The No. 1 seeded UIC baseball team (26-27-1, 16-8 MVC) will compete against No. 4 seed Southern Illinois (27-31, 14-10 MVC) for the 2026 MVC Baseball Championship. The championship series begins Sunday at 1 p.m. CT at Johnny Reagan Field. This is UIC's first MVC tournament title opportunity since joining the conference in 2022, and their first championship series appearance since 2019. Southern Illinois has had a challenging path, knocking out higher seeds to reach the finals.

By the Numbers
  • UIC leads the all-time series against Southern Illinois 7-4.
  • UIC defeated Southern Illinois 11-1 in their previous matchup this season.
State of Play
  • The championship series will have a second game at 4:30 p.m. CT, if necessary.
  • UIC advanced to the finals with a close 6-5 win over Murray State in the semifinals.
What's Next

Should UIC claim the title, it will mark their first MVC championship and add to their history in collegiate baseball. The performance of UIC鈥檚 players, particularly in pitching and hitting, will be crucial in determining the outcome against Southern Illinois.

Bottom Line

UIC has a strong chance to secure its first MVC title, leveraging their recent victories and solid performance. Fans will be watching closely as they take on Southern Illinois in a game that could be pivotal for the program's future success.