Reviewed by: Patrick Byington
Trash Pandas advance to Southern League Championship Series
Reading time: 2 minutes
With a sweep of the Knoxville Smokies in the Southern League North Division Series, the Rocket City Trash Pandas advanced to the 2026 Southern League Championship.
The Trash Pandas completed the sweep with a 13-3 win Thursday, September 17, 2026 in Knoxville. This is the first Southern League Championship Series appearance in Trash Pandas history.
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Trash Pandas headed to the Championship Series
The Trash Pandas will open the best-of-three championship series Sunday at 6:35PM in Biloxi against the Shuckers, who completed their own South Division Series sweep Thursday with an 8-3 victory over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
The opponent is significant because the Biloxi Shuckers used to be the Huntsville Stars before then-owner Miles Prentice sold the team to businessman Ken Young in 2014. young then moved the team to Biloxi.
The Trash Pandas will host Game 2 on Tuesday, September 22, and Game 3, if necessary, on Wednesday, September 23, at Toyota Field.
The championship berth is another chapter in an amazing turnaround story for the Trash Pandas. One year after finishing 45-92 (Minor League Baseball’s worst record), Rocket City improved by 27 wins, finished 72-65 and captured the North Division second-half title.
Now, the Trash Pandas are two wins from their first Southern League championship.
Tickets are on sale now for the Southern League Championship Series games at Toyota Field. Rocket City will host Game 2 on Tuesday, September 22, and Game 3, if necessary, on Wednesday, September 23. Fans can purchase tickets HERE.
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