The 2026 Ohio Valley Conference Baseball Championship concluded with the championship game on Sunday. This year marked the 47th OVC Baseball Tournament (the first elimination style event was held in 1979).

The event was held May 19-23 at Mtn Dew Park in Marion, Illinois. The venue opened in 2007 and was previously known as Rent One Park. It is now home to the Prospect League Team the Thrillville Thrillbillies, who began play in the summer of 2023. This year marks the fifth time the event has been held at the venue (2019, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026); the event will be held at the venue through 2029.

Game 13: #4 Little Rock 10, #2 Eastern Illinois 6
Box Score | Live Video | Live Stats | Photo Gallery | Postgame: LR
 

 
#4 LITTLE ROCK 10, #2 EASTERN ILLINOIS 6
MARION, Ill. - The Trojans erupted for eight runs in the seventh inning and stormed back from a five-run deficit to defeat Eastern Illinois 10-6 in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament championship game Sunday at Mtn Dew Park.

Little Rock (36-26) claimed the tournament title and secured the program's NCAA Tournament berth after another unforgettable postseason run that included six wins in five days and seven games overall in Marion. Last year, the Trojans had to win five games in four days to secure the OVC title. It marks the first time in school history that teams have secured back-to-back regional berths. 

Redshirt-freshman reliever Tag Andrews was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after earning the win Sunday with 1.2 innings of relief work. Andrews was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Nico Baumbach, Jerdy Lopez, Blake Simpson, Brody Bunting and Cooper Chaplain.

Sunday's victory was extra special as it also marked the 300th win of Curry's tenure at Little Rock.

Eastern Illinois (33-21), who was 0-5 against Little Rock this season, appeared in control for much of the afternoon, building a 6-1 lead through six innings behind timely hitting and aggressive baserunning.

But the Trojans once again showed the resilience that defined their postseason push.

Senior catcher Trey Hill said the confidence inside the dugout never faded despite the deficit.

Little Rock sent 13 batters to the plate during its decisive seventh inning and turned a 6-1 deficit into a 9-6 lead.

Chaplain started the rally with a two-run double down the left field line that scored Ty Rhoades and Hill, who had doubled. Blake Simpson followed with a two-run single up the middle to cut the deficit to one.

Moments later, Baumbach delivered the biggest hit of the game, lining a two-run single into left-center to give Little Rock its first lead at 7-6. Rhoades later added an RBI ground-rule double before Hill capped the inning with a sacrifice fly.

The Trojans added an insurance run in the ninth when Angel Cano scored on a wild pitch.

Little Rock finished with 13 hits, including three from Simpson and two each from Baumbach, Rhoades, Hill and Nolan Freund.

The bullpen combination of Andrews and Isaac Evaniew helped shut the door after Eastern Illinois had built momentum early. Evaniew tossed three scoreless innings to earn his second save of the season.

2026 OVC Baseball All-Tournament Team
Tag Andrews, Little Rock (MVP)
Nico Baumbach, Little Rock
Jerdy Lopez, Little Rock
Blake Simpson, Little Rock
Brody Bunting, Little Rock
Cooper Chaplain, Little Rock
Mike O’Conor, Eastern Illinois
Quade Peters, Eastern Illinois
Anthony Solis, Eastern Illinois
Bryce Riggs, Eastern Illinois
Parker Martin, Southern Indiana
Mason Pennington, Southeast Missouri
Jake Radosevich, Lindenwood