SUNDAY'S SCORES
Little Rock 6, #21 Jacksonville State 3 (Hattiesburg, Miss.)
LITTLE ROCK 6, #21 JACKSONVILLE STATE 3
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Little Rock won its eighth-straight game, sweeping the Hattiesburg Regional, in topping Jacksonville State 6-3 to advance to its first-ever Super Regional.
The Trojas (39-26) are the first OVC team to advance to the Supers since Tennessee Tech in 2018.
The championship marks another historic milestone for a program that had never won an NCAA Regional game before last season. One year after making national headlines by reaching the Baton Rouge Regional final, Little Rock took another step forward, becoming the first team in school history to win an NCAA Regional and advance to a Super Regional.
The Trojans will learn their Super Regional destination Monday night. Little Rock will face the winner of a deciding game between Florida and Troy in the Gainesville Regional.
Little Rock's offense struck first Sunday and never trailed.
After Nic Bronzini escaped a bases-loaded jam in the top of the first inning, the Trojans broke through in the second. Trey Hill was hit by a pitch and Cooper Chaplain reached before Jerdy Lopez lined a two-run double into the gap in left-center field, scoring both runners for a 2-0 lead.
The Trojans added another run in the third inning. Blake Simpson singled and eventually came around to score when Angel Cano delivered an RBI double, extending the advantage to 3-0.
Jacksonville State answered in the fourth. Matthew Cash and Greg LaChance reached base before Caleb Johnson lined a two-run single to center field, cutting the Little Rock lead to 3-2.
Little Rock responded immediately in the fifth. Simpson collected his second hit of the night and Nolan Freund followed with a single. Nico Baumbach then came through with a clutch RBI single to left field, scoring Freund and restoring a two-run cushion at 4-2.
The Gamecocks refused to go away, trimming the margin to 4-3 in the seventh inning after Cooper Blauser scored on a groundout.
But the Trojans delivered the decisive blow in the eighth.
Chaplain reached base to start the inning and Lopez followed with his third hit of the night, a triple into the gap. Kade Smith then worked a walk before Freund ripped a two-run single through the left side, scoring both Chaplain and Lopez to extend the lead to 6-3.
Freund finished 2-for-5 with two RBI, Lopez went 3-for-5 with two RBI, a double and a triple, and Simpson scored twice while collecting two hits. Baumbach and Cano each drove in a run as Little Rock pounded out 10 hits.
Freund said his eighth-inning hit brought a sense of relief in a tense championship game.
Jacksonville State collected 10 hits and drew seven walks but stranded 15 runners. The Trojans escaped bases-loaded threats in both the first and ninth innings and repeatedly came up with the big pitch when it mattered most.
Bronzini worked four innings before turning the ball over to the bullpen. Isaac Evaniew earned the victory after allowing just one hit over 1.2 scoreless innings. Josh Beezley recorded a key out in the sixth before Brody Bunting took over and delivered one of the biggest relief performances of the season.
Bunting worked the final 3.1 innings, allowing just two hits and one unearned run while striking out three to earn his first save of the season. In the ninth, Jacksonville State loaded the bases with one out, but Bunting struck out Luke Williams and induced the final out to secure the championship and spark a celebration along the first-base line.
The Trojans' dominance throughout the regional was reflected in the postseason awards.
Five Little Rock players were named to the Hattiesburg Regional All-Tournament Team. Blake Simpson was selected as the tournament's Most Outstanding Player after helping lead Little Rock through an undefeated regional run. Simpson, who was a unanimous selection, was joined on the team by Freund, Lopez, Baumbach and freshman pitcher Tag Andrews.
Freund and Lopez anchored the left side of the infield throughout the regional and delivered several of the tournament's biggest offensive moments. Baumbach continued his standout postseason with timely hits and run production, while Andrews once again emerged as one of Little Rock's most valuable arms after also earning OVC Tournament MVP honors a week earlier.
2026 NCAA Hattiesburg Regional All-Tournament Team
Catcher – Tucker Stockman, Southern Miss
First Base – Brady Thomas, Jacksonville State
Second Base – Joe Tiroly, Virginia
Third Base – Nolan Freund, Little Rock
Shortstop – Jerdy Lopez, Little Rock
Outfielder – Blake Simpson, Little Rock (unanimous) - MVP
Outfielder – AJ Gracia, Virginia
Outfielder – Davis Gillespie, Southern Miss
Designated Hitter – Nico Baumbach, Little Rock
Pitcher – Steven Cash, Jacksonville State
Pitcher – Tag Andrews, Little Rock