The road to an American Southwest Conference title is set, and the Howard Payne Yellow Jackets are ready to make their run from the four spot.

The 2026 ASC Softball Championship heads to Marshall, Texas, May 7–9, bringing together four teams in a double-elimination battle for the conference crown. As the No. 4 seed, Howard Payne opens tournament play Thursday evening against No. 1 seed East Texas Baptist, with first pitch scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

It's a tough opening draw, but also a prime opportunity. A win would send the Yellow Jackets into the winner's bracket semifinal on Friday afternoon, while a loss would push them into the elimination bracket, where every inning becomes a must-win scenario.

On the other side, No. 2 seed Hardin-Simmons faces No. 3 seed Mary Hardin-Baylor in Thursday's first game, rounding out the opening slate. From there, the bracket quickly tightens, with elimination games beginning Friday and the championship round set for Saturday.