CHAMPIONSHIP TICKETS | CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
 
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — No. 7 seed Louisiana and No. 9 seed Georgia State prevailed in first round single-elimination action at the 2026 Sun Belt Baseball Championship presented by Troy University in Montgomery, Ala.
 
By virtue of their run-rule victories in Tuesday’s single-elimination games, the No 7-seeded Ragin’ Cajuns and No. 9-seeded Panthers advance to the double-elimination portion of the bracket. 
 
Four games will be on tap on Wednesday at DABOS Park—No. 6-seeded Texas State vs. No. 3-seeded App State at 9:00 a.m. CT, No. 7-seeded Louisiana vs. No. 2-seeded Coastal Carolina at 12:30 p.m. CT, No. 9-seeded Georgia State vs. No. 1-seeded Southern Miss at 4:00 p.m. CT and No. 5-seeded South Alabama vs. No. 4-seeded Troy in the nightcap at 7:30 p.m. CT. 
 
GAME 1 – No. 7 seed Louisiana def. No. 10 seed Marshall, 11-1 (7 Innings) 
Louisiana scored early and often in an 11-1 run-rule victory over Marshall in the opening contest of the Sun Belt Baseball Championship presented by Troy University. 
 
The Thundering Herd broke the ice in the top of the first inning—plating an unearned run on a throwing error—but it was all Ragin’ Cajuns from there. The first five Louisiana batters reached base in the bottom half of the frame—capped by an RBI single to shallow right by junior third baseman Drew Markle that gave the Ragin’ Cajuns a 3-1 lead. 
 
With two-on and one-out in the bottom of the third, sophomore second baseman Owen Galt and sophomore outfielder Mark Collins sent back-to-back missiles off the left field wall to plate three more for Louisiana.
 
Freshman outfielder Noah Lewis delivered a 423-foot, three-run blast to center in the bottom of the fifth to run the Ragin’ Cajuns advantage to 9-1. 
 
With runners on the corners in the bottom of the seventh, senior first baseman Lee Amedee brought a run home on a ground out to first and two pitches later freshman catcher Colt Brown singled to right to deliver the walk-off knockout blow. 
 
Ragin’ Cajuns junior right-hander Cody Brasch improved to 6-2 on the year, earning the victory after conceding three hits and an unearned run over 5.1 innings of work. Sophomore right-hander Parker Smith allowed just one baserunner—on a walk—over 1.2 innings in relief. 
 
The Ragin’ Cajuns will take on No. 2 seed Coastal Carolina at 12:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday, May 20. Louisiana took 2-of-3 in the regular-season series this past weekend in Lafayette. 
 
GAME 2 – No. 9 seed Georgia State def. No. 8 seed Old Dominion, 17-1 (7 Innings)
Behind a seven-inning, complete game two-hitter from senior right-hander Cole Roberts and an electric night from the Panther bats, Georgia State made it a pair of run-rule wins on the opening day of the Sun Belt Baseball Championship presented by Troy University with a 17-1 victory over Old Dominion. 
 
Every Panther registered a hit, a run scored and an RBI—led by 3-for-5 efforts with two runs scored and three RBI from sophomore first baseman Hunter Carlson and graduate student second baseman Nick Gargozzo. 

The Panthers plated two in the first and three in the second, before Gargozzo sent a 340-foot shot—his first home run of the season—over the right field wall in the top of the fifth to make it 7-0 in favor of Georgia State. 
 
Georgia State batted around in the top of the sixth with eight runs coming across on six hits—headlined by a two-RBI ground-rule double off the bat of graduate student catcher Cole Griffith and a two-RBI triple down the right field line by sophomore outfielder John Beverley.
 
A two-out, two-RBI single to left by redshirt sophomore shortstop Carter Bailey produced the final Panther tally in the top of the seventh. 
 
Monarchs senior second baseman Maverick Stallings broke up the Georgia State shutout bid with a 379-foot bomb to left to lead off the seventh inning, before Roberts retired the next three Old Dominion batters in order to close out the win. 
 
Roberts improved to 2-3 on the season, striking out five and conceding two hits and one earned run over the 7.0 inning complete game that required just 94 pitches. 

The Panthers will take on Sun Belt regular-season champion and No. 1 seed Southern Miss at 4:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday, May 20. The tournament matchup will be the first between the two clubs during the 2026 campaign. 
 
CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Tuesday, May 19
Game 1 – No. 7 seed Louisiana def. No. 10 seed Marshall, 11-1 (7 Innings)
Game 2 – No. 9 seed Georgia State def. No. 8 seed Old Dominion, 17-1 (7 Innings)
 
Wednesday, May 20
Game 3 – No. 6 seed Texas State vs. No. 3 seed App State, 9:00 a.m. CT
Game 4 – No. 7 seed Louisiana vs. No. 2 seed Coastal Carolina, 12:30 p.m. CT
Game 5 – No. 9 seed Georgia State vs. No. 1 seed Southern Miss, 4:00 p.m. CT
Game 6 – No. 5 seed South Alabama vs. No. 4 seed Troy, 7:30 p.m. CT 
 
Thursday, May 21
Game 7 – Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 9:00 a.m. CT
Game 8 – Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, 12:30 p.m. CT
Game 9 – Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 4:00 p.m. CT
Game 10 – Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 7:30 p.m. CT
 
Friday, May 22
Game 11 – Loser Game 9 vs. Winner Game 7, 3:00 p.m. CT 
Game 12 – Loser Game 10 vs. Winner Game 8, 6:30 p.m. CT
 
Saturday, May 23
Game 13 – Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 11, 9:00 a.m. CT
Game 14 – Winner Game 10 vs. Winner Game 12, 12:30 p.m. CT
If Necessary – 4:00 p.m. CT
If Necessary – 7:30 p.m. CT
 
Sunday, May 24
Championship Game – 1:00 p.m. CT