Troy ousted from Sun Belt baseball tournament by Southern Miss, awaits possible NCAA regional bid

Troy’s high-stakes journey through the Sun Belt baseball tournament came to a close Sunday in Montgomery. Now, the Trojans face an anxious waiting game to see if their 2026 campaign will extend into the postseason.

Semifinal Exit

The Trojans fell 6-2 to Southern Miss in the tournament semifinals at Dabos Park. Entering the contest with a 32-29 overall record and an RPI of 34, Troy must now wait for the NCAA committee’s decision, with the 64-team regional field set to be announced Monday.

"The message of the weekend was be unafraid to give it all out," said Troy center fielder Steven Meier. "Whatever it took, we were giving it."

A Hard-Fought Weekend

Troy’s path to Sunday was grueling. After splitting a pair of one-run thrillers with Southern Miss on Friday and Saturday, the Trojans ultimately ran out of steam against the tournament's top seed. Southern Miss (43-15) seized control early, fueled by a four-run third inning that included a three-run blast by Joey Urban off reliever Dylan Alonso.

Although Troy trimmed the deficit behind an RBI groundout from Jabe Boroff and an eighth-inning run scored by Josh Pyne, Davis Gillespie’s two-run homer in the fifth kept the Golden Eagles comfortably in the lead.

Looking to the Committee

Troy head coach Skylar Meade expressed pride in his team’s resilience, noting their competitive schedule and success against top-tier opponents, including wins over Georgia and Alabama. Despite sitting at 32-29, Meade stood firm on the team's tournament resume.

"We won all the (Sun Belt) weekends. We finished tied for third in this league again," Meade said. "I’m not going to let anyone say 'Oh, well, Skylar, you’re 32-29.' Yeah, go play our schedule. Good luck."

The Trojans, who were left out of the field in both 2024 and 2025, are hoping to return to the NCAA Regional stage for the first time since 2023. The selection show will air Monday at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN2.