FRISCO – The Southland Conference announced Tuesday that its first-ever regular season conference baseball contest on an ESPN linear network will air this spring, as Southeastern Louisiana visits UTRGV on Friday, April 17, at 6:30 p.m. CT from UTRGV Baseball Stadium in Edinburg, Texas on ESPNU.
The nationally televised matchup marks a milestone moment for the league, representing the first regular season Southland baseball conference game to air on an ESPN linear platform.
“This is a major milestone for our university and region as we get three hours to highlight UTRGV and the Valley on a national stage,” UTRGV Senior Vice President and Director of Athletics Chasse Conque said. “I want to thank the Southland Conference and Commissioner Chris Grant for their support, and I am confident we will once again rally the Valley and showcase our program and the strength of the Southland Conference.”
The contest features the conference’s 2025 co-regular season champions, with Southeastern Louisiana finishing 38-16 overall and 22-8 in league play, while UTRGV posted a 36-18 record and an identical 22-8 Southland mark. Both programs were firmly in the NCAA postseason conversation a year ago, with Southeastern narrowly missing the NCAA Regionals as the first team out of the field.
“Great job by Commissioner Chris Grant to secure this national exposure," said Director of Athletics Jay Artigues. "Southeastern baseball has been one of the most consistent mid-major programs in the country and we look forward to having this national stage. Southland Conference baseball is extremely competitive on the national level and we look forward to showing this to the entire country. This gives our conference a chance to showcase two of the perennial Southland conference championship contenders on the national scene.”
Southeastern won last season’s three-game series in Hammond, opening with a 5-2 victory before clinching the series with a 12-1 win, while UTRGV salvaged the finale with an 8-5 victory.
The matchup further underscores the strength of Southland baseball on the national stage. In 2025, the league ranked ninth nationally in Baseball RPI Rankings, reinforcing its status as one of the premier mid-major baseball conferences in the country.
“I’m fired up for this big opportunity to show everyone what our team is capable of,” UTRGV head coach Derek Matlock said. “Both us and Southeastern were among the last teams out of the NCAA Tournament last year. Having us face off on national television will show the country the strength of our teams and our conference as we look to return to the NCAA Regionals.”
"We look forward to playing on national television against UTRGV," said Southeastern head coach Bobby Barbier. It's a great matchup, with two great teams that finished atop the conference standings in 2025, and showcases how strong the competition in the Southland is year in and year out."
The ESPNU selection further elevates the Southland’s national visibility, with conference contests across football, men’s and women’s basketball, and baseball all showcased on a national stage during the 2025–26 season.
In addition to linear broadcasts, select Southland baseball contests will air on ESPN+ throughout the season.