BIRMINGHAM, Ala. | Alabama State opened the 2026 Southwestern Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament in dominant fashion Wednesday, shutting out No. 5 seed Grambling State 10-0 at historic Rickwood Field behind a powerful offensive performance and a combined three-hit pitching effort.
The Hornets (31-21) scored in four different innings and were led offensively by Miguel Oropeza, who finished 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, and five RBI. Fabian Santana added a 3-for-4 performance with two RBIs, while Jackson Williams collected two hits and an RBI in the victory.
Alabama State starter Jorhan LaBoy earned the win to improve to 9-5 on the season after tossing five scoreless innings. The right-hander allowed five hits, struck out four, and stranded six Grambling runners. Camden Matthews entered in the sixth inning before James Peterson came on to escape a bases-loaded jam and close out the final three innings with five strikeouts to record his third save of the season.
The Hornets broke the game open in the bottom of the third inning with a four-run frame. Quentin Jenkins and Fabian Santana opened the rally with consecutive singles before Devin Chandler loaded the bases with a base hit to left field. After Breydon Divine reached on a fielder's choice, Oropeza crushed a grand slam over the left-field wall to give Alabama State a 4-0 advantage.
Alabama State added another run in the fourth inning. Trey Callaway walked and advanced to third on Jackson Williams' single and a Grambling fielding error before scoring on a double-play ball off the bat of Cale Clark, extending the lead to 5-0.
The Hornets pushed the margin to 7-0 in the sixth inning. Oropeza doubled down the left-field line and later scored on Callaway's RBI single through the middle. Williams followed with an RBI single to left field that plated Niguel Jenkins. The double was Oropeza's 18th of the season, movining him four shy of tying ASU's single season doubles record.Â
Alabama State capped the scoring with three more runs in the eighth inning. Clark and Quentin Jenkins recorded back-to-back singles before Santana delivered a two-run single through the left side. Later in the inning, Oropeza added his fifth RBI of the day with a single to left field that scored Alex Espaillat for the final 10-0 margin.
Grambling managed six hits but was unable to capitalize offensively, leaving nine runners on base. Trey Bridges and Aidan Lopez each recorded two hits for the Tigers.
Keyon Guillory suffered the loss for Grambling, falling to 3-5 after allowing seven runs, six earned, across five innings.
Alabama State advances in the winner's bracket of the SWAC Tournament and will play Thursday against No. 1 seed Bethune-Cookman oor No. 8 seed Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Rickwood Field.
