RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – With the 2026 Great American Conference softball regular season complete, the league announced the bracket and schedule for the GAC Softball Championships. The event begins Thursday from the Wolverine Athletic Complex with four quarterfinal contests. The scene shifts to the Tiger Athletic Complex for Friday’s semifinals and Saturday’s final.
Day one starts at 10:30 a.m. when No. 4 Harding faces No. 5 Southern Nazarene. The Crimson Storm won a pitching-dominated series against the Lady Bisons in April. Both teams scored just five runs over the three games.
The second game features top-seeded Arkansas Tech and eighth-seeded Ouachita Baptist. The Golden Suns clinched the regular-season title for the first time since 2022 by completing a sweep of Southwestern Oklahoma State on Sunday. The Tigers secured a spot in the field for the first time since 2022. The Golden Suns swept the Tigers as part of their 19-game win streak. The series opener, a 15-inning affair, matched the longest game in Division II over the past three seasons.
No. 2 Southern Arkansas takes on No. 7 Henderson State in the third match. On Sunday, the Muleriders defeated Oklahoma Baptist in extra innings to move back into the second position. SAU won its regular-season series with the Reddies, however, Henderson State’s win in the finale snapped a 13-game losing streak in the series.
Thursday’s action concludes with No. 3 Oklahoma Baptist dueling with No. 6 Southeastern Oklahoma State. The Bison won a pair of one-run games against the Savage Storm at the end of March.
All seven games stream on GACSportsNetwork.com. Visit the GAC Championship page for more information.
2026 GAC Softball Championships Schedule
THURSDAY, MAY 7-SATURDAY, MAY 9
[8-Team, Single Elimination; Wolverine Athletic Complex & Tiger Athletic Complex; Bentonville, Arkansas]
Thursday, May 7 - Games Played at Wolverine Athletic Complex
Game 1: 10:30 AM No. 4 Harding vs. No. 5 Southern Nazarene
Game 2: 1:00 PM No. 1 Arkansas Tech vs. No. 8 Ouachita Baptist
Game 3: 3:30 PM No. 2 Southern Arkansas vs. No. 7 Henderson State
Game 4: 6:00 PM No. 3 Oklahoma Baptist vs. No. 6 Southeastern Oklahoma State
Friday, May 8 - Games Played at Tiger Athletic Complex
Game 5: Noon Winner Quarterfinal #1 vs. Winner Quarterfinal #2
Game 6: 2:30 PM Winner Quarterfinal #1 vs. Winner Quarterfinal #2
Saturday, May 9 - Games Played at Tiger Athletic Complex
Game 5: 12:30 PM Winner Semifinal #1 vs. Winner Semifinal #2