The late-March stretch of the 2026 season brought high-stakes conference battles, massive offensive explosions, and dominant pitching performances across the HBCU Large School landscape. From the SWAC to the NEC, teams are beginning to separate themselves as we head toward the midway point of the season.
SWAC Power Moves
Florida A&M asserted their dominance at home, completing a massive three-game sweep of Alabama State. The Rattlers’ pitching staff was the story of the weekend, stifling the Hornets’ bats and allowing just four total runs over 27 innings. Offensively, William Brown and Matthew Perez provided the thunder, both launching critical home runs to fuel the sweep.
Mississippi Valley State utilized their home-field advantage in Itta Bena to sweep Alabama A&M in a gritty three-game series. The Delta Devils relied on aggressive baserunning and elite starting pitching, highlighted by Luke Richard’s 9.0-inning, 8-strikeout masterpiece in the series opener. Kendall Brookins acted as the offensive engine, providing the walk-off heroics in Game 1 and totaling 5 RBIs over the weekend.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff continues to be the hottest offense in the nation. After a historic 32-6 mid-week demolition of Arkansas Baptist , the Golden Lions swept Alcorn State, outscoring them 40-11 over three games. Zach Wieder and Aaron Grant led a relentless attack, while Justin Mays provided a Sunday masterclass on the mound with 12 strikeouts.
Southern University enjoyed a stellar 3-1 week, beginning with a significant mid-week victory over McNeese. The Jaguars then took two of three from Prairie View A&M in a thrilling weekend set. The series finale saw Southern overcome a four-run deficit, capped by Kameron Byrd’s clutch late-inning RBI double.
Texas Southern flexed its muscle against Grambling State, winning the series two games to one. TSU’s offense was explosive in their two victories, scoring 15 and 12 runs respectively. Despite the series loss, Grambling showed heart with a 10-inning comeback victory on Saturday fueled by Trey Bridges.
Bethune-Cookman maintained their spot atop the standings by taking two of three from Jackson State. The Wildcats’ power was on full display in the finale, with Andrey Martinez and Sergio Rivera launching decisive home runs.
NEC and Independent Highlights
Norfolk State had a banner week, finishing 3-1. After a marquee mid-week road win at VCU , the Spartans’ pitching took over against Mercyhurst, recording back-to-back shutouts on Saturday and Sunday. Parker Hampton was the weekend star, tossing a complete-game 5-hit shutout.
North Carolina A&T pulled off the upset of the week, taking two of three from Georgetown. Following a mid-week win over Gardner-Webb , the Aggies utilized high-scoring “big innings” to topple the Hoyas. Kobie Cushing cemented the series win with 5.0 scoreless relief innings in the finale.
Delaware State opened their series against FDU with a disciplined 4-2 win. Michael Lane was nearly untouchable, striking out 10 over 8.0 innings. The Hornets used solo home runs from Jabril Bullock and Alec Rodriguez to provide the winning margin.
UMES struggled through a 1-3 week but found a massive silver lining in their series finale against LIU. In a 15-11 slugfest, Henry Clausell put the team on his back, hitting two home runs and driving in 6 runs before taking the mound to earn the save.
Coppin State faced a difficult week, going 1-3 overall. While their defense struggled with errors, Noah Hogan and Kenan Harvey provided consistent offensive sparks, including a resilient 16-9 victory over Le Moyne on Saturday.
Weekly Closing Statement
The final week of March 2026 proved to be a defining moment for HBCU Large School baseball, characterized by a shift in conference power dynamics and individual brilliance. We witnessed a total of three series sweeps—Florida A&M, Mississippi Valley State, and Arkansas-Pine Bluff—demonstrating that home-field advantage and pitching depth are becoming the primary currencies for success. While high-scoring affairs dominated the headlines, the emergence of elite starting pitching in pressure-cooker environments suggests that the league is tightening up as we enter the heart of conference play.
Outlook for the Coming Week
Expect the intensity to ramp up as teams look to either solidify their leads or claw back into the middle of the pack.
• Offensive Momentum: All eyes will be on Arkansas-Pine Bluff to see if their historic offensive pace (outscoring opponents 72-17 this week) is sustainable as they move deeper into their SWAC schedule.
• Pitching Rebounds: Pitching staffs for Alabama State and Alabama A&M will be under the microscope; after being swept, the focus will be on their ability to shorten games and limit “big innings”.
• Independent Stability: Norfolk State and North Carolina A&T enter the week with high confidence following marquee wins against VCU and Georgetown, respectively. Maintaining that non-conference momentum will be key for their regional
About the Author
Rod White is a veteran scout and the National Scouting Director for the National Scouting Bureau (NSB). A graduate of Scout School with the Toronto Blue Jays, Rod has served in scouting roles within the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies organizations and is a key selection committee member and scout for the MLB HBCU Swingman Classic.
Most recently, as the Head Baseball Coach at Dillard University, Rod led the program to unprecedented goals and a .660 winning percentage during his tenure. An alumnus and former assistant coach of Alabama State University, Rod has dedicated his career to the elevation of the game at every level.
As the founder of NSB, NSB ScoutWire, the ScoutsEye App, and the We Play Baseball Podcast, Rod blends a traditional scout’s “eye test” with modern data-driven analytics to identify “fast-track” prospects. His mission remains clear: ensuring that all baseball talent receives the professional visibility and evaluation they deserve, with a steadfast commitment to minority and HBCU players.