Photo: Golden Lions Baseball X
Birmingham, AL–The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff baseball program continued its impressive postseason run with two Golden Lions earning spots on the 2026 Southwestern Athletic Conference All-Tournament Team following a strong showing at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
Freshman standout Aaron Grant and catcher Vinny Saumell were recognized among the tournament’s top performers after helping UAPB advance to the semifinals of the 2026 SWAC Baseball Championship Tournament.
Grant continued his breakout freshman campaign by delivering one of the best offensive performances of the tournament. The second baseman finished 9-for-17 at the plate with four RBIs and two runs scored across four games. He recorded three hits in each of UAPB’s final two contests and was nearly flawless defensively, posting a perfect fielding percentage with 12 putouts and 12 assists.
The Savannah, Texas native capped off a memorable season in which he was also named SWAC Freshman of the Year and earned All-SWAC Second Team honors. Grant batted .355 during the regular season with 62 hits and 50 RBIs, quickly establishing himself as one of the conference’s rising stars.
Saumell also elevated his game during the postseason, going 7-for-15 with three RBIs and three runs scored during tournament play. He collected two three-hit performances and blasted his first home run of the season against Alabama State University. Behind the plate, Saumell threw out two baserunners and posted a perfect fielding percentage.
The Golden Lions entered the tournament as the No. 8 seed and became one of the biggest surprises of the week by defeating regular-season champion Bethune-Cookman University twice during the tournament, effectively ending their season. UAPB finished 2-2 overall before falling in the semifinals to eventual champion Alabama State.
The 2026 SWAC All-Tournament Team featured representatives from Florida A&M University, Alabama State University, Southern University, Bethune-Cookman University, and UAPB.
Alabama State’s Miguel Oropeza earned Tournament MVP honors after leading the Hornets to the conference championship.
