New Orleans UYA to host SWAC baseball tourney

NEW ORLEANS  -- Postseason baseball is coming to the Urban Youth Academy in New Orleans.

The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced Monday that it will hold its postseason baseball tournament at Wesley Barrow Stadium this season. The tourney was expected to be held at LaGrave Field in Fort Worth, Texas, but the conference felt the Urban Youth Academy was a better fit.

The SWAC has maintained close ties to the Urban Youth Academy mission because it has sent at least one team to all seven editions of the Urban Invitational tourney. Grambling State has been involved every year, and its rival -- Southern University -- has also been invited to the tourney.

Duer Sharp, commissioner of the SWAC, issued an official statement on Monday and said that the primary concern of the conference will always be the health and well-being of the players.

"We would like to apologize to the fans, families, coaches and administrators for the delay and inconvenience the decision of switching venues may present," said Sharp as part of a press release. "The health and welfare of the student-athletes will always be our primary concern."

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