BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The 2026 SWAC Baseball Tournament is set to take center stage at one of America’s most hallowed baseball grounds. From May 20\u201324, eight conference qualifiers will converge on historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Ala. \u2014 the oldest professional baseball park in the United States, built in 1910 \u2014 for a double-elimination tournament that will crown the conference’s automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament.<\/p>\n
For the Florida A&M Rattlers, this tournament represents the culmination of a regular season defined by resilience, momentum swings, and a red-hot finish. FAMU enters as the No. 3 seed with a 22-8 SWAC record (27-22 overall), riding a six-game winning streak that includes a dominant sweep of Alabama A&M and a dramatic series win over Texas Southern to close the regular season. The Rattlers, who were picked second in the preseason coaches’ poll and spent time tied for first place at the midpoint of the conference schedule, are poised to make a deep postseason run at a venue steeped in Black baseball history.<\/p>\n
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\tSeed
\n\t\t\tTeam
\n\t\t\tSWAC Record
\n\t\t\tOverall
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\tNo. 1
\n\t\t\tBethune-Cookman
\n\t\t\t23-7
\n\t\t\t37-18
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\tNo. 2
\n\t\t\tSouthern
\n\t\t\t20-7
\n\t\t\t27-21
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\tNo. 3
\n\t\t\tFlorida A&M
\n\t\t\t22-8
\n\t\t\t27-22
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\tNo. 4
\n\t\t\tAlabama State
\n\t\t\t20-10
\n\t\t\t30-21
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\tNo. 5
\n\t\t\tGrambling State
\n\t\t\t18-12
\n\t\t\t21-30
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\tNo. 6
\n\t\t\tTexas Southern
\n\t\t\t15-12
\n\t\t\t21-22
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\tNo. 7
\n\t\t\tJackson State
\n\t\t\t16-14
\n\t\t\t26-25
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\tNo. 8
\n\t\t\tArkansas-Pine Bluff
\n\t\t\t16-14
\n\t\t\t23-32
\n\t\t
\n\t
<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The SWAC Baseball Tournament uses a unique dual-bracket, double-elimination format. The eight qualifying teams are split into two parallel four-team brackets:<\/p>\n
Bracket A: No. 2 Southern, No. 3 Florida A&M, No. 6 Texas Southern, No. 7 Jackson State
\nBracket B: No. 1 Bethune-Cookman, No. 4 Alabama State, No. 5 Grambling State, No. 8 Arkansas-Pine Bluff<\/p>\n
Each bracket plays out as its own double-elimination mini-tournament from Wednesday through Friday, with an “if necessary” game on Saturday. The two bracket champions then meet in a single winner-take-all Championship Game on Sunday, May 24 at 2 p.m. ET. The tournament champion earns the SWAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.<\/p>\n
FAMU draws into Bracket A alongside No. 2 Southern, No. 6 Texas Southern, and No. 7 Jackson State. The Rattlers’ opening-round opponent is a familiar one: Texas Southern, the same squad FAMU just defeated 9-8 in a regular-season finale thriller in Tallahassee to clinch the No. 3 seed.<\/p>\n
That familiarity cuts both ways. The Rattlers know the Tigers’ personnel, but Texas Southern has nothing to lose after dropping seven consecutive games to close the regular season. Desperate teams can be dangerous teams in a tournament setting, and the Tigers will be eager to reverse their fortunes against the program that ended their regular season on a sour note.<\/p>\n
The other Bracket A opener pits No. 2 Southern against No. 7 Jackson State. Southern closed the season on a six-game winning streak of its own and finished 20-7 in SWAC play. The Jaguars are the top seed in this bracket and represent the most formidable obstacle between FAMU and a bracket championship. Jackson State, meanwhile, finished 16-14 in conference play and showed the ability to produce explosive offensive performances late in the season, including an 18-1 run-rule win over Alabama A&M and a 12-6 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the regular-season finale.<\/p>\n
Bracket A Schedule (All Times Eastern)<\/p>\n
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\tGame
\n\t\t\tMatchup
\n\t\t\tDate \/ Time (ET)
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\tGame 1
\n\t\t\t#3 Florida A&M vs. #6 Texas Southern
\n\t\t\tWed, May 20 \u2022 10 a.m. ET
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\tGame 3
\n\t\t\t#2 Southern vs. #7 Jackson State
\n\t\t\tWed, May 20 \u2022 4 p.m. ET
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\tGame 7
\n\t\t\tWinner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 3
\n\t\t\tThu, May 21 \u2022 4 p.m. ET
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\tGame 5
\n\t\t\tLoser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 3
\n\t\t\tThu, May 21 \u2022 10 a.m. ET
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\tGame 9
\n\t\t\tWinner Game 5 vs. Loser Game 7
\n\t\t\tFri, May 22 \u2022 10 a.m. ET
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\tGame 11
\n\t\t\tWinner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 9
\n\t\t\tFri, May 22 \u2022 4 p.m. ET
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\tGame 11b
\n\t\t\tIf Necessary
\n\t\t\tSat, May 23 \u2022 1 p.m. ET
\n\t\t
\n\t
<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
For the Rattlers to hoist the SWAC Championship trophy on Sunday, they would need to win either three or four games depending on whether they stay unbeaten in bracket play. Here is the ideal path:<\/p>\n
Game 1 \u2014 Wednesday, May 20, 10 a.m. ET: No. 3 FAMU vs. No. 6 Texas Southern Ideal Result: FAMU advances to the winners’ bracket; Texas Southern drops to the elimination side.<\/p>\n Game 7 \u2014 Thursday, May 21, 4 p.m. ET: Winners’ Bracket Semifinal Ideal Result: FAMU defeats Southern and advances to the Bracket A championship game with a 2-0 tournament record.<\/p>\n Game 11 \u2014 Friday, May 22, 4 p.m. ET: Bracket A Championship Ideal Result: FAMU wins Bracket A and advances to Sunday’s Championship Game.<\/p>\n Championship \u2014 Sunday, May 24, 2 p.m. ET: Winner-Take-All A championship matchup between the two Florida-based SWAC programs would carry enormous stakes and narrative weight. For FAMU, a tournament title would complete one of the most dramatic arcs in recent conference history \u2014 from preseason No. 2 pick, to co-leader at the midpoint, to a mid-season freefall that included a three-game sweep at Grambling State, to a furious six-game winning streak that carried the Rattlers into the postseason with championship-caliber momentum.<\/p>\n Ideal Result: FAMU defeats the Bracket B champion and claims the 2026 SWAC Baseball Championship and automatic NCAA Tournament bid.<\/p>\n Momentum Lineup Depth Pitching and Bullpen Resilience The Venue The 2026 SWAC Baseball Tournament promises to be one of the most competitive in recent conference history. Multiple teams enter on winning streaks, the top eight are separated by real postseason credentials, and the dual-bracket format ensures that no team can coast.
\nThe Rattlers’ best-case scenario begins with a decisive opening win over Texas Southern. FAMU has seen the Tigers three times already in the final regular-season series and knows their tendencies. In the best case, the Rattlers jump on Texas Southern early behind the lineup’s proven power \u2014 led by Jackson McKenzie<\/a>, who was the offensive engine during the Alabama A&M sweep (5-for-13, two home runs, seven RBI), and William Brown<\/a>, who hit .600 in that series (6-for-10, two doubles, a homer, four RBI). Jay Campbell<\/a>, the steady run producer batting third, provides the lineup’s heartbeat. On the mound, a strong start from the rotation \u2014 backed by Tanner Walker’s<\/a> late-inning reliability and Jesus Campa’s<\/a> dominant bullpen work (he retired all 13 batters he faced in the Alabama A&M finale) \u2014 sets the tone for the tournament.<\/p>\n
\nIn the best-case scenario, FAMU faces the winner of Southern vs. Jackson State \u2014 most likely No. 2 Southern. This is the biggest test in Bracket A. Southern is the highest-seeded team in the bracket and finished the regular season as the league’s second-best team. However, the Rattlers possess the kind of lineup depth and pitching balance that can match up with anyone in the conference. FAMU’s team batted .318 over the Alabama A&M sweep, hit six home runs, and scored in 12 of 25 half-innings. A win here would put FAMU one victory away from the bracket title and guarantee at least two chances to get there.<\/p>\n
\nWith two wins in hand and no losses, FAMU would enter the Bracket A title game with a cushion: even a loss here would force an “if necessary” Game 11b on Saturday rather than elimination. In the best-case path, the Rattlers close out the bracket with a third consecutive win. The likely opponent at this stage would be Southern (returning through the elimination side) or whichever team survived Games 5 and 9 on the losers’ bracket side. FAMU’s bullpen depth \u2014 a staff that posted a combined 1.64 ERA over 11.1 innings of relief in the Alabama A&M series \u2014 becomes the decisive advantage in a compressed tournament schedule.<\/p>\n
\nThe championship game pits the Bracket A winner against the Bracket B winner in a single winner-take-all contest. In FAMU’s best-case scenario, the opponent is likely No. 1 Bethune-Cookman, the regular-season champion at 23-7 in SWAC play. The Wildcats are the conference’s most complete team, led by preseason Player of the Year Andrey Martinez and Preseason Pitcher of the Year Edwin Sanchez. FAMU and Bethune-Cookman already have a rivalry layer: the Rattlers were tied with B-CU for first place in the SWAC before their late-April series in Daytona Beach, where the Wildcats took two of three to seize control of the standings.<\/p>\n
\nSix consecutive wins entering the tournament. The Rattlers are the hottest team in Bracket A and one of the hottest in the entire tournament field, tied with Southern for the longest active winning streak among qualifiers.<\/p>\n
\nFAMU’s offense is not a one-man show. McKenzie, William Brown<\/a>, Jordan Brown<\/a>, Campbell, Caden Kresak<\/a>, Josue Figueroa<\/a>, Colton Ryals<\/a>, and Ethan Miller<\/a> all contributed signature moments down the stretch. The Rattlers batted .318 as a team in their last series and hit six home runs. That kind of balanced production is difficult to pitch around in a short tournament.<\/p>\n
\nThe rotation has been solid, and the bullpen has been dominant. Starters combined to allow just seven earned runs over 14 innings in the Alabama A&M sweep, and the relief corps posted a 1.64 ERA over 11.1 innings. Campa’s perfect 13-batter stretch in the series finale is the kind of shutdown performance that wins elimination games.<\/p>\n
\nThis team has proven it can respond to adversity. After the Grambling State sweep dropped FAMU to sixth in the SWAC standings, many counted the Rattlers out. The team responded with six straight victories, including a sweep of Alabama A&M and a dramatic series win over a Texas Southern team that was jockeying for position. That bounce-back mentality is invaluable in a double-elimination format where one bad game doesn’t end the run.<\/p>\n
\nRickwood Field is more than just a ballpark. As the oldest professional baseball park in America and a site deeply intertwined with Black baseball history, it provides a meaningful stage for HBCU athletes. The SWAC’s multi-year agreement to host the tournament at Rickwood through 2029 underscores the conference’s commitment to honoring that legacy. For FAMU’s players, competing on this ground carries an added layer of significance.<\/p>\n
\nFor Florida A&M, the mission is clear: take care of business against Texas Southern in the opener, build momentum through the bracket, and give themselves a chance to play for a championship on Sunday at Rickwood Field.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The 2026 SWAC Baseball Tournament is set to take center stage at one of America’s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":297374,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[27,29,28],"class_list":["post-297373","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-texas","tag-texas","tag-texas-headlines","tag-texas-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/297373","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=297373"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/297373\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/297374"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=297373"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=297373"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=297373"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}