Jackson baseball secured the top seed for the 2026 SEMO Conference Tournament, which will be hosted at Capaha Field in Cape Girardeau. The four-time consecutive champions' seeding came as expected, while Cape Central received the second seed after posting a 14-8 record to start the season. The Tigers have won four games in a row and lost just two conference games, each by a single run, as they pursue their first tournament title since 2008.
Third-seeded Poplar Bluff rounds out the top tier with its own 14-8 record. The Mules dominated the tournament circuit between 2015 and 2018, winning four consecutive championships, but have not won since. Less than a week before seeding was finalized, Poplar Bluff tested the top-seeded Jackson squad in a competitive matchup.
Notre Dame holds the fourth seed and will face the Sikeston Bulldogs, seeded fifth, in first-round play. Both programs have shown strength in conference competition—Sikeston defeated Cape Central while Notre Dame topped Poplar Bluff. Notre Dame has won four all-time championships, with their most recent title coming in 2019. Sikeston's last tournament victory came in 2004, capping three consecutive wins from 2002 to 2004.
The lower seeds went to Dexter (No. 6), Kelly (No. 7) and Kennett (No. 8). First-round matchups pair Poplar Bluff against Dexter, Cape Central with Kelly, and Jackson versus Kennett. All first-round games are scheduled for Friday, May 1, with Jackson, Notre Dame and Poplar Bluff hosting their contests at their respective home fields. Cape Central will host Kelly at Capaha Field. The second round takes place Saturday, May 2, followed by medal rounds on Monday, May 4. One consolation game between the losers of the No. 1 versus No. 8 and No. 4 versus No. 5 matchups will be played at Cape Central, while all other subsequent games occur at Capaha Field.
