BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Interstat) — The seed Alabama State Hornets (30-21) face the seed Grambling Tigers (22-28) in the opening round of the Southwestern Athletic Conference Baseball Championship on Wednesday evening at Regions Field.

Alabama State enters as the higher seed after a 30-win regular season, while Grambling limps in having lost four of its last five games. The Hornets took three of four meetings during the regular season, but the Tigers stole a 14-13 win on March 15 in the most recent head-to-head contest.

Grambling’s pitching staff has been battered. Right-hander Hampton Phillips has allowed seven earned runs over his last four appearances (6 2/3 innings), including a four-run outing in 2/3 of an inning on May 14 against Bethune-Cookman. He did throw two scoreless innings in an April 24 win over Alcorn State, but his ERA has ballooned during the slide. The Tigers’ offense has been inconsistent, scoring 15 runs in a May 9 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff but managing only one run in two of their final three regular-season games.

Alabama State counters with first baseman Miguel Oropeza, who has been on a tear. Over his last 11 games, Oropeza is batting .333 (10-for-30) with two home runs and 10 RBIs. He went 3-for-5 with four RBIs in the Hornets’ regular-season finale, a 14-10 win at Alcorn State on May 16. Oropeza also homered in consecutive games on May 3 against Texas Southern.

The Hornets’ offense averaged nearly nine runs per game over their final five contests, while the pitching staff held opponents to 4.6 runs per game in that span. Grambling’s bullpen has been a concern: in the Tigers’ 1-12 loss on May 16, five pitchers combined to allow 12 runs, though Nick Robinson and Shaun Mante Jr. each tossed scoreless innings.

Alabama State’s depth and recent momentum make them a favorite, but Grambling has shown resilience, winning six of its last 10 SWAC games. The Tigers’ offense must find a way to support a vulnerable pitching staff. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. CDT.