---
title: "Spartanburg Hosts Big South Softball Championship Starting Today at Cyrill Stadium"
url: https://www.herespartanburg.com/big-south-softball-championship-cyrill-stadium-2026/
date: 2026-05-06T10:50:44-04:00
modified: 2026-05-06T10:51:01-04:00
author: "Brody Myers"
categories: ["Sports"]
site: "HERESpartanburg"
attribution: "HERESpartanburg"
---

# Spartanburg Hosts Big South Softball Championship Starting Today at Cyrill Stadium

> Hawkins Field at Cyrill Stadium hosts the 2026 Big South Softball Championship May 6-9, with USC Upstate entering as the two-time defending champion and No. 2 seed.

*Source: [HERESpartanburg](https://www.herespartanburg.com/big-south-softball-championship-cyrill-stadium-2026/) — May 6, 2026 by Brody Myers*

Hawkins Field at Cyrill Stadium on the USC Upstate campus in Spartanburg becomes the center of college softball in the Carolinas this week, as the 2026 Big South Softball Championship opens Wednesday and runs through Saturday, May 9. Five conference teams compete for the automatic bid to the NCAA Softball Regionals, with every game broadcast live via streaming.

The tournament opens Wednesday evening with a 5:00 p.m. first pitch between fourth-seeded Presbyterian College and fifth-seeded Gardner-Webb. Thursday brings the bulk of the action: USC Upstate, seeded second and the two-time defending champion, takes on third-seeded Radford at noon before Winthrop, the top seed, faces the Game 1 winner at 2:30 p.m. An elimination game follows at 5:00 p.m. Games continue through Friday, with the championship and a potential if-necessary game set for Saturday.

USC Upstate enters as the host and as two-time defending champion, a combination that gives the program significant home-field momentum. The Spartans finished the regular season 33-21 overall and 12-6 in conference play, good for the second seed in the final Big South standings. Senior outfielder Taliyah Thomas was voted Big South Softball Player of the Year on Tuesday by the conference’s head coaches. Thomas, from Iron Station, N.C., posted a .401 batting average with 56 runs scored, 43 RBI, six home runs, and a perfect 27-of-27 stolen base record across the full season. In Big South play specifically, she hit .328 with 18 runs and 13 RBI in 18 games. Thomas is the first Spartan to earn the conference’s top individual honor since 2022.

Three additional USC Upstate players earned spots on the All-Conference teams announced Tuesday. Outfielder Sophia Kardatzke and first baseman Carson Shaw joined Thomas on the First-Team All-Conference, while pitcher Maddie Drerup, shortstop Abby Polk, and third baseman Alyssa Davenport each received Honorable Mention recognition. Davenport, a freshman, also made the All-Freshman Team alongside fellow Upstate first-year player Alyssa Davenport.

Winthrop enters the tournament as the No. 1 seed for the first time since 2008, having finished 13-4 in conference play — the most Big South wins for the program since 2019. The Eagles, coached by first-year Big South Coach of the Year honoree Kendall Fuller, are seeking their first tournament title since that same 2008 season. Radford, seeded third with a 10-8 conference record, arrives with one of the top pitchers in the league: sophomore Dakota Redmon posted a 2.88 ERA across the full season and held Big South opponents to a .174 batting average in conference play, earning Pitcher of the Year honors.

For Upstate, the path to a third consecutive championship runs through a rematch with Radford, a team the Spartans swept during the regular season at Cyrill Stadium. That familiarity with the venue — and the opponent — gives the defending champions added confidence heading into Thursday’s noon first pitch. The winner of USC Upstate’s bracket side will advance to the championship game Saturday morning.

Tickets are available as full tournament books or individual day passes. Chairback reserved seating runs $38 for the full tournament or $12 per day; general admission on the grass berms is $28 for the full event or $8 per day. All games begin at Hawkins Field at Cyrill Stadium, 800 University Way, Spartanburg. Dogs are welcome on a leash in general admission areas.