Alcorn State University’s baseball team begins its 2026 campaign Friday at the HBCU Power Series at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Mississippi. The Braves will face Grambling State in the opening game at 2:30 p.m., according to sources familiar with the schedule.
The series runs through Feb. 15 and includes nine games over three days. The event is hosted at Trustmark Park, home of the Mississippi Mud Monsters of the Frontier League.
Second-year head coach Carlton Hardy has set the weekend rotation. Freshman Devin Kriley will debut Friday against Grambling State. Junior Jacob Wingard pitches Saturday, with freshman Kayden Sutton starting Sunday’s finale, sources said. All games will be broadcast on MLB.TV or available via live stats.
Alcorn is not ranked in this week’s D1Baseball.com Top 25, nor are the other participating teams—Grambling State, Prairie View A&M, and Jackson State. The Braves have added 23 newcomers this season and are projected to finish 11th in the SWAC preseason poll.
Last season, Alcorn finished 6-43 overall and 1-29 in conference play. Key returners include outfielder Reyfield Adams III, who batted .305 in 2025, and infielder Kanious Davis, who stole 16 bases last year. The team’s schedule features 11 away games to start the season, with 18 of the first 19 contests away from home.
Historical matchups show Grambling State leading the all-time series 33-9 since 2010. Grambling has won the last 28 meetings, with Alcorn’s last victory coming in May 2017. Prairie View A&M leads the series 28-7 since 2015, with Alcorn’s last win against the Panthers in April 2023. Against Jackson State, Alcorn went 0-6 last season and hasn’t defeated JSU since 2019.
Coach Hardy expressed enthusiasm about participating in the event. “This is a tremendous event for HBCU Baseball,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity for our players to perform in front of MLB scouts and fans, and to showcase our program. We’re excited to get started at Trustmark Park.”
Scouting reports indicate Grambling State was predicted to finish fourth in the SWAC, with last season’s 26-28 record. Prairie View A&M is led by first-year coach Daniel Dulin, while Jackson State returns several key players, including preseason All-SWAC first baseman Wilbert Perez. Alcorn will next face Mississippi State on Feb. 18 at Dudy Noble Field in Starkville.
