USC Upstate Softball announced on May 6 that it will host the 2026 Big South Softball Championships, beginning with a matchup against No. 3 seed Radford. The Spartans are aiming for their third consecutive conference title as they play at Hawkins Field at Cyrill Stadium in Spartanburg.
The tournament is significant for USC Upstate as the team looks to secure another championship win on its home field and continue its recent success in the conference. The Spartans finished the regular season with a record of 33-21 overall and placed second in the Big South Conference with a 12-6 record, while Radford finished third with a 23-25 overall record and a 10-8 mark in conference play.
The first game between USC Upstate and Radford is scheduled for May 7 at noon Eastern Time. According to information released by USC Upstate Softball, “Radford returns to Hub City after dropping the series opener to Upstate in a sweep following a walk-off in the ninth inning of game one and sweeping day two over the Highlanders.” The all-time series favors USC Upstate, which leads Radford by twenty wins to five.
Key players highlighted include senior outfielder Taliyah Thomas of USC Upstate, who was named Big South Player of the Year after starting all 52 games this season with a .401 batting average and strong defensive statistics. For Radford, sophomore pitcher Dakota Redmon earned Pitcher of the Year honors for her performance both on the mound—with a league-leading earned run average—and at bat.
The winner of Thursday’s contest will advance to face either Winthrop or Gardner-Webb on Friday afternoon. The losing team will move into an elimination game against Presbyterian later that same day. Tickets are available for purchase through official channels, and fans are reminded that clear bag policies will be enforced during tournament events.
