East Texas Baptist Hosts NCAA Division III Baseball Regional in Marshall
East Texas Baptist University will host the 2026 NCAA Division III Baseball Marshall Regional from May 15-17 at Tiger Ballpark at Woods Field in Marshall, Texas. The four-team, double-elimination tournament features No. 1 seed ETBU, No. 2 seed Belhaven, No. 3 seed Rhodes, and No. 4 seed Concordia Texas, according to tournament organizers.
ETBU enters as the host and the American Southwest Conference Tournament champion, finishing the regular season with a 33-10 record. Concordia Texas earned an automatic bid as the SCAC Tournament champion. Belhaven and Rhodes received at-large bids after reaching their conference championship games. The regional winner will advance to the NCAA Super Regional round.
Tickets are available through ETBU’s ticket link, with prices ranging from $10 for single games to $40 for a tournament pass. Fans can access NCAA video, live stats, and other event information via the tournament’s official page.
The regional schedule begins Friday with ETBU facing Concordia Texas at 11 a.m., followed by Belhaven versus Rhodes at 2:30 p.m. On Saturday, elimination games and winners’ bracket contests are scheduled, with the regional concluding on Sunday with a championship game if necessary. The full schedule and additional details are available on the host’s website.
ETBU, the top seed, has been one of Division III’s most potent offenses this season. The Tigers finished 12-0 in conference play and captured their third ASC tournament title in four years. They boast a .330 team batting average, with 66 home runs and 383 RBIs. Leading hitters include Carson Livesay (.372 average, 58 hits) and Connor Massimini (.377, 13 home runs). On the mound, Isaac Thornton (7-2, 3.77 ERA) and Aiden Leonard (7-0, 3.67 ERA) anchor the rotation.
Belhaven, the No. 2 seed, posted a 31-13 record and is making its second consecutive NCAA appearance. The Blazers are hitting .313 and feature offensive standouts such as Austin Canale (.358 average) and Parker Ryan (.336, six home runs). Their pitching staff is led by closer John Wade, who has eight saves and a 1.10 ERA.
Rhodes, seeded third, finished 29-15 and is coming off a runner-up finish in the SAA Tournament. They bring a high-powered offense that hit .300 this season, with 49 home runs. The team is led by Austin Smith, who has a .371 batting average and 18 stolen bases. Concordia Texas, the fourth seed, is 29-15 and on a six-game winning streak after winning the SCAC Tournament.
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