MISENHEIMER, N.C. — The Southern Virginia University baseball team saw its 2026 campaign come to a close following a hard-fought 3-7 loss to host Pfeiffer University. Despite the exit, the Knights finished the year having secured the most playoff wins in the program's NCAA history.
The Knights kept the pressure on early, holding the Falcons at bay for the first four innings. Southern Virginia jumped out to a 2-0 lead sparked by a solo home run from Marcelino Leonardo Jr. The momentum continued as Tyler Bales doubled and Conner Robley followed with an RBI single.
However, the Falcons found their rhythm in the middle frames, scoring six unanswered runs across the fifth and sixth innings to take a 6-2 lead.
Southern Virginia attempted a late-game rally when back-to-back singles from Leonardo Jr. and Mason Jones cut the deficit to 6-3. Pfeiffer ultimately added an insurance run in the 8th to seal the victory.
The Knights' bats were led by Garrett Stauffer, Tyler Bales, and Marcelino Leonardo Jr., who all recorded multi-hit games.
The bullpen remained resilient under pressure. James Horsley, Tad Peterson, Carson Bybee, and Zack Geertsen combined for a stellar effort, allowing no earned runs during their time on the mound.
Conner Robley was named to the USA South All-Tournament Team, becoming the third player in program history to earn the honor, joining Marcelino Leonardo Jr. and Horsley from last season. Robley tallied eight hits and two walks across four games in the tournament.
While Southern Virginia bids farewell to nine departing seniors, the future remains bright. Boasting one of the largest freshman classes in program history, the Knights are well-positioned to build on this record-breaking postseason run and continue climbing the ranks of the USA South Conference.
For the latest updates on Southern Virginia University baseball, visit knightathletics.com and follow @knight_bsb on Instagram.
