GASTONIA, N.C. – Young Harris College won the 2026 Conference Carolinas Baseball Championship title, defeating top seed North Greenville University.

The fourth-seeded Mountain Lions plated two runs in the first eight pitches on back-to-back home runs in the first inning. Drew Bray ripped the first and Jeo Hernandez followed with another. The scorer remained the same until the fifth inning when Young Harris plated two more runs to take a 4-0 lead.

The Mountain Lions broke the game open with nine runs in the sixth inning. Kade Smallwood highlighted the onslaught with a three-run double as Young Harris took a 13-0 lead. Mountain Lion pitchers Austin Ritchie and Trey Griffen made that standup as Young Harris took the title by that score.

The title is the first Conference Carolinas Baseball Championship title for Young Harris.

The Mountain Lions earn league’s automatic berth into the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship. The selections will be announced live on NCAA.com on Sunday, May 10.
 

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2026 Baseball Championship All-Tournament Team
MVP – Jack Enrico, Young Harris
Jeo Hernandez, Young Harris
Austin Ritchie, Young Harris
Sam Neal, Young Harris
Cole Molina, Young Harris
Josh Foulks, North Greenville
Thomas Powell, North Greenville
Oliver Adams, North Greenville
Jack Boyles, Belmont Abbey
Ethan McAnally, Francis Marion
 

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CHAMPIONSHIP PAGE | BRACKET
 

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2026 Conference Carolinas Baseball Championship
CaroMont Health Park | Gastonia, N.C.
 
Play-in Round – Wednesday, April 29
Game 1: No. 9 King def. No. 8 Emmanuel, 10-6 BOX SCORE
Game 2: No. 7 Erskine def. No. 10 Southern Wesleyan, 14-1 BOX SCORE
 
First Round - Thursday, April 30
Game 3: No. 1 North Greenville def. No. 9 King, 7-3 BOX SCORE
Game 4: No. 4 Young Harris def. No. 5 UNC Pembroke, 5-4 (F/10) (at Sims Legion Park) BOX SCORE
Game 5: No. 2 Francis Maroin def. No. 7 Erskine, 11-7 BOX SCORE
Game 6: No. 3 Belmont Abbey def. No. 6 Mount Olive, 13-11 BOX SCORE

Second Round - Friday, May 1
Game 7: No. 5 UNC Pembroke def. No. 9 King, 11-6 BOX SCORE
Game 8: No. 6 Mount Olive vs. No. 7 Erskine, 8-4 (at Sims Legion Park) BOX SCORE
Game 9: No. 4 Young Harris def. No. 1 North Greenville, 11-3 BOX SCORE
Game 10: No. 3 Belmont Abbey def. No. 2 Francis Marion, 10-9 BOX SCORE

Semifinal Round - Saturday, May 2
Game 11: No. 1 North Greenville def. No. 6 Mount Olive, 6-2 BOX SCORE
Game 12: No. 2 Francis Marion def. No. 5 UNC Pembroke, 7-3 (at Sims Legion Park) BOX SCORE
Game 13: No. 4 Young Harris def. No. 3 Belmont Abbey, 12-0 BOX SCORE
Game 14: No. 1 North Greenville def. No. 2 Francis Marion, 11-3 BOX SCORE
 
Championship - Sunday, May 3
Game 15: No. 1 North Greenville def. No. 3 Belmont Abbey, 11-3 BOX SCORE
Game 16: No. 1 North Greenville vs. No. 4 Young Harris, 9-4 BOX SCORE
 
Championship – Monday, May 6 (If Necessary)
Game 17 – No. 4 Young Harris def. No. 1 North Greenville, 13-0 BOX SCORE