The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp and Peak Events LLC will host the fourth annual Live Like Lou Jax College Baseball Classic from Feb. 26-28, 2027, at VyStar Ballpark. Cincinnati, Illinois, Georgia Tech and Tennessee will compete in the round-robin college baseball tournament. The event was announced Aug. 27, 2026.
The tournament will feature two games per day at VyStar Ballpark. Fans can sign up for presale ticket access through the Jax Classic page at Peak Events. Travel packages and broadcast details will be announced later.
Three teams reached the 2026 NCAA Tournament
Three of the four teams in the 2027 field reached the NCAA Tournament in 2026. Cincinnati represented the Big 12, went 38-22 and earned a spot in the Starkville Regional. Georgia Tech won 50 games for the sixth time in program history, captured the ACC regular-season and tournament championships, and hosted the Atlanta Regional as the No. 2 overall seed.
Tennessee reached the Chapel Hill Regional in 2026 and won the 2024 College World Series. Illinois has won 31 Big Ten championships, with its most recent championship coming in 2024. The four teams will meet in a round-robin format during the three-day event.
2026 tournament field included Indiana, LSU, Notre Dame and UCF
The 2026 tournament field included Indiana, LSU, Notre Dame and UCF. LSU won the tournament championship belt after going undefeated in the round-robin format. LSU outscored its opponents 34-11.
The Live Like Lou Jax College Baseball Classic is named after the Live Like Lou Foundation, which honors Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig. The foundation supports people living with ALS through volunteer service, financial grants and college scholarships for dependents in ALS families. It also funds early-career scientists studying ALS and raises awareness for Lou Gehrig’s disease.
The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins and compete in the International League. The team won the 2025 International League and Triple-A National Championships. The Jumbo Shrimp call VyStar Ballpark home for baseball, and the venue will host the 2027 college baseball classic.
Source: Original report