LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – This afternoon, the top-seeded Talladega College baseball team defeated No. 6 Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO), 9-7, in the 2025 HBCUAC Baseball Championship semifinals.  The Tornadoes look to defend their title as they advance to the championship game tomorrow afternoon, starting at 1 p.m. Talladega has clinched a spot in the 2025 NAIA Baseball Championship tournament.

Talladega is now 41-12 on the season, while SUNO dropped to 23-24. The 41 wins are the most in the program under head coach Marcos Dominguez.

Heading to the bottom of the fifth up 2-0, the Tornadoes broke things open when they plated six runs on three hits. It all started when Jeriel Lamboy walked with one out and then advanced to third when Jonathan Williams doubled. Talladega loaded the bases when a pitch hit Joshua Catala Santos. Lamboy later scored off of Victor Rivera's sacrifice fly to center to make it 3-0. Williams and Catala Santos each moved up 90 feet on the play.

With two outs, Miguel Oropeza was intentionally walked to load the bases for a second time in the frame. Williams scored off a passed ball to push the lead to 4-0 on the next play. Both Oropeza and Catala Santos moved up a base on the play. The bases loaded train continued, this time with Diego Duque drawing a walk. Isaac Guzman's two-run single through the right side scored both Catala Santos and Oropeza to make it 6-0.  Guzman and Duque later scored off of Darlin Fernandez's double to left center to push the lead to 8-0 before the inning ended.

Talladega added an insurance run in the sixth to go up 9-0.

SUNO in the top of the eighth pushed four runs across to cut the lead to 9-4, and in the ninth added another three runs to make it 9-7 with twos. SUNO had the tying run at the plate, but Talladega was able to end the threat on a strikeout to secure the victory.

Starting pitcher Samuel Guadamuz picked up his 11^th win of the season to improve to 11-1. He allowed five hits and a walk over seven innings of work, while striking out five in the process.

Reliever Jack Wood earned his first save of the season, allowing one hit and striking out one.

Guzman and Fernandez each finished with two hits. The two combined to go 4-for-8 with five RBIs, two runs, a double, and two stolen bases.

Talladega tallied seven walks, with Lamboy and Oropeza tallying two walks apiece.