Alabama State is headed back to the NCAA Tournament.
The Hornets captured the 2026 SWAC Baseball Tournament championship Sunday afternoon with an 8-6 victory over Florida A&M at historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
Alabama State finished the tournament with four straight wins and improved to 34-21 overall. Florida A&M ended its season at 30-23 after fighting through the elimination bracket to reach the title game.
Alabama State strikes first
The Hornets wasted little time getting on the board.
Niguel Jenkins delivered an RBI single in the first inning to score Breydon Divine and give Alabama State a 1-0 lead. Florida A&M answered immediately when Jackson McKenzie ripped an RBI double to right-center field to score Jay Campbell and tie the game at 1-1.
Alabama State regained control in the third inning. Miguel Oropeza singled to left field to bring home Devin Chandler and put the Hornets back in front 2-1.
The Hornets broke the game open during a three-run fourth inning.
Fabian Santana singled home Jackson Williams before Chandler added another RBI single through the left side. Later in the inning, Niguel Jenkins drew a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to force in another run and extend Alabama State’s lead to 5-1.
Florida A&M responded in the bottom half of the inning when Josue Figueroa doubled to left-center field to score Matthew Perez and cut the deficit to 5-2.
Trey Callaway delivers championship swing
The defining moment of the game came in the sixth inning.
With Miguel Oropeza and Niguel Jenkins on base, Trey Callaway blasted a three-run homer to right-center field to push Alabama State’s advantage to 8-2.
The home run gave the Hornets breathing room against a Florida A&M lineup that had been one of the hottest offenses in the tournament.
Callaway finished with one hit and three RBI, while Oropeza, Santana, Chandler and Jenkins each drove in runs during the championship victory.
Florida A&M rallies late
The Rattlers refused to go away quietly.
Jay Campbell singled home William Brown in the seventh inning to trim the lead to 8-3 before Florida A&M mounted a serious threat in the eighth.
Jordan Brown singled back to the pitcher and advanced to third on a throwing error, allowing two runs to score. William Brown later added a sacrifice fly to cut Alabama State’s lead to 8-6.
But Alabama State reliever James Peterson settled down and closed the door in the ninth inning to secure the championship.
James Peterson shines in relief
Peterson played a major role in Alabama State’s tournament run.
The right-hander earned the victory after throwing 4.2 innings in relief, allowing two earned runs while striking out two. He threw 76 pitches and helped stabilize the game after Florida A&M threatened multiple times late.
Starter Jorhan LaBoy gave Alabama State 4.1 innings before the bullpen took over.
Florida A&M starter Caleb Granger took the loss after allowing five earned runs on 11 hits over five innings.
Hornets return to NCAA Tournament
Alabama State’s championship run capped an impressive weekend at Rickwood Field.
The Hornets defeated Grambling State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Florida A&M twice on their way to the conference title.
Florida A&M entered the championship game after knocking off Southern earlier Sunday to advance through the loser’s bracket.
Now Alabama State will wait to learn its NCAA Regional destination during the NCAA Baseball Selection Show.
The SWAC champions closed the tournament the same way they played most of the weekend — with timely hitting, power offense and resilience in big moments.