Baseball Opens Season at HBCU Power Series

PEARL, Miss. – The 2026 edition of Alcorn Baseball gets underway Friday, Feb. 13, when the Braves take on the Grambling State Tigers at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Mississippi, beginning at 2:30 p.m. The Braves are one of six teams competing in this year's HBCU Power Series presented by Major League Baseball (MLB). The three-day series features nine games in total, and is being housed at Trustmark Park, home of the Mississippi Mud Monsters of the Frontier League.
 
Second-year head coach Carlton Hardy has set the rotation for the Braves on the weekend. Friday's opener will see the debut of much-anticipated freshman Devin Kriley (Fr., LHP), while fellow newcomer Jacob Wingard (Jr., RHP) gets the nod on Saturday. Sunday's final game will see the Purple and Gold send another rookie to the mound in the form of Kayden Sutton (Fr., RHP).
 
THE SCHEDULE
Friday, Feb. 13
2:30 p.m. – vs. Grambling State | Jackson, Miss. | MLB.TV
 
Saturday, Feb. 14
2:30 p.m. – vs. Prairie View A&M | Jackson, Miss. | Live Stats | MLB.TV
 
Sunday, Feb. 15
6 p.m. – vs. Jackson State | Jackson, Miss. | Live Stats | MLB.TV
 
IN THE RANKINGS
▪ Alcorn is not ranked in this week's D1Baseball.com Top 25
▪ Grambling State is not ranked in this week's D1Baseball.com Top 25
▪ Prairie View A&M is not ranked in this week's D1Baseball.com Top 25
▪ Jackson State is not ranked in this week's D1Baseball.com Top 25
 
STATS & NOTES
▪ Under the direction of second-year head coach Carlton Hardy, Alcorn welcomes 23 newcomers to the 2026 roster.
▪ Rookie pitchers Devin Kriley and Kayden Sutton were recognized in January as D1Baseball.com Impact Freshmen for the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in the publication's conference season preview.
▪ Kriley, a 5-foot-11 freshman left-handed pitcher from Goodyear, Arizona, played his prep baseball at Estrella Foothills High School, while seeing action for the Outlawz 18U as well.
▪ Sutton, a native of Hogansville, Georgia, stands 6-foot-2 as a right-handed pitcher that prepped at LaGrange High, where he played in a variety of areas in the infield, outfield, as well as on the mound. He played travel ball for 5 Star West 18U Black.
▪ The Braves were predicted to finish 11th in the preseason SWAC poll as voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.
▪ Last season, the Braves finished the year 6-43 overall, while carrying a 1-29 mark in SWAC play.
▪ The leading hitter returning from a season ago for the Braves is outfielder Reyfield Adams III, after he tallied a .305 average in 2025, turning in nine doubles and 13 stolen bases.
▪ Also back for the Purple and Gold is speedy infielder Kanious Davis as he posted a perfect 16-for-16 mark a season ago in stolen bases.
▪ For the Braves, the first 11 games are away from home, while 18 of the first 19 overall will occur away from the friendly confines of Willie E. "Rat" McGowan Stadium.
 
ALCORN VS. GRAMBLING STATE SERIES
▪ Dating back to 2010, Grambling leads the all-time series against Alcorn by a commanding 33-9 advantage.
▪ In fact, the Tigers have won the last 28 consecutive against the Braves, with the last Alcorn victory coming by way of a 7-6 decision in the opening game of the SWAC Tournament back on May 17, 2017.
 
ALCORN VS. PRAIRIE VIEW A&M SERIES
▪ Since 2015, Prairie View A&M holds a 28-7 edge in the all-time series against the Braves.
▪ The Panthers have won 11 in a row against the Braves, including a season sweep last year in Prairie View, Texas.
▪ Alcorn's last victory against Prairie View A&M came on April 22, 2023, by way of a 13-10 decision in Texas.
 
ALCORN VS. JACKSON STATE SERIES
▪ The Braves went 0-6 in 2025 against their in-state opponent from the capital city.
▪ Jackson State took a close 7-6 decision from Alcorn at McGowan Stadium in the second game of a Sunday doubleheader on April 27, 2025.
▪ The Purple and Gold have not defeated JSU since a 5-2 contest at McGowan Stadium in the series finale of a three-game SWAC set on Sunday, May 5, 2019.
 
QUOTES FROM COACH HARDY
"This is a tremendous event for HBCU Baseball. Anytime you can get this kind of exposure and compete against quality opponents in front of MLB scouts and fans, it's a win for our program and our players. We're grateful to be a part of it."
 
"We're really looking forward to getting the season started, especially at a venue like Trustmark Park, and not having to go far from home is a bonus as well. It's a great opportunity for our guys to play in a professional atmosphere and showcase what we've been working on all fall."
 
"Playing at Trustmark Park is special. It's not far from campus, so hopefully we'll have some great fan support, and it gives our guys a taste of what professional baseball looks like."
 
"Our guys have put in the work. I really thought we had a good fall. Now it is about going out and executing what we've practiced. I think we're ready to compete."
 
"Year two is about building on the foundation we established last year. We've got some returners who understand our system now, and we've added some talented newcomers. I like where this team is headed."
 
SCOUTING GRAMBLING STATE
▪ Grambling State was picked to finished fourth in the 2026 SWAC preseason baseball standings.
▪ The Tigers, who went 26-28 overall and 18-11 in conference play last season, reached the SWAC Baseball semifinals before bowing out the Florida A&M.
▪ On the year, the Tigers will also face two Top 5 programs when GSU travels to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to the defending national champions LSU on March 17, and No. 4 Mississippi State on March 31.
 
SCOUTING PRAIRIE VIEW A&M
▪ The season-opening event marks the debut of first-year head coach Daniel Dulin and his staff.
▪ Dulin welcomed a roster that features a blend of experience and new faces, with 12 returners and 21 newcomers taking the field under the guidance of an entirely new coaching staff.
▪ Joining Dulin are assistant and pitching coach Shane Youman-Osuoha, assistant and hitting coach Toby Cornejo, assistant coaches Bryan Sturges and Isaac Davila, and director of operations Eric Norwood.
▪ Last season, the perennial power Panthers finished the year 17-36 overall, but held just a 13-14 mark in SWAC play, missing out on the SWAC Tournament.
 
SCOUTING JACKSON STATE
▪ Jackson State went 30-21 overall last season, and the Tigers return several pieces offensively for the 2026 campaign
▪ One of the pieces coming back is preseason All-SWAC first baseman Wilbert Perez.
▪ Perez returns after collecting 60 hits in his first season at JSU including 12 doubles, one triple, and eight home runs. He also scored 32 runs and knocked in a team-high 48.
▪ Robert Tate Jr. returns for his third season at shortstop after collecting 10 extra base hits in 34 games last season, while also scoring 27 runs and was perfect in stolen bases with eight.
 
UP NEXT
Alcorn will head to Starkville to face off against third-ranked Mississippi State on Wednesday, Feb. 18, as the Braves travel to Dudy Noble Field, Polk-DeMent Stadium with first pitch set for 4 p.m.
 
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