The Citadel tied a conference tournament record with 24 hits and Jayden Williams belted a single up the middle to end a 21-11 win over rival VMI in the eighth inning. All-SoCon slugger Michael Gibson tied a tournament batting average record by going 5-for-5, finishing a triple shy of the cycle for the surging Bulldogs. The Citadel scored four in the first and two in the second to go up 6-0 early and led 7-1 after the third. VMI rallied, scoring three runs in the fourth and fifth to tie the game, 7-7, but a five-run burst in the sixth and a seven-run explosion in the eighth ended the game. In addition to Gibson’s big day, the Bulldogs got three hits from TJ Anderson (3-for-5), Sam Dansky (3-for-5), and Phillips Daniels, and two hits apiece from Tobin Lane, Williams, Zach Hunt, Aryan Patel. Dansky, Gibson, and Hunt each left the yard on Wednesday morning. VMI had 12 hits in the game, with four different batters collecting two each. Zane Davis (3-2) picked up the win in relief, tossing 2.0 innings with only one run allowed. GAME TWO: #7 UNC Greensboro 6, #6 ETSU 5Luke Holland led the game off with a long home run, and UNC Greensboro used an eighth-inning single from All-SoCon third baseman Jacob Budzik to get past ETSU, 6-5, in the second game of Wednesday’s action. The Spartans led 3-0 after a Jake Barbour single a costly fielding error in the outfield, but the Buccaneers pushed four runs across in an effective bottom of the second inning – getting three-straight home runs from Mason Ault, Joey Little, and Nate Conner – to surge in front. UNCG regained the lead on RBI knocks from Nate Conner and Barbour in the fifth, before ETSU tied the game on Jamie Palmese’s sacrifice fly in the bottom half. An error at the hot corner allowed Luke Holland to reach for UNCG in the top of the eighth and, after Jake Mueller was plunked, Budzik singled to third base to plate the game winner. ETSU got the winning run to third base with nobody out in the bottom of the ninth, but two strikeouts and a foul ball to first base ended the game. Cannon Lee worked 4.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen and fanned eight batters to pick up the win for the Spartans. Barbour went 3-for-4 to lead the Spartans’ offense, with Jacob Dilley (2-for-4) and Jenkins (2-for-5) each collecting two hits. Nate Conner led ETSU with three hits and two runs scored. GAME THREE: #5 The Citadel 13, #4 Wofford 7The Citadel continued its hot start in Greenville, collecting 15 hits in a 13-7 win over No. 4 seed Wofford. The Bulldogs plated six runs in the top of the first against SoCon Pitcher of the Year Alec Bouchard to set the pace. Wofford got right back in it with five runs in the bottom of the first, with the inning lasting just under 45 minutes. The Citadel scored twice in the fourth and three times in the sixth to take control of the game. Wofford scored again in the eighth on a majestic solo home run from Ben Timblin, but The Citadel answered with an insurance run in the top of the ninth for the final margin. Michael Gibson led the way again, going 3-for-5 with three RBI in the win. Tobin Lane (2-for-6), Jayden Williams (2-for-3), TJ Anderson (2-for-4), and Aryan Patel (2-for-5) also had multiple hits for the Bulldogs. Andrew Buffkin picked up the win, tossing 5.0 innings with eight strikeouts and two earned runs allowed. Andrew Bowers closed the game with 4.0 effective innings for his sixth save of the season. Wofford had 11 hits in the game, with Cade Collins (2-for-5), Niko Brini (2-for-4), Lucas Manning (2-for-4) and Tanner Hardin (2-for-4, 3 RBI) leading the way. Hardin had a pair of doubles, including a three-run hit in the first to keep Wofford in contention. The Citadel advances to play top-seed Mercer at 9:00 am on Thursday. Wofford will await the loser of that game at 4:00 pm in an elimination game.  GAME FOUR: Samford 13, UNC Greensboro 1Samford belted five home runs and five doubles in Wednesday’s late game to power a 13-1 win over UNC Greensboro in seven innings. The Bulldogs went up 6-0 early and never looked back. An error starting things, with a Cade Carr grounder plating Ethan Brittain for an early lead. Trey Higgins followed with a two-run blast to left, putting the ‘Dogs up 3-0 in the first. Gus Gandy launched a solo shot with one out in the second for a 4-0 lead and Carr singled through the left side for a 5-0 lead before UNC Greensboro could get out of the jam. Eddie Marshall joined the parade in the bottom of the third, roping a solo home run to dead center for a 6-0 lead. Higgens smashed another home run, his 13th of the season, in the fifth to put Samford up 7-1. With his team leading 9-1, Luke Boykin cranked a grand slam deep to right field for a 13-1 lead that would hold. Samford ace hurled 6.0 innings with only one run allowed, scattering six hits for the win. He struck out seven and walked just one. Higgins led Samford’s 14-hit attack with three hits in four at bats, driving in three runs with his two home runs and a double. Four other Bulldogs had two hits in the win. Luke Holland (2-for-3) and Brantley Truitt (2-for-3) each had a pair of UNC Greensboro’s six hits. Samford advances to play No. 2 seed Western Carolina at 12:30 pm on Thursday. UNC Greensboro will face the loser of that game at 7:30 pm Thursday. 2026 SoCon Baseball ChampionshipPresented by Holston Gases Wednesday, May 20Game 1: #5 The Citadel 21, #8 VMI 11 (8 innings) Game 2: #7 UNCG 6, #6 ETSU 5Game 3: #5 The Citadel 13, #4 Wofford 7Game 4: #3 Samford 13, #7 UNCG 1 Thursday, May 21Game 5: #1 Mercer vs. #5 The Citadel, 9:00 AMGame 6: #2 Western Carolina vs. #3 Samford, 12:30 PMGame 7: #4 Wofford vs. Loser of G5, 4:00 PMGame 8: #7 UNCG vs. Loser of G6, 7:30 PM</div>

Citadel Day 1

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<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, SC – Mercer outfielder Chris Katz was named 2026 SoCon Player of the Year and Wofford ace Alec Bouchard was named 2026 SoCon Pitcher of the Year in voting by the conference’s eight head coaches Tuesday afternoon in advance of the 2026 SoCon Baseball Championship, presented by Holston Gases. Mercer pitcher Garrett Lambert was named 2026 SoCon Freshman of the Year and The Citadel third baseball Aryan Patel earned the second annual SoCon Golden Glove Award as the circuit’s top defender. Mercer head coach Craig Gibson was named 2026 SoCon Coach of the Year after leading the Bears to their first SoCon regular season crown since 2017. Katz (Raleigh, NC / Heritage HS) enjoyed a sensational regular season, batting .374 with 17 doubles, 20 home runs, and 71 RBI for the high-powered Bears’ offense. He is tied for the SoCon lead with 79 hits and leads the conference in runs scored, RBI, on base percentage, and total bases. He fuels a Mercer offense that leads the SoCon in 12 different major offensive categories. Bouchard (Soddy Daisy, TN / Notre Dame HS) anchored the Terriers’ rotation in 2026, finishing the regular season with a 9-2 record, 2.29 ERA, and 101 strikeouts in 82.2 innings of work. The righthander leads the SoCon in victories, strikeouts, innings pitched, and WHIP (1.09) through 14 starts. Bouchard was at his best in a pair of SoCon wins, tossing 7.0 shutout innings and fanning 12 in a win at The Citadel on April 10, then striking out a season-high 14 batters with no walks in a 9.0 inning win over Western Carolina on May 1. Lambert (Lilburn, GA / Parkview HS) lived up to his preseason billing after being tabbed as the SoCon’s preseason Freshman of the Year by both D1Baseball.com and Perfect Game. He finished with a 5-0 record in 14 starts, forging a 4.55 ERA with 80 strikeouts in 65.1 innings pitched. Lambert was 3-0 with a 4.29 ERA in seven SoCon starts. Patel (Hanahan, SC / Hanahan HS) collected the most votes on the 2026 SoCon All-Defensive Team, earning the Golden Glove Award. Patel has 46 starts at third base this season, fielding a clean .975 with only four errors in 163 chances. Gibson has his Mercer Bears on a roll, entering the 2026 postseason on an eight-game win streak. The veteran head coach has now earned SoCon Coach of the year three times and has directed the Bears to four SoCon regular season titles. Mercer (43-13, 15-6 SoCon) is 18-1 since a four-game skid in mid-April, bolstering the team’s RPI to No. 26 nationally this week. Mercer led the way with eighth All-SoCon selections, including seven on the first team. ETSU (6) and The Citadel (5) were close behind. All eight schools had at least one All-SoCon selection this season. The 2026 SoCon Baseball Championship, presented by Holston Gases, begins on Wednesday morning at 9:00 (ESPN+) with The Citadel battling VMI in a rivalry rematch of last weekend’s series. Four games will be played Wednesday, before top-seed Mercer and second-seed Western Carolina take the field on Thursday morning. The entire All-SoCon Baseball Team is listed below: Player of the YearChris Katz, Sr., OF, Mercer (Raleigh, NC) Pitcher of the YearAlec Bouchard, Jr., RHP, Wofford (Soddy Daisy, TN) Freshman of the YearGarrett Lambert, R-Fr., RHP, Mercer (Lilburn, GA) Golden Glove Award (Defensive Player of the Year)Aryan Patel, Sr., 3B, The Citadel (Hanahan, SC) Coach of the YearCraig Gibson, Mercer First-Team All-SoConSP – Alec Bouchard, WoffordSP – Garrett Lambert, MercerSP – Will Holmes, The CitadelRP – Mason Snyder, Western CarolinaRP – Jess Ackerman, MercerRP – Zak Spurrier, SamfordC – Cade Carr, Samford1B – Grayson Fitzwater, VMI1B – Tristan Curless, ETSU2B – Trent Turner, Western CarolinaSS – Titan Kamaka, Mercer3B – Brant Baughcum, MercerOF – Chris Katz, MercerOF – Eli Stephens, MercerOF – Jake Souders, SamfordDH – Braydon Kersey, Mercer Second-Team All-SoConSP – Michael Harpster, ETSUSP – Andrew Buffkin, The CitadelSP – Cullen Condon, WoffordRP – Michael Gibson, The CitadelRP – Andrew Garnett, MercerRP – Zane Davis, The CitadelC – Cole Raile, VMIC – Noah Quarless, Western Carolina1B – Michael Gibson, The Citadel2B – Ian Guanzon, ETSUSS – Henry Ferguson, ETSU3B – Jacob Budzik, UNC GreensboroOF – Ben Timblin, WoffordOF – Jamie Palmese, ETSUOF – Luke Boykin, SamfordDH – Nate Conner, ETSU 2026 SoCon All-Freshman TeamGarrett Lambert, P, MercerJaylen Jones, OF, Western CarolinaBrady Gold, SS, WoffordJayden Williams, OF, The CitadelEvan Myers, P, Western CarolinaEddie Marshall, C, SamfordCooper Jones, P, ETSUTanner Berry, C, UNC GreensboroMason Ault, C, ETSUEthan Buffone, 2B, MercerAyden West, P, UNC GreensboroBuddy Baker, P, VMI 2026 SoCon All-Defensive TeamAryan Patel, 3B, The CitadelGrayson Fitzwater, 1B, VMIOwen Prince, OF, VMIHenry Ferguson, SS, ETSUJayden Williams, OF, The CitadelParker McDonald, 3B, SamfordJamie Palmese, OF, ETSUCade Carr, C, SamfordJeff Ince, 2B, SamfordNiko Brini, OF, WoffordTrent Turner, 2B, Western Carolina        Gus Gandy, SS, Samford</div>

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<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, SC – Mercer sophomore Braydon Kersey was named SoCon Baseball Player of the Week and The Citadel graduate student Will Holmes was named SoCon Pitcher of the Week following games played from May 12-May 16. Kersey (Alpharetta, GA / Alpharetta HS) led the Bears to a 4-0 week and their first SoCon regular season title since 2017, batting .533 (8-for-15) with five runs scored, a pair of doubles, one home run, and six RBI. He slugged a solid .867 and posted a .650 on base percentage and contributed out of the bullpen – tossing 1.2 scoreless frames with a pair of strikeouts and a save. In Mercer’s 12-9 win at No. 3 Georgia Tech on Tuesday night, Kersey went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI. In Friday’s 9-7 win at ETSU that clinched the regular season crown for Mercer, Kersey was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI at the plate, while closing out the game with a pair of strikeouts to earn the save. He closed the regular season in style with three hits and an RBI in Saturday’s 11-6 win. Kersey batted a sizzling .397 with 11 home runs and 29 RBI in 20 SoCon games this season. Overall, he is batting .325 with 21 home runs, 66 RBI, and 50 runs scored. On the mound, he has five saves and 24 strikeouts in 19.0 innings of work. His Player of the Week honor was the second of the season for Kersey. Holmes (Boiling Springs, SC / Boiling Springs HS) sparkled in a rivalry win at VMI, pitching 7.0 scoreless innings with only three hits allowed and 10 strikeouts. Holmes walked one and left the game with a comfortable 7-0 lead after throwing 87 pitches. Holmes is now 6-4 on the season with a 4.19 ERA in 14 starts, with 99 strikeouts in 77.1 innings of work. Three of his victories have come in SoCon play. He is the first lefty starter to earn SoCon Pitcher of the Week honors this season. Mercer (43-13, 15-6 SoCon) will open its postseason on Thursday after earning a first-round bye. The Citadel (30-24, 11-10 SoCon) earned the fifth seed and plays VMI in the opening game of the 2026 SoCon Baseball Championship, presented by Holston Gases, at 9:00 am Wednesday. Games on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday will stream live on ESPN+. Saturday night’s championship game will air live on ESPNU at 7:30.  Also nominated for Player of the Week: Henry Ferguson (ETSU), Jaylen Jones (WCU), Eddie Marshall (Samford), Ben Timblin (Wofford), Lane Tobin (The Citadel).  Also nominated for Pitcher of the Week: Jess Ackerman (Mercer), Carter Burnette (WCU), Cullen Condon (Wofford), Cannon Lee (UNCG). 2025-26 SoCon Player of the WeekFeb. 16 – Andrew Quarless, R-So., Western Carolina (C, Winston-Salem, NC)Feb. 23 – Braydon Kersey, So., Mercer (DH/INF, Alpharetta, GA)Mar. 2 – Titan Kamaka, Sr., Mercer (SS, Orlando, FL)Mar. 9 – Grayson Fitzwater, Sr., VMI (1B, Suffolk, VA)Mar. 16 – Grayson Fitzwater, Sr., VMI (1B, Suffolk, VA)Mar. 23 – Tristan Curless, Sr., ETSU (1B/P, Amarillo, TX)Mar. 30 – Parker McDonald, Sr., Samford (3B, Tallahassee, FL)Apr. 6 – Ben Timblin, So., Wofford (Signal Mountain, TN)Apr. 13 – Jaylen Jones, R-Fr., Western Carolina (Loganville, GA)Apr. 20 – Tristan Curless, Sr., ETSU (1B/P, Amarillo, TX)Apr. 27 – Michael Gibson, Sr., The Citadel (DH/P, Rock Hill, SC)May 4 – Chris Katz, Sr., Mercer (OF, Raleigh, NC)May 11 – Jacob Dilley, Jr., UNC Greensboro (C/OF, Boone, NC)May 18 – Braydon Kersey, So., Mercer (DH/INF, Alpharetta, GA)  2025-26 SoCon Pitcher of the WeekFeb. 16 – Andrew Marble, Jr., Samford (RHP, Hurley, MS)Feb. 23 – Michael Harpster, Jr., ETSU (RHP, Lynchburg, VA)Mar. 2 – Bryce Coulter, Jr., The Citadel (RHP, Sumter, SC)Mar. 9 – Mason Snyder, Jr., Western Carolina (RHP, Ocilla, GA)Mar. 16 – Carter Burnette, So., Western Carolina (RHP, Asheville, NC)Mar. 23 – Joseph Lee, Sr., Samford (RHP, San Jose, CA)Mar. 30 – Michael Harpster, Jr., ETSU (RHP, Lynchburg, VA)Apr. 6 – Mason Snyder, Jr., Western Carolina (RHP, Ocilla, GA)Apr. 13 – Alec Bouchard, Jr., Wofford (RHP, Soddy Daisy, TN)Apr. 20 – Garrett Lambert, R-Fr., Mercer (RHP, Lilburn, GA)Apr. 27 – Miguel Hugas, Jr., Mercer (RHP, Caracas, Venezuela)May 4 – Alec Bouchard, Jr., Wofford (RHP, Soddy Daisy, TN)May 11 – Jess Ackerman, Sr., Mercer (LHP, Cumming, GA)May 18 – Will Holmes, Gr., The Citadel (LHP, Boiling Springs, SC)</div>

Baseball POW May 18 SoCon

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<div class="payload-richtext"><a href="https://soconsports.com/base/article/59150/">
 2026 Championship Page
 </a> | <a href="https://img.boostsport.ai/boost-cms/2026_BSB_Bracket.pdf">
 2026 Bracket (PDF)
 </a> SPARTANBURG, SC – Mercer won its first SoCon regular season championship since 2017 and brings an eight-game win streak into the postseason as the 2026 SoCon Baseball Championship, presented by Holston Gases, begins on Wednesday (May 20) at Fluor Field in Greenville. The Bears (43-13, 15-6 SoCon) swept ETSU on the road to clinch the regular season trophy and are ranked No. 27 in the latest NCAA RPI release. A road win at No. 11 Georgia Tech last week was another highlight for a team that ranks in the top 10 nationally in eight major offensive categories and has bashed 124 home runs on the season. Only Elon (138, 2008) and College of Charleston (130, 2009) have hit more long balls in a season than the Bears in 2026. Three SoCon teams are rated inside the Top 60 nationally in RPI, with Western Carolina (57) and The Citadel (59) joining Mercer. Two more teams are rated inside the top 100, giving the SoCon one of its strongest regular season efforts as a league in the past decade. The SoCon is rated No. 6 in the latest NCAA RPI release and will look to place multiple teams in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012. Western Carolina (35-21, 14-7 SoCon) earned the No. 2 seed on the strength of two-straight wins to close out the regular season in Cullowhee. Samford (28-24, 12-9 SoCon) is the No. 3 seed based on its series win this weekend over Wofford (34-20, 12-9 SoCon). The Citadel (30-24, 11-10 SoCon) is the No. 5 seed, followed closely by ETSU (30-22, 10-11 SoCon) in the No. 6 slot. UNC Greensboro (22-31, 7-14 SoCon), and VMI (28-26, 3-18 SoCon) round out the field. With the bracket set, No. 5 The Citadel and No. 8 VMI will open the championship schedule on Wednesday morning at 9:00 AM (ESPN+) in a rivalry rematch of the final regular season series. No. 6 ETSU and No. 7 UNC Greensboro will play the second game at 12:30 PM (ESPN+), with the winner of The Citadel-VMI to battle No. 4 Wofford at 4:00 pm ET (ESPN+) and the winner of ETSU-UNCG taking on No. 3 Samford at 7:30 PM (ESPN+) in a busy day at the ballpark. Tickets for the championship are <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.milb.com%2Fgreenville%2Ftickets%2Fcollegehstickets&data=05%7C02%7Cmrabb%40socon.org%7C256a182982cf42e8965b08deb39cad09%7C2787eec415e5439ea10f0dc9f4616ae4%7C0%7C0%7C639145682962967218%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=5hbJeTDtKjw1N7XQs0mKw%2FcSiYB9uPE1MX6cv9rOwvw%3D&reserved=0">
 available online here
 </a>. Saturday’s championship game will air live on ESPNU at 7:30 PM 2026 SoCon Baseball Championship SchedulePresented by Holston Gases Wednesday | May 20 (ESPN+)9:00 AM – #5 The Citadel vs #8 VMI12:30 PM – #6 ETSU vs. #7 UNC Greensboro   4:00 PM – Winner Game 1 vs. #4 Wofford         7:30 PM – Winner Game 2 vs. #3 Samford Thursday | May 21 (ESPN+)9:00 AM – Winner G3 vs. #1 Mercer12:30 PM – Winner G4 vs. #2 Western Carolina4:00 PM – Loser G5 vs. Loser G37:30 PM – Loser G6 vs. Loser G4 Friday | May 22 (ESPN+)9:00 AM – Winner G5 vs. Winner G712:30 PM – Winner G6 vs. Winner G84:00 PM – If Necessary (Game 11)7:30 PM – If Necessary (Game 12) Saturday | May 23 (ESPNU)7:30 PM – Championship Game</div>

Mercer Baseball 2026 Regular Season Champions

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<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, SC – UNCG junior Jacob Dilley was named SoCon Baseball Player of the Week and Mercer redshirt junior Jess Ackerman was named SoCon Pitcher of the Week following games played from May 4-10. Dilley (Boone, N.C. / Watauga HS) batted .571 (4-of-7) with two home runs, five runs scored, three walks, one double and five RBIs in two games for the Spartans at Virginia Tech last week. On May 9, Dilley homered in the third inning as part of the team’s six home runs in the game, which set a new program record, as UNCG won, 18-13. The junior also drew two walks and scored three runs in the contest. The next day, Dilley was 3-for-4, finishing the game a triple away from the cycle in the team’s 11-9 setback against the Hokies. Dilley logged an eye-opening 2.208 OPS over the two games. For the season, Dilley is batting .319 in 47 starts with 10 home runs, 11 doubles, 38 RBIs and a .402 on-base percentage. The Spartans (21-29, 6-12 SoCon) play at Western Carolina this weekend in their final series of the regular season. Ackerman (Cumming, Ga. / North Forsyth HS) pitched 7.1 innings over two relief appearances, recording 12 strikeouts and allowing just three hits. In a 10-7 win on May 6 at Georgia Southern, Ackerman got the save, throwing three innings and striking out four batters. Ackerman tossed 4.1 innings in an 11-1 win over VMI on May 10, recording eight strikeouts and walking just one batter. In 22 appearances this season, Ackerman is 3-2 with 72 strikeouts in 45.2 innings of work. Mercer (39-13, 12-6 SoCon) plays at Georgia Tech on May 12, before concluding the regular season with a series at ETSU on May 14-16. Also nominated for Player of the Week: Michael Gibson (The Citadel), Ian Guanzon (ETSU), Dylan LaPointe (Mercer), Jackson Lyda (Western Carolina), and Niko Brini (Wofford) Also nominated for Pitcher of the Week: Andrew Buffkin and Will Holmes (The Citadel), Cooper Jones (ETSU), John Horton (UNCG), Davis Wright (Western Carolina), and Alec Bouchard (Wofford) 2025-26 SoCon Player of the WeekFeb. 16 – Andrew Quarless, R-So., Western Carolina (C, Winston-Salem, NC)Feb. 23 – Braydon Kersey, Jr., Mercer (DH/INF, Alpharetta, GA)Mar. 2 – Titan Kamaka, Sr., Mercer (SS, Orlando, FL)Mar. 9 – Grayson Fitzwater, Sr., VMI (1B, Suffolk, VA)Mar. 16 – Grayson Fitzwater, Sr., VMI (1B, Suffolk, VA)Mar. 23 – Tristan Curless, Sr., ETSU (1B/P, Amarillo, TX)Mar. 30 – Parker McDonald, Sr., Samford (3B, Tallahassee, FL)Apr. 6 – Ben Timblin, So., Wofford (Signal Mountain, TN)Apr. 13 – Jaylen Jones, R-Fr., Western Carolina (Loganville, GA)Apr. 20 – Tristan Curless, Sr., ETSU (1B/P, Amarillo, TX)Apr. 27 – Michael Gibson, Sr., The Citadel (DH/P, Rock Hill, SC)May 4 – Chris Katz, Sr., Mercer (OF, Raleigh, NC)May 11 – Jacob Dilley, UNC Greensboro, C/OF (Jr., Boone, NC / Watauga HS) 2025-26 SoCon Pitcher of the WeekFeb. 16 – Andrew Marble, Jr., Samford (RHP, Hurley, MS)Feb. 23 – Michael Harpster, Jr., ETSU (RHP, Lynchburg, VA)Mar. 2 – Bryce Coulter, Jr., The Citadel (RHP, Sumter, SC)Mar. 9 – Mason Snyder, Jr., Western Carolina (RHP, Ocilla, GA)Mar. 16 – Carter Burnette, So., Western Carolina (RHP, Asheville, NC)Mar. 23 – Joseph Lee, Sr., Samford (RHP, San Jose, CA)Mar. 30 – Michael Harpster, Jr., ETSU (RHP, Lynchburg, VA)Apr. 6 – Mason Snyder, Jr., Western Carolina (RHP, Ocilla, GA)Apr. 13 – Alec Bouchard, Jr., Wofford (RHP, Soddy Daisy, TN)Apr. 20 – Garrett Lambert, R-Fr., Mercer (RHP, Lilburn, GA)Apr. 27 – Miguel Hugas, Jr., Mercer (RHP, Caracas, Venezuela)May 4 – Alec Bouchard, Jr., Wofford (RHP, Soddy Daisy, TN)May 11 – Jess Ackerman, Mercer, LHP (Sr., Cumming, GA / North Forsyth)</div>

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SoCon Announces Weekly Baseball Awards

<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, SC – Mercer senior Chris Katz was named SoCon Baseball Player of the Week and Wofford junior Alec Bouchard was named SoCon Pitcher of the Week following games played from April 27-May 3. Katz (Raleigh, NC / Heritage HS) batted .500 (7-of-15) with two home runs, seven runs scored, three doubles, and eight RBI in four games for the Bears last week. He started with a bang, driving in six runs on two hits in a 10-9 win at Georgia Southern – belting a game-tying grand slam in the bottom of the ninth. Teammate Eli Stephens followed with a solo shot on the next pitch to win that game. In a series win over Samford, Katz led Mercer with a 2-for-4 effort in the opening victory, then went 3-for-4 with four runs scored, a double and a home run in Saturday’s series clincher. Katz finished the week with an eye-popping 1.775 OPS. Katz has been a workhorse for the Bears this season, batting .399 in 48 starts with 16 home runs, 59 RBI, 15 doubles and a .511 on base percentage. Katz leads the SoCon in RBI and ranks second in home runs. He has struck out only 17 times in 183 at bats this season and has drawn 46 free passes (40 walks, six HBP). The Bears (35-13, 9-6 SoCon) sit in a four-way tie for second place currently with ETSU, Samford, and Wofford. Bouchard (Soddy Daisy, TN / Notre Dame HS) secured his second SoCon Pitcher of the Week award this season with a 9.0 inning, complete-game effort in the series opener vs. first-place Western Carolina. The junior righty struck out 14 batters, didn’t issue a walk, and allowed only two hits and one run. The Terriers went on to a 5-1 win, increasing Bouchard’s league-leading win total on the mound. In 12 starts this season, Bouchard has gone 8-2 with a 1.68 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 69.2 innings of work. He leads all SoCon starting pitchers in wins, ERA, strikeouts and innings pitched. Opposing teams are batting just .198 against Bouchard this season. Wofford (31-17, 9-6 SoCon) is in a four-way tie with Mercer, Samford, and ETSU heading into May. Also nominated for Player of the Week: Jacob Budzik (UNC Greensboro), Jamie Palmese (ETSU), Noah Quarless (Western Carolina), Cole Raile (VMI). Also nominated for Pitcher of the Week: Tadan Bell (ETSU), Noah Berry (Samford), Will Holmes (The Citadel), John Horton (UNC Greensboro), Garrett Lambert (Mercer), Mason Snyder (Western Carolina). 2025-26 SoCon Player of the WeekFeb. 16 – Andrew Quarless, R-So., Western Carolina (C, Winston-Salem, NC)Feb. 23 – Braydon Kersey, Jr., Mercer (DH/INF, Alpharetta, GA)Mar. 2 – Titan Kamaka, Sr., Mercer (SS, Orlando, FL)Mar. 9 – Grayson Fitzwater, Sr., VMI (1B, Suffolk, VA)Mar. 16 – Grayson Fitzwater, Sr., VMI (1B, Suffolk, VA)Mar. 23 – Tristan Curless, Sr., ETSU (1B/P, Amarillo, TX)Mar. 30 – Parker McDonald, Sr., Samford (3B, Tallahassee, FL)Apr. 6 – Ben Timblin, So., Wofford (Signal Mountain, TN)Apr. 13 – Jaylen Jones, R-Fr., Western Carolina (Loganville, GA)Apr. 20 – Tristan Curless, Sr., ETSU (1B/P, Amarillo, TX)Apr. 27 – Michael Gibson, Sr., The Citadel (DH/P, Rock Hill, SC)May 4 – Chris Katz, Sr., Mercer (OF, Raleigh, NC)  2025-26 SoCon Pitcher of the WeekFeb. 16 – Andrew Marble, Jr., Samford (RHP, Hurley, MS)Feb. 23 – Michael Harpster, Jr., ETSU (RHP, Lynchburg, VA)Mar. 2 – Bryce Coulter, Jr., The Citadel (RHP, Sumter, SC)Mar. 9 – Mason Snyder, Jr., Western Carolina (RHP, Ocilla, GA)Mar. 16 – Carter Burnette, So., Western Carolina (RHP, Asheville, NC)Mar. 23 – Joseph Lee, Sr., Samford (RHP, San Jose, CA)Mar. 30 – Michael Harpster, Jr., ETSU (RHP, Lynchburg, VA)Apr. 6 – Mason Snyder, Jr., Western Carolina (RHP, Ocilla, GA)Apr. 13 – Alec Bouchard, Jr., Wofford (RHP, Soddy Daisy, TN)Apr. 20 – Garrett Lambert, R-Fr., Mercer (RHP, Lilburn, GA)Apr. 27 – Miguel Hugas, Jr., Mercer (RHP, Caracas, Venezuela)May 4 – Alec Bouchard, Jr., Wofford (RHP, Soddy Daisy, TN)</div>

Katz / Bouchard Weekly Baseball

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2026 Baseball Championship presented by Holston Gases

<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, SC – The Southern Conference announced today that the final game of the 2026 SoCon Baseball Championship, presented by Holston Gases, will air live on ESPNU. The contest is set for a 7:30 pm first pitch on Saturday, May 23, at Fluor Field in Greenville, with fireworks scheduled after the game. "We are excited to bring the SoCon Baseball Championship game, presented by Holston Gases, to ESPNU and continue building our strong partnership with ESPN,” said SoCon commissioner Michael Cross. “This national linear television broadcast will showcase the Conference’s ‘It’s All Here’ mindset through the exceptional talent and competitive excellence of SoCon baseball, the seventh-ranked conference in the NCAA.  Our athletics directors and baseball coaches deserve substantial credit for their willingness to embrace a single-game championship format to make this broadcast possible.  Their forward-thinking approach elevates the profile of SoCon baseball and the experience of their student-athletes.   “We look forward to crowning a champion on May 23rd and showcasing our conference on the national stage.” The tournament begins on Wednesday, May 20, at 9:00 am. All games on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday will stream live on ESPN+. Western Carolina (29-16, 10-5 SoCon) sits atop the standings heading into May, with Samford (23-19, 8-4 SoCon) and Wofford (30-15, 8-4 SoCon) close behind in a tie for second. ETSU (27-15, 9-6 SoCon) and Mercer (33-12, 7-5 SoCon) round out the current top-5. The SoCon Baseball Championship, presented by Holston Gases, enters its 10th consecutive year at Fluor Field, the 6,700-seat home of the Greenville Drive. ABOUT THE SOUTHERN CONFERENCEThe Southern Conference, headquartered in Spartanburg, S.C., includes 10 member institutions across six states: The Citadel, East Tennessee State University, Furman University, Mercer University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Samford University, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Virginia Military Institute, Western Carolina University, and Wofford College. Tennessee Tech University will join the SoCon as a full member on July 1, 2027.</div>

ESPNU Baseball 2026

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<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, SC – The Citadel senior Michael Gibson was named SoCon Baseball Player of the Week and Mercer junior Miguel Hugas was named SoCon Pitcher of the Week following games played from April 20 through April 26. Gibson (Rock Hill, SC. / Northwestern HS) was a two-way star for the Bulldogs last week, batting .500 with four runs scored, four stolen bases, five RBI, and a home run at the plate to power a SoCon series win over UNC Greensboro. The righthander also fanned five batters in 2.1 innings of work out of the bullpen on Friday to pick up a save in a 2-1 win over the Spartans. Gibson started the week with a 1-for-3 effort and a two-run home run in a 10-3 win at Georgia Southern, then followed with a 2-for-3 effort in the Friday night win. He went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI in Saturday’s win over the Spartans and collected one hit in Sunday’s finale. Gibson has been valuable for The Citadel this season, batting .347 with a .467 on base percentage at the plate, while going 3-2 on the mound with five saves. Hugas (Caracas, Venezuela / Shaler Area HS) tossed 7.0 innings and allowed just three hits and no earned runs to pick up a 5-1 win over Wofford on Friday, sparking the Bears to a series win – and Wofford’s first series loss of the season. Hugas fanned five Terriers, walked just one and threw 90 pitches in the victory. It was the second-longest outing of the season for Hugas, who hurled 8.0 innings vs. Tennessee Tech on March 14. Hugas is 7-2 this season with a 5.79 ERA in 56.0 innings of work. He has fanned 39 batters so far in 2026. Also nominated for Player of the Week: Cade Carr (Samford), Jacob Dilley (UNC Greensboro), Chris Katz (Mercer), Jamie Palmese (ETSU), Cole Raile (VMI), Trey Spees (Western Carolina). Also nominated for Pitcher of the Week: Owen Austin (Western Carolina), Mason Blanche (Samford), Noah Chapman (UNC Greensboro), Jim Douthat (VMI), Michael Harpster (ETSU), Will Holmes (The Citadel). 2025-26 SoCon Player of the WeekFeb. 16 – Andrew Quarless, R-So., Western Carolina (C, Winston-Salem, NC)Feb. 23 – Braydon Kersey, Jr., Mercer (DH/INF, Alpharetta, GA)Mar. 2 – Titan Kamaka, Sr., Mercer (SS, Orlando, FL)Mar. 9 – Grayson Fitzwater, Sr., VMI (1B, Suffolk, VA)Mar. 16 – Grayson Fitzwater, Sr., VMI (1B, Suffolk, VA)Mar. 23 – Tristan Curless, Sr., ETSU (1B/P, Amarillo, TX)Mar. 30 – Parker McDonald, Sr., Samford (3B, Tallahassee, FL)Apr. 6 – Ben Timblin, So., Wofford (Signal Mountain, TN)Apr. 13 – Jaylen Jones, R-Fr., Western Carolina (Loganville, GA)Apr. 20 – Tristan Curless, Sr., ETSU (1B/P, Amarillo, TX)Apr. 27 – Michael Gibson, Sr., The Citadel (DH/P, Rock Hill, SC) 2025-26 SoCon Pitcher of the WeekFeb. 16 – Andrew Marble, Jr., Samford (RHP, Hurley, MS)Feb. 23 – Michael Harpster, Jr., ETSU (RHP, Lynchburg, VA)Mar. 2 – Bryce Coulter, Jr., The Citadel (RHP, Sumter, SC)Mar. 9 – Mason Snyder, Jr., Western Carolina (RHP, Ocilla, GA)Mar. 16 – Carter Burnette, So., Western Carolina (RHP, Asheville, NC)Mar. 23 – Joseph Lee, Sr., Samford (RHP, San Jose, CA)Mar. 30 – Michael Harpster, Jr., ETSU (RHP, Lynchburg, VA)Apr. 6 – Mason Snyder, Jr., Western Carolina (RHP, Ocilla, GA)Apr. 13 – Alec Bouchard, Jr., Wofford (RHP, Soddy Daisy, TN)Apr. 20 – Garrett Lambert, R-Fr., Mercer (RHP, Lilburn, GA)Apr. 27 – Miguel Hugas, Jr., Mercer (RHP, Caracas, Venezuela)</div>

Baseball Weekly April 27

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<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, SC – ETSU senior first baseman Tristan Curless was named SoCon Baseball Player of the Week and Mercer redshirt freshman Garrett Lambert was named SoCon Pitcher of the Week following games played from April 6 through April 12.  Curless (Amarillo, TX / Amarillo HS) was named SoCon Player of the Week for the second time this season after batting a sizzling .688 with two home runs, eight RBI, three doubles and seven runs scored. He forged a .737 on base percentage, a 1.250 slugging percentage and a 1.987 OPS over four games. Both home runs came in a 12-10 loss at No. 5 Georgia on Tuesday night, with Curless going 3-for-5 with six RBI in that game. He collected at least two hits in each of his starts for the week, which included a series win over The Citadel. Curless scored five runs in that three-game set, had three doubles, and also picked up a win on the mound in the Bucs’ 5-4 win on Saturday. Curless leads ETSU and ranks among the SoCon leaders with a .403 batting average this season. He has 13 home runs, 52 RBI, 11 doubles and 106 total bases. He is also 1-1 on the mound with two saves. Lambert (Lilburn, GA / Parkview HS) threw 6.0 shutout innings and fanned nine in a win over Towson Friday night. He allowed only two hits, did not issue a walk, and held the Tigers to an 0.95 team batting average in the win. The redshirt freshman righty is 3-0 this season with a 4.20 ERA in 10 starts. He has fanned 53 batters in 45.0 innings of work, with teams batting only .214 this season. Also Nominated for Player of the Week: Luke Boykin (Samford), Grayson Fitzwater (VMI), Cole Jones (Western Carolina), Chris Katz (Mercer), Marc Quarrie (Wofford), Christian Stratis (The Citadel), Brantley Truitt (UNC Greensboro). Also Nominated for Pitcher of the Week: Noah Berry (Samford), Cullen Condon (Wofford), James Fordham (Western Carolina), Cooper Jones (ETSU), Justin Speigel (VMI). 2025-26 SoCon Player of the WeekFeb. 16 – Andrew Quarless, R-So., Western Carolina (C, Winston-Salem, NC)Feb. 23 – Braydon Kersey, Jr., Mercer (DH/INF, Alpharetta, GA)Mar. 2 – Titan Kamaka, Sr., Mercer (SS, Orlando, FL)Mar. 9 – Grayson Fitzwater, Sr., VMI (1B, Suffolk, VA)Mar. 16 – Grayson Fitzwater, Sr., VMI (1B, Suffolk, VA)Mar. 23 – Tristan Curless, Sr., ETSU (1B/P, Amarillo, TX)Mar. 30 – Parker McDonald, Sr., Samford (3B, Tallahassee, FL)Apr. 6 – Ben Timblin, So., Wofford (Signal Mountain, TN)Apr. 13 – Jaylen Jones, R-Fr., Western Carolina (Loganville, GA)Apr. 20 – Tristan Curless, Sr., ETSU (1B/P, Amarillo, TX)  2025-26 SoCon Pitcher of the WeekFeb. 16 – Andrew Marble, Jr., Samford (RHP, Hurley, MS)Feb. 23 – Michael Harpster, Jr., ETSU (RHP, Lynchburg, VA)Mar. 2 – Bryce Coulter, Jr., The Citadel (RHP, Sumter, SC)Mar. 9 – Mason Snyder, Jr., Western Carolina (RHP, Ocilla, GA)Mar. 16 – Carter Burnette, So., Western Carolina (RHP, Asheville, NC)Mar. 23 – Joseph Lee, Sr., Samford (RHP, San Jose, CA)Mar. 30 – Michael Harpster, Jr., ETSU (RHP, Lynchburg, VA)Apr. 6 – Mason Snyder, Jr., Western Carolina (RHP, Ocilla, GA)Apr. 13 – Alec Bouchard, Jr., Wofford (RHP, Soddy Daisy, TN)Apr. 20 – Garrett Lambert, R-Fr., Mercer (RHP, Lilburn, GA)</div>

SoCon POW Baseball 4.20.26

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<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, SC – Western Carolina freshman outfielder Jaylen Jones was named SoCon Baseball Player of the Week, and Wofford junior pitcher Alec Bouchard was named SoCon Pitcher of the Week following games played from April 6 through April 12. Jones (Loganville, GA / Loganville HS) batted .438 over four games for the Catamounts, sparking a SoCon sweep of Mercer over the weekend. He went 7-of-16 at the plate with seven runs scored, seven RBI, two stolen bases, one double, one triple, and an inside-the-park home run. He went 3-for-4 in the Friday win over Mercer with two RBI, then followed by scoring five runs and driving in three to power a 17-9 win that clinched the series on Saturday. Jones had a pair of hits and two RBI in a midweek battle with USC Upstate last Tuesday. Jones posted a strong .500 on base percentage with 13 total bases for the week. He nine chances cleanly in centerfield, including one outfield assist. Jones has been strong for Western Carolina this season, starting 35 times with a .311 batting average, 38 runs scored, nine doubles, 23 RBI, and 12 stolen bases. Bouchard (Soddy Daisy, TN / Notre Dame HS) continued his dominance in a starting role on the mound, firing 7.0 shutout innings with a season-high 12 strikeouts in a 2-0 Friday night win at The Citadel. Bouchard scattered five singles in the win and, with his team clinging to a 1-0 lead, retired the final nine batters he faced before leaving the game to his bullpen over the final two frames. The performance comes on the heels of another sterling effort, which saw Bouchard toss 7.0 innings with nine strikeouts in last Friday’s 9-2 win at VMI. He has allowed only one earned run with 21 strikeouts over his last 14.0 innings of work. Bouchard is now 6-2 with a 1.64 ERA in nine starts this season. He leads the SoCon with 61 strikeouts, and paces the conference in wins, ERA, and strikeouts per nine innings (11.1). He ranks in the top three in the SoCon with 49.1 innings pitched, a .213 opponents’ batting average, and a 1.14 WHIP. In three SoCon starts, Bouchard is 3-0 with an 0.90 ERA and 28 strikeouts in only 20.0 innings pitched. Also Nominated for Player of the Week: TJ Anderson (The Citadel), Tanner Berry (UNC Greensboro), Cole Cook (VMI), Braydon Kersey (Mercer), Jamie Palmese (ETSU), Jake Souders (Samford), Logan Tribble (Wofford). Also Nominated for Pitcher of the Week: Noah Berry (Samford), Jake Colucci (UNC Greensboro), Michael Harpster (ETSU), Caleb Hughes (Mercer), Mason Snyder (Western Carolina). 2025-26 SoCon Player of the WeekFeb. 16 – Andrew Quarless, R-So., Western Carolina (C, Winston-Salem, NC)Feb. 23 – Braydon Kersey, Jr., Mercer (DH/INF, Alpharetta, GA)Mar. 2 – Titan Kamaka, Sr., Mercer (SS, Orlando, FL)Mar. 9 – Grayson Fitzwater, Sr., VMI (1B, Suffolk, VA)Mar. 16 – Grayson Fitzwater, Sr., VMI (1B, Suffolk, VA)Mar. 23 – Tristan Curless, Sr., ETSU (1B/P, Amarillo, TX)Mar. 30 – Parker McDonald, Sr., Samford (3B, Tallahassee, FL)Apr. 6 – Ben Timblin, So., Wofford (Signal Mountain, TN)Apr. 13 – Jaylen Jones, R-Fr., Western Carolina (Loganville, GA) 2025-26 SoCon Pitcher of the WeekFeb. 16 – Andrew Marble, Jr., Samford (RHP, Hurley, MS)Feb. 23 – Michael Harpster, Jr., ETSU (RHP, Lynchburg, VA)Mar. 2 – Bryce Coulter, Jr., The Citadel (RHP, Sumter, SC)Mar. 9 – Mason Snyder, Jr., Western Carolina (RHP, Ocilla, GA)Mar. 16 – Carter Burnette, So., Western Carolina (RHP, Asheville, NC)Mar. 23 – Joseph Lee, Sr., Samford (RHP, San Jose, CA)Mar. 30 – Michael Harpster, Jr., ETSU (RHP, Lynchburg, VA)Apr. 6 – Mason Snyder, Jr., Western Carolina (RHP, Ocilla, GA)Apr. 13 – Alec Bouchard, Jr., Wofford (RHP, Soddy Daisy, TN)</div>

SoCon Baseball April 13

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<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, SC – Wofford sophomore outfielder Ben Timblin was named SoCon Baseball Player of the Week, and Western Carolina junior reliever Mason Snyder was named SoCon Pitcher of the Week following games played from March 31 through April 5. Timblin (Signal Mountain, TN / Signal Mountain HS) batted .467 (7-for-15) with five runs scored, two doubles, three home runs and 12 RBI to lead the Terriers in four games last week. In the weekend SoCon series at VMI, Timblin homered in all three games and finished 7-for-12 (.583) with two doubles, three home runs, and all 12 RBI. He drove in five runs in each of the final two games of the series. In the 16-5 win over VMI in the series opener, Timblin went 2-for-3 with a home run and a double. He went 2-for-4 with a home run and five RBI in Friday’s 9-2 win and finished by going 3-for-5 with a double, home run, and five RBI in the series finale. He posted a 1.200 slugging percentage and 1.700 OPS for the week, powered by 18 total bases. Timblin is batting .336 with six home runs and 40 RBI so far this season for the first-place Terriers (21-11, 5-1 SoCon). Snyder (Ocilla, GA / Irwin County HS) earned his second SoCon Pitcher of the Week honor after picking up a pair of saves in 4.1 innings of work for the Catamounts this past week. He worked a scoreless frame at Presbyterian on Tuesday night, before closing out the series opener vs. Winthrop with 3.0 innings of scoreless relief work on Thursday. Snyder came on for the final two outs in the series clincher Saturday, stranding the tying run at third base in a 7-6 win over the Eagles. Snyder is 3-0 this season with a 1.20 ERA and two saves in 13 appearances this season. Also Nominated for Player of the Week: Jacob Budzik (UNC Greensboro), Tristan Curless (ETSU), Grayson Fitzwater (VMI), Garrett Fulmer (The Citadel), Michael Graziano (Mercer), Jake Souders (Samford), Trent Turner (Western Carolina). Also Nominated for Pitcher of the Week: Alec Bouchard (Wofford), Noah Chapman (UNC Greensboro), Michael Gibson (The Citadel), Garrett Lambert (Mercer). 2025-26 SoCon Player of the WeekFeb. 16 – Andrew Quarless, R-So., Western Carolina (C, Winston-Salem, NC)Feb. 23 – Braydon Kersey, Jr., Mercer (DH/INF, Alpharetta, GA)Mar. 2 – Titan Kamaka, Sr., Mercer (SS, Orlando, FL)Mar. 9 – Grayson Fitzwater, Sr., VMI (1B, Suffolk, VA)Mar. 16 – Grayson Fitzwater, Sr., VMI (1B, Suffolk, VA)Mar. 23 – Tristan Curless, Sr., ETSU (1B/P, Amarillo, TX)Mar. 30 – Parker McDonald, Sr., Samford (3B, Tallahassee, FL)Apr. 6 – Ben Timblin, So., Wofford (Signal Mountain, TN) 2025-26 SoCon Pitcher of the WeekFeb. 16 – Andrew Marble, Jr., Samford (RHP, Hurley, MS)Feb. 23 – Michael Harpster, Jr., ETSU (RHP, Lynchburg, VA)Mar. 2 – Bryce Coulter, Jr., The Citadel (RHP, Sumter, SC)Mar. 9 – Mason Snyder, Jr., Western Carolina (RHP, Ocilla, GA)Mar. 16 – Carter Burnette, So., Western Carolina (RHP, Asheville, NC)Mar. 23 – Joseph Lee, Sr., Samford (RHP, San Jose, CA)Mar. 30 – Michael Harpster, Jr., ETSU (RHP, Lynchburg, VA)Apr. 6 – Mason Snyder, Jr., Western Carolina (RHP, Ocilla, GA)</div>

Baseball POW April 6

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<div class="payload-richtext"><a href="https://soconsports.com/article/59728/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">
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 </a>SPARTANBURG, SC – Samford senior Parker McDonald was named SoCon Baseball Player of the Week, and ETSU junior Michael Harpster was named SoCon Baseball Pitcher of the Week following games played from March 23 through March 29. McDonald (Tallahassee, FL / Lawton Chiles HS) led the Bulldogs to a 3-1 week and a non-conference series win over Presbyterian. He batted .615 (8-for-13) with four doubles, four runs scored, one home run, and four RBI. The Bulldogs’ third baseman coaxed three walks, posted a .688 on-base percentage, and produced a league-best 1.841 OPS with 15 total bases. He started the week with an RBI double in a 7-2 win at Troy, then followed by going 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and a walk in a 7-5 loss to the Blue Hose in Friday’s series opener. McDonald came through with a pair of hits and an RBI double in Saturday’s 7-4 win over Presbyterian, then closed his week with a 2-for-3 effort and an inside-the-park, two-run home run to close out Sunday’s 5-0 series clincher. A first-team All-SoCon choice at third base in 2025, McDonald is batting .244 this season with three home runs, nine doubles, and 15 RBI. He has reached base safely in seven consecutive games and is in the midst of a four-game hitting streak. Harpster (Lynchburg, VA / E.C. Glass HS) earned his second SoCon Pitcher of the Week honor of the season after hurling a season-best 7.0 innings without allowing an earned run in a 4-3, series-clinching win over VMI Saturday. The righty fanned seven Keydets, walked just one, and scattered three hits in the win. Harpster improved to 4-1 this season with a strong 3.19 ERA in seven starts for the Bucs. Harpster has forged a 19-5 career record in his three seasons on the mound at ETSU. Samford (12-15, 1-2 SoCon) will travel to West Georgia on March 31 for a 4:00 pm first pitch, before returning to SoCon action at home this weekend with a visit from ETSU. ETSU (19-4, 4-1 SoCon) will not play a midweek game this week, traveling to face Samford on April 2 in the opener of a three-game SoCon series. Also Nominated for Player of the Week: Christian Stratis (The Citadel), Ian Guanzon (ETSU), Luke Jenkins (UNC Greensboro), Logan Shepherd (Mercer), Cole Raile (VMI), Walker Fox (Western Carolina), Marc Quarrie (Wofford). Also Nominated for Pitcher of the Week: Andrew Buffkin (The Citadel), Cannon Lee (UNC Greensboro), Jeb Johnson (Mercer), Noah Berry (Samford), Andrew Jones (VMI), Carter Burnette (Western Carolina), Cullen Condon (Wofford). 2025-26 SoCon Player of the WeekFeb. 16 – Andrew Quarless, R-So., Western Carolina (C, Winston-Salem, NC)Feb. 23 – Braydon Kersey, Jr., Mercer (DH/INF, Alpharetta, GA)Mar 2 – Titan Kamaka, Sr., Mercer (SS, Orlando, FL)Mar 9 – Grayson Fitzwater, Sr., VMI (1B, Suffolk, VA)Mar 16 – Grayson Fitzwater, Sr., VMI (1B, Suffolk, VA)Mar 23 – Tristan Curless, Sr., ETSU (1B/P, Amarillo, TX)Mar 30 – Parker McDonald, Sr., Samford (3B, Tallahassee, FL) 2025-26 SoCon Pitcher of the WeekFeb. 16 – Andrew Marble, Jr., Samford (RHP, Hurley, MS)Feb. 23 – Michael Harpster, Jr., ETSU (RHP, Lynchburg, VA)Mar 2 – Bryce Coulter, Jr., The Citadel (RHP, Sumter, SC)Mar 9 – Mason Snyder, Jr., Western Carolina (RHP, Ocilla, GA)Mar 16 – Carter Burnette, So., Western Carolina (RHP, Asheville, NC)Mar 23 – Joseph Lee, Sr., Samford (RHP, San Jose, CA)Mar 30 – Michael Harpster, Jr., ETSU (RHP, Lynchburg, VA)</div>

SoCon Baseball Weekly Awards March 30, 2026

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<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, SC – ETSU senior Tristan Curless was named SoCon Player of the Week and Samford senior Joseph Lee was named SoCon Pitcher of the week following games played from March 16 through March 22. Curless (Amarillo, TX / Amarillo HS) helped the Bucs to a pair of SoCon wins against UNC Greensboro over the weekend, batting a sizzling .615 (8-of-13) with six runs scored, two home runs, seven RBI and a 1.821 OPS over three games. He added a save and did not allow a run in 2.0 innings of relief work on the mound. In the series finale at UNC Greensboro, Curless was a monster, going 3-for-4 at the plate with a home run and three RBI in a 15-8 win. He roped a single into left in the fourth inning for a 6-2 lead, then belted a solo home run in the top of the eighth to put ETSU up 11-8. He moved to the mound in the bottom of the eighth and tossed two shutout frames to close out the win. In the top of the ninth, his RBI single was part of a five-run burst for the visitors. Curless went 2-for-4 in the Bucs’ 8-2 win that evened the series and was 3-for4 with a home run and three RBI in the opener. Curless has been strong in his second season with the Bucs, batting .373 with 10 home runs and 15 RBI through 22 games played. He has made two consecutive scoreless appearances out of the bullpen. Lee (San Jose, CA / Kings Academy) tossed 7.0 shutout innings in Samford’s series opener at Western Carolina, helping the Bulldogs to an 11-0 win. He fanned seven, walked two, and allowed only one hit in the complete-game gem – which marked his first decision of the season in seven appearances. Lee threw 109 pitches and faced only two batters over the minimum with the help of a double play. Lee is 1-0 with a 3.45 ERA and 26 strikeouts this season in 28.2 innings of work. ETSU hosts Virginia Tech on Tuesday (March 24) at 5:00 pm before welcoming VMI for a SoCon series on Friday. Samford steps out of conference for a midweek trip to Troy, before hosting Presbyterian College in a weekend series beginning Friday. Also nominated for Player of the Week:  Luke Holland (UNCG), Braydon Kersey (Mercer), Jake Souders (Samford), Cole Raile (VMI), Trent Turner (Western Carolina), Logan Tribble (Wofford) Also nominated for Pitcher of the Week: Evan Rolison (ETSU), Noah Chapman (UNCG), Garrett Lambert (Mercer), Hunter Sipe (VMI), Bryant Kimbrell (Western Carolina), Branton Little (Wofford) 2025-26 SoCon Player of the WeekFeb. 16 – Andrew Quarless, R-So., Western Carolina (C, Winston-Salem, NC)Feb. 23 – Braydon Kersey, Jr., Mercer (DH/INF, Alpharetta, GA)Mar 2 – Titan Kamaka, Sr., Mercer (SS, Orlando, FL)Mar 9 – Grayson Fitzwater, Sr., VMI (1B, Suffolk, VA)Mar 16 – Grayson Fitzwater, Sr., VMI (1B, Suffolk, VA)Mar 23 – Tristan Curless, Sr., ETSU (1B/P, Amarillo, TX) 2025-26 SoCon Pitcher of the WeekFeb. 16 – Andrew Marble, Jr., Samford (RHP, Hurley, MS)Feb. 23 – Michael Harpster, Jr., ETSU (RHP, Lynchburg, VA)Mar 2 – Bryce Coulter, Jr., The Citadel (RHP, Sumter, SC)Mar 9 – Mason Snyder, Jr., Western Carolina (RHP, Ocilla, GA)Mar 16 – Carter Burnette, So., Western Carolina (RHP, Asheville, NC)Mar 23 – Joseph Lee, Sr., Samford (RHP, San Jose, CA) </div>

SoCon POW March 23

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<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, SC – VMI senior Grayson Fitzwater was named SoCon Player of the Week and Western Carolina sophomore Carter Burnette was named SoCon Pitcher of the Week following games played from March 10 through March 15. Fitzwater (Suffolk, VA / Nansemond River HS) extended his active hit streak to nine games last week, batting .583 (7-for-12) with a pair of home runs, three doubles, six RBI and five runs scored. The Keydets’ first baseman also swiped three bags and forged a robust .700 on base percentage – earning seven more walks over four games. Fitzwater walked three times in a midweek win at Norfolk State and took advantage of the strikes he saw to finish 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI. He followed with a 3-for-3 effort and a solo home run in the series opener vs. Cornell and closed out the series with a home run and three RBI in a 7-4 win. Fitzwater fielded a clean 1.000 over 32 chances at first base and powered his way to a 2.033 OPS for the week – his second week in a row in that stratosphere. He has hit safely in every game this month to date and has earned 14 walks over the past eight games. Fitzwater is batting .409 so far this season with eight home runs, eight doubles, 28 RBI, and 23 runs scored in 20 games. He has struck out only 11 times and leads the SoCon with an .894 slugging percentage. Burnette (Asheville, NC / Asheville HS) was terrific in a complete-game shutout of Morehead State. The righty fanned 10 batters, scattered three hits and did not issue a walk over a career-high 7.0 innings of work. He allowed only one extra base hit and needed only 78 pitches to complete the game. Burnette is now 2-2 on the season with 33 strikeouts in 27.0 innings. VMI (17-3) will play Radford in a three-game series this weekend, with the Saturday contest hosted in Lexington, VA. Radford will host the series’ Friday and Sunday games. Western Carolina (14-7) hosts Gardner-Webb on Wednesday afternoon before welcoming Samford to town on March 20-22 for both teams’ SoCon opening series.  Also nominated for Player of the Week: Jamie Palmese (ETSU), Aryan Patel (The Citadel), Brant Baughcum (Mercer), Tanner Berry (UNCG), Jake Souders (Samford), Wyatt Stanley (Western Carolina). Also nominated for Pitcher of the Week: Cooper Jones (ETSU), Michael Gibson (The Citadel), Miguel Hugas (Mercer), Joseph Lee (Samford), Hunter Sipe (VMI). 2025-26 SoCon Player of the WeekFeb. 16 – Andrew Quarless, R-So., Western Carolina (C, Winston-Salem, NC)Feb. 23 – Braydon Kersey, Jr., Mercer (DH/INF, Alpharetta, GA)Mar 2 – Titan Kamaka, Sr., Mercer (SS, Orlando, FL)Mar 9 – Grayson Fitzwater, Sr., VMI (1B, Suffolk, VA)Mar 16 – Grayson Fitzwater, Sr., VMI (1B, Suffolk, VA) 2025-26 SoCon Pitcher of the WeekFeb. 16 – Andrew Marble, Jr., Samford (RHP, Hurley, MS)Feb. 23 – Michael Harpster, Jr., ETSU (RHP, Lynchburg, VA)Mar 2 – Bryce Coulter, Jr., The Citadel (RHP, Sumter, SC)Mar 9 – Mason Snyder, Jr., Western Carolina (RHP, Ocilla, GA)Mar 16 – Carter Burnette, So., Western Carolina (RHP, Asheville, NC)</div>

SoCon Baseball News

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