Citadel and Samford Advance in SoCon Baseball Championship
The 2026 Southern Conference baseball tournament kicked off on Wednesday with a flurry of action, as The Citadel and Samford each recorded two wins that secured their places in the next round.
The Citadel began the day with a 21‑11 victory over VMI, a game that featured a conference‑tournament record 24 hits, and followed it with a 13‑7 win against Wofford.
Standout Performances
Michael Gibson was a driving force for The Citadel, going 5‑for‑5 against VMI and then adding a 3‑for‑5 effort versus Wofford, while Trey Higgins led Samford’s offense with three hits, including two home runs.
Samford’s 13‑1 triumph over UNC Greensboro was highlighted by five home runs and five doubles, underscoring a dominant offensive display.
Thursday’s Matchups
The Citadel will meet top‑seeded Mercer at 9:00 a.m., and Samford is scheduled to play Western Carolina at 12:30 p.m., each game poised to test the teams’ momentum.
Meanwhile, UNC Greensboro and Wofford are set to contest elimination games against the losers of those matchups, a prospect made more intriguing by UNC Greensboro’s narrow 6‑5 win over ETSU, where Luke Holland’s solo homer sparked the scoring.