Division Champions Talladega, Huston-Tillotson clash for 2026 HBCUAC Baseball Championship

The top seeds meet in the championship for the fourth time in the last five.

April 28, 2026

NORTHPORT, Ala. - The 2026 Hope Credit Union Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Baseball Championship is set. East Division Champion Talladega College and West Division Champion Huston-Tillotson University will battle for the title.

Talladega advanced to the championship for the third straight season and fourth overall in program history with a 16-6 run-rule victory over Huston-Tillotson University on Sunday. Earlier in the day the Tornadoes run-ruled Wilberforce University 14-1. It has outscored its opponents 38-14 in the tournament. The Tornadoes have won 14 straight HBCUAC championship games.

Manuel Martinez is hitting 8-for-14 with four runs, a double, and five RBI. Victor Rivera follows at 9-for-16 with four runs, a double and four RBI. Jonathan Williams went 7-for-13 with five runs and five RBI. Luis Perdomo is the only starter with a victory on the mound. He went 4.2 innings, allowing a run on two hits and struck out four. Dewinel Vasquez Oquendo earned the win against Dillard. In 2.2 innings, he struck out seven batters. Fernando Crisostomos earned the win against Huston-Tillotson with two scoreless innings.

The Tornadoes are seeking to be the first HBCUAC school to win three consecutive HBCUAC postseason championships. Louisiana State University in Shreveport is the only other school that's won consecutive postseason championships in 2006 and 2007.

Huston-Tillotson University reaches the championship in a conference tournament for the first time since 1998 when it won the Big State Athletic Conference Championship. It advanced with a 4-3 victory over Wilberforce University.

Trailing 2-1 in the fifth, Josh Wilk tied the game with an RBI single scoring Noah Alvarez. In the sixth, Tucker Allen walked and Alec Worden was hit by a pitch. Garza hit an RBI single up the middle to score Allen. Perez hit a triple to right to bring home Garza

Wilberforce cut the margin to one with a double by Waldenburg Guerrero and an RBI single by Beau Spears. Ethan Walker retired the Bulldogs in order in the ninth to pick up his eighth win after throwing five innings in relief.

The Rams seek to be the third team in HBCUAC history to win the championship coming out of the loser's bracket. Dillard University last accomplished the feat in 2023. LSU-Shreveport also did it in 2010.

This will be the fourth championship in the last five that have featured the top two seeds. The 2025 championship between No. 1 Talladega College and No. 6 Southern University at New Orleans was the only exception.

2026 Hope Credit Union Baseball Championship Summary

MONDAY, APRIL 27

EAST NO. 3 WILBERFORCE 9, EAST NO. 2 STILLMAN COLLEGE 6

For the first time this season the Bulldogs triumphed over the Tigers
Wilberforce scored in six of nine innings
After taking the lead when Beau Spears scored on a groundball by Junior Veras-Vasquez in the third, Waldenburg Guerrero led off with a single and scored on a throwing error in the fourth.
An RBI triple by Darius Woodson increased the lead to three
Stillman pulled within two in the sixth on a two-RBI single by John Roland
Joe Mendy hit an RBI single to right-center. An RBI single by Vasquez increased the lead to four in the eighth inning.
Errors helped Stillman score two runs in the ninth
Jalen Payne got Mekha Hicks to strikeout looking to end the Tigers' season

SUNDAY, APRIL 26

EAST NO. 1 TALLADEGA 14, EAST NO. 3 WILBERFORCE 1

The Tornadoes jumped out to a 6-0 lead and didn't look back.
Victor Rivera went 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI
Miguel Rubio went 2-for-3 with two doubles, two runs and three RBI
Jonathan Williams went 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI
Luis Perdomo earned his sixth win and struck out four.
Wilberforce's lone run came on an RBI infield single by Amir Bergen

WEST NO. 1 HUSTON-TILLOTSON 13, EAST NO. 2 STILLMAN 3

The Tigers led 3-0 on an RBI single by Daniel Salter and a two-RBI single by Jonathan Phillips.
Huston-Tillotson tied the game with a two-RBI single by Alec Worden and an RBI double by Payton Johnson.
They took the lead with four runs in the seventh. Josh Wilk hit an RBI single. Tucker Allen hit a two-RBI single. Worden drove in his third run with a double.
The Rams hit two home runs in a six-run eighth inning which sealed the game.
Huston-Tillotson is looking for its first championship since winning the Red River Athletic Conference in 1998.
A three-run blast by Joseph Brown ended the game
Allen went 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI
Jacob Perez went 4-for-4 with three runs, a home run and an RBI
Weston Bailey pitched a complete game. He held the Tigers to three runs on seven hits and struck out 10.

EAST NO. 3 WILBERFORCE 14, EAST NO. 4 VOORHEES 2

Twelve of its runs came in the third inning.
Darius Woodson started the scoring with a three-run home run
Keith Smith Jr. hit a bases-clearing single, while taking second on the throw.
Joe Mendy hit a three-run double later in the inning
Woodson went 3-for-4 with two runs and four RBI
Mendy went 3-for-3 with two runs and three RBI
Smith went 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBI
Kevin Hopkin earned the win, throwing two innings in relief

EAST NO. 2 STILLMAN COLLEGE 11, WEST NO. 4 DILLARD UNIVERSITY 6

Stillman bounced back after falling 13-3 against Huston-Tillotson University in the semifinals with an 11-6 victory over Dillard.
The Tigers took a 7-0 lead in the third inning
Kane Shellhouse started the scoring being hit by a pitch with bases loaded
Robert Gage hit a two-RBI single
Tory Huddleston hit an RBI double
John Roland hit a two-RBI triple
An RBI triple by Daniel Salter and an RBI single by Gavin Rehorn increased the margin to 10-2 in the fifth inning
Sincere Ford went 3-for-5 with two runs
Huddleston recorded two doubles and two RBI
Caleb Vallejo recorded his third win after pitching six innings.
Emile Butler earned the save, throwing the last three innings and striking out four.
Dillard catcher Ronaldo Rivera went 2-for-4
Mike Lewis hit a double, scored a run and drove in a run
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
WEST NO. 1 HUSTON-TILLOTSON 9, EAST NO. 4 VOORHEES UNIVERSITY 2

The Tigers found themselves in an early hole as a second-inning balk gave Voorhees a 1-0 lead.
Ethan Farrell extended the Voorhees lead with a sacrifice fly in the fifth.
Huston-Tillotson responded with four runs in the bottom half of the fifth. Kadarien Harris provided a two-RBI single and Josh Wilk followed with an RBI single.
The Rams secured the victory by adding insurance runs in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings.
Tucker Allen went 2-for-4 with a triple, an RBI and two runs scored.
Kadarien Harris finished with two hits and two RBI.
Ryan Rodriguez earned the victory, allowing two earned runs over six innings of work.
Evan Mendoza picked up his sixth save, tossing three scoreless frames to close the game.
Ethan Farrell pitched 5.2 innings and took the loss for Voorhees.

EAST NO. 1 TALLADEGA 8, WEST NO. 4 DILLARD UNIVERSITY 7

Talladega raced to a 6-0 lead through the first three innings.
Armando Jackson sparked the offense with a solo home run in the opening frame.
Dillard took a 7-6 lead in the sixth behind a five-run surge capped by a K'Wality Williams two-RBI single.
Victor Rivera tied the game with an RBI single in the seventh.
The Tornadoes regained the lead for good in the eighth on a fielder's choice RBI by Jonathan Williams.
Jonathan Williams finished 3-for-5 with three RBI and a stolen base.
Dewinel Vazquez Oquendo earned the win in relief, striking out seven in 2.2 scoreless innings.
K'Wality Williams drove in two runs for the Bleu Devils, while Ronaldo Rivera went 3-for-4.

EAST NO. 2 STILLMAN COLLEGE 6, WEST NO. 3 PHILANDER SMITH 5

Philander Smith jumped ahead 5-1 in the fifth, aided by a two-run homer from Darriel Cole and an RBI double by Nathaniel Lebron.
Kyler Richie also stole home during the five-run frame.
Stillman leveled the score in the bottom of the fifth on a three-run home run by Tory Huddleston.
Davion Wilkins delivered a walk-off RBI single in the ninth to secure the comeback.
Robert Gage scored the winning run after stealing second and third base.
Tory Huddleston led the Tigers, going 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI.
Kyler Richie paced the Panthers with a 3-for-5 performance and a home run.
John Roland earned the victory after pitching two scoreless innings of relief.

EAST NO. 3 WILBERFORCE 13, WEST NO. 2 SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AT NEW ORLEANS 10

SUNO held a 6-4 lead through four innings following a two-run homer by Braylon Guerin.
Daunte Ward led the Wilberforce rally with two home runs and five RBI, including a three-run blast in the fifth.
Junior Veras Vasquez added a three-run homer in the sixth to push the lead to 11-6.
Joe Mendy reached base in every plate appearance, going 4-for-4 with three runs and three RBI.
Braylon Guerin finished with two home runs and three RBI for the Knights.
Juan Gomez pitched eight innings to earn the win, surviving a four-run SUNO rally in the ninth.

EAST NO. 4 VOORHEES 12, WEST NO. 3 PHILANDER SMITH 1

Reginald Faison earned the victory, surrendering just one run on five hits while striking out six in a complete-game effort.
Owen Branch took the loss for Philander Smith, striking out 10 batters but allowing seven runs over five innings.
Voorhees broke a scoreless tie in the third inning by plating five runs.
Darius Keyton provided a two-RBI single and Daren Drayton followed with an RBI single.
The Tigers broke the game open with a seven-run surge in the sixth inning to extend their lead to 12-0.
Darius Keyton finished with two RBI and a sacrifice fly, while Raekwon Wedderburn added a triple and an RBI.
Philander Smith avoided the shutout in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Noah Siedenschwarz.
Daren Drayton recorded three of the Tigers' five stolen bases.
The Panthers committed three errors, including a costly miscue in the third that sparked the first Voorhees rally.

WEST NO. 4 DILLARD 12, WEST NO. 2 SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AT NEW ORLEANS 8, 11 INNINGS

Dillard faced an early 4-0 deficit before rallying with two runs in the fourth and three in the sixth to pull ahead 5-4.
SUNO countered to regain a narrow 6-5 lead.
Down 7-6 in the eighth, the Bleu Devils evened the score when Noah Riley crossed the plate on an error, followed by an RBI single from Delvyn Williams.
The Knights forced extras by tying the game on a bases-loaded walk in the ninth.
An 11th-inning miscue allowed two runs to score for Dillard, providing the decisive margin.
Noah Riley finished with three RBI on a key base hit.
K'Wality Williams contributed a hit and two runs scored.
Delvyn Williams went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.
Joseph Ramsey finished 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBI.
Malcolm McKay earned the victory in relief, striking out seven over 4.2 innings of work.

About the HBCU Athletic Conference
The HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) is the only HBCU conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The HBCUAC membership includes Dillard University (LA), Fisk University (TN), Huston-Tillotson University (TX), Oakwood University (AL), Paul Quinn College (TX), Philander Smith University (AR), Rust College (MS), Southern University at New Orleans (LA), Stillman College (AL), Talladega College (AL), Tougaloo College (MS), University of the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas), Voorhees University (SC), Wilberforce University (OH), and Wiley University (TX). HBCUAC sponsors championships in men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's track and field, women's volleyball, softball, and baseball. In 2022, the HBCUAC secured the largest media rights deal in conference and NAIA history, signing a multimillion-dollar deal with Urban Edge Network. On July 1, 2024, the conference rebranded from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) to the HBCU Athletic Conference, marking a new era for the conference that embodies the makeup of its membership. For more information, visit hbcuac.org.