BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Alabama State University captured its third Southwestern Athletic Conference baseball championship Sunday afternoon, holding off Florida A&M for an 8-6 victory in the 2026 SWAC Baseball Championship presented by Chevrolet at historic Rickwood Field.
The Hornets secured the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship and will learn their regional destination during the NCAA Selection Show on Tuesday at 11 a.m. Alabama State previously won conference tournament titles in 2016 and 2022.
Alabama State (34-21) used timely hitting and a six-run surge through the middle innings to build an 8-2 advantage before surviving a late rally from Florida A&M (30-23). The Hornets finished with 13 hits, including a pivotal three-run home run from Trey Callaway in the sixth inning that proved to be the difference.
Miguel Oropeza was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after helping lead Alabama State through an unbeaten run in the championship bracket. Oropeza also earned All-Tournament Team honors alongside James Peterson, Jorhan LaBoy, and Fabian Santana.
The Hornets struck first in the opening inning when Breydon Divine singled, stole second, and later scored on Niguel Jenkins' RBI single to left field for a 1-0 lead. Florida A&M answered in the bottom half of the inning as Jackson McKenzie delivered an RBI double to even the score at 1-1.
Alabama State regained the lead in the third inning. Devin Chandler opened the frame with a single before Oropeza lined an RBI single to left field to score Chandler and put the Hornets ahead 2-1.
The decisive stretch came in the fourth inning when Alabama State plated three runs on four hits. Fabian Santana drove in Jackson Williams with an RBI single, Chandler followed with another RBI base hit, and Jenkins was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force home Santana for a 5-1 advantage.
Florida A&M trimmed the deficit to 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth on Josue Figueroa's RBI double, but the Hornets responded immediately in the sixth inning.
After Oropeza worked a one-out walk and Jenkins was hit by a pitch, Callaway launched a three-run homer to right-center field to extend the Alabama State lead to 8-2. The blast marked Callaway's lone hit of the afternoon but accounted for three RBI,
Florida A&M attempted a comeback over the final three innings. Jay Campbell delivered an RBI single in the seventh inning, and the Rattlers capitalized on an Alabama State throwing error in the eighth to score two unearned runs before adding a sacrifice fly from William Brown to cut the deficit to 8-6.
Peterson settled down in the ninth inning despite allowing two singles, retiring Matthew Perez on a foul out before inducing a game-ending fly ball to right field to secure the championship.
Peterson earned the victory in relief to improve to 7-1 after tossing 4 2/3 innings. He allowed four runs — two earned — on nine hits while striking out two. LaBoy started for Alabama State and worked 4 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits with two strikeouts.
Florida A&M starter Caleb Granger took the loss and fell to 7-4 after surrendering five runs on 11 hits across five innings.
Chandler and Santana each recorded two hits for Alabama State, while Cale Clark added three hits. Oropeza finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk, and Jenkins drove in two runs.
Campbell and McKenzie paced Florida A&M with three hits apiece.
The championship marked Alabama State's second SWAC Tournament title in the last five seasons and continued a strong postseason run that included four tournament victories in Birmingham.
All-Tournament Team
Ryan Hunter, Southern
Andrey Martinez, Bethune-Cookman
Vinny Saumell, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Aaron Grant , Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Alex Monile, Florida A&M
Jesus Campa, Florida A&M
Jackson McKenzie, Florida A&M
Jay Campbell, Florida A&M
Fabian Santana, Alabama State
James Peterson, Alabama State
Jorhan LaBoy, Alabama State
Miguel Oropeza, Alabama State (MVP)
