Saint Augustine's Rashaad Ingram Selected By San Diego Padres In MLB First-Year Player Draft

Raleigh, N.C. - Star shortstop Rashaad Ingram (Savannah, Ga.) of Saint Augustine's College was drafted Tuesday by the San Diego Padres on the second day of the 2011 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

Ingram was taken by the Padres in the 28th round with the 863rd pick. He becomes the second Saint Augustine's College player in three seasons to be drafted. Anthione Shaw, also a shortstop for the Falcons, was picked by the Oakland Athletics in 2009.

Ingram was drafted after a remarkable senior season in 2011. He captured national, regional and conference honors after leading the Falcons to a modern school record of 36 wins. The NCAA Division II leader in steals (80) and stolen bases per game (1.48), Ingram was named Daktronics Third Team All-American, Daktronics First Team All-Atlantic Region, All-CIAA first team and CIAA player of the year. He was one of 36 players nationally who was named to the College Baseball Lineup DII All-Star Team. Ingram led the Falcons in batting average (.390), hits (67), runs (72) and doubles (15) as a senior.

Ingram, tied for third in Division II in runs, finished his four-year career as one of the most decorated baseball players ever at Saint Augustine's College. He was part of a senior group that sparked a resurgence in the baseball program after four straight losing seasons including six wins the year before Ingram arrived.

The Falcons amassed 119 wins in four years. The baseball team won two CIAA regular-season titles, one CIAA Tournament crown, and made four consecutive CIAA Tournament finals appearances during that period.

By Saint Augustine's College Sports Information

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St. Aug's star looks to MLB draft

Rashaad Ingram

RALEIGH, NC -- When Rashaad Ingram stepped on first base, opposing infielders adjusted their stances and automatically anticipated a steal. Everyone knew the 6-foot speedster from St. Augustine's intended on taking an extra base. Or two. Or three.

Coaches tried signaling. Pitchers tried pitch-outs. Catchers tried throwing him out.

"No offense to any catcher out there," Ingram said. "They really don't have a chance. ... I'm stealing off the pitcher. I'm reading moves. It's something that comes natural to me." Ingram gave teams plenty of chances to throw him out in four seasons with the Falcons. Few ever caught him in the act, allowing the senior to finish his collegiate career with 186 stolen bases in 206 attempts.

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Ex-Warrior baseball standout happy to help WSSU to first-ever title

Coach Kevin Ritsche 

GASTONIA, N.C. — Usually when a college or university starts up an athletic program, their coaches, players and fans simply hope to be competitive. So imagine what Winston-Salem University coaches, players and fans think of their Rams winning a CIAA tournament title in their first season fielding a baseball team in 37 years?

“People are really excited and happy,” said former East Gaston High standout Jordan Graham. “But when we got together last fall, we felt we could have a good team.”

But few could’ve imagined winning the school’s first-ever CIAA championship, which also means the Rams will make their first-ever NCAA Division in two weeks. That is, except for the WSSU players themselves.

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Pierce leads Saint Augustine's Falcon in CIAA finale

Joe Pierce is putting the finishing touches on a career that began with shoulder pads, but ended with spikes aluminum. “I was recruited for football,” said Pierce, a graduate of Wetumpka High (near Montgomery, AL). “It didn’t work out, so I tried out for baseball. Ever since then, that’s all I’ve been playing.”

Pierce capped his senior season at Division II Saint Augustine College with commanding performance during the 2011 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association baseball tournament. The senior Falcon was one of five chosen as part of the All-Tournament team.

“This was a pretty good year for us,” said Pierce. “We started off slow, but got everything together.” The No. 2 seeded Falcons (36-18) dropped back-to-back games (7-6, 3-0) to conference newcomer Winston-Salem.

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VSU's Howard Spencer Greets Success With A Smile

ETTRICK, VA -- What makes Virginia State University junior Howard Spencer so easy to identify is not the free-flowing mane of dreadlocks that billows out of his football helmet. Nor is it the head-turning speed with which he roams the baselines.

It's his unfailing smile -- an ear-to-ear grin that rarely leaves his visage and has come to define the 21-year-old two-sport athlete. "Everybody always calls me 'Smiley,'" Spencer said. "They say I'm always smiling and they know something is wrong when I'm not."

To be fair, the 2007 Thomas Dale graduate has a lot to smile about. His work ethic and positive approach have become contagious and lifted him into leadership roles on the VSU football and baseball teams.



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Fort alumnus Carroll earns CIAA top coach award

Coach Aaron Carroll

PETERSBURG, VA — Chowan University head baseball coach Aaron Carroll has been named 2011 CIAA Coach of the Year. Carroll was awarded the honor at the CIAA ceremony on the campus of Virginia State University this past week before the start of the conference tournament.

Carroll, a Fort Defiance High School graduate, led Chowan to a 29-14 overall record in the regular season, the most wins the program has had since the 2008 campaign. The Hawks earned the top seed in the CIAA tournament after compiling a 25-3 conference record, but were eliminated from the tournament Saturday. Chowan finished the year with a 30-16 record.

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WSSU wins CIAA tournament

PETERSBURG, Va. -- Winston-Salem State defeated St. Augustine's twice Saturday, 7-6 and 3-0, to win the CIAA tournament championship and secure an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II playoffs.

WSSU (30-19) had to win the first game to force the second in the double-elimination tournament after losing 3-2 to St. Aug's in Thursday's opener. The Rams took a 7-2 lead in the first game, then survived a four-run rally by the Falcons (36-18).

Reliever John Markley struck out Kevin White with the tying run on third and the winning run on second to end the game, and Andrew Smith went 3 for 5. In the second game, Markley (5-3) pitched seven shutout innings, and Brice Rivenbark pitched the last two for his second save of the year. Markley allowed three hits, struck out four and walked three.

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Spruill signs with Elizabeth City State University

HERTFORD, N.C. — Dustin Spruill has decided to play college baseball for the coach who remained most loyal to him. The Perquimans catcher, a Division I prospect until 11th grade when rotator cuff surgery scared off recruiters, has signed with Elizabeth City State.

While there were still some other suitors out there, Spruill wants to play for Vikings coach Terrance Whittle.

“He’s the one coach who has stuck with me all the way,” Spruill said. “He’s willing to give me a chance, even with my shoulder. I really want to thank him for that opportunity. “A lot of guys in my situation wouldn’t get a second chance.”

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WSSU plays in CIAA baseball tournament today

Winston-Salem State's first baseball season since 1973 has been successful, and coach Kevin Ritsche is hoping the success continues during the CIAA Baseball Tournament in Petersburg, Va.

WSSU, seeded No. 3, will take on No. 2 St. Augustine's at 10 a.m. today to open the four-team double-elimination tournament. No. 1 Chowan will play No. 4 Virginia State at 1 p.m., and the first-game losers will meet in an elimination game at 4 p.m. The title game is scheduled for Saturday.

"A true measure of how we've done this season will be if we can win the CIAA," said Ritsche, who has one of the best pitching teams in the league. "That was our goal at the start of the season, to win the conference, and we have a chance to do that."

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Randolph tosses no-hitter as ECSU Vikings sweep Shaw Bears

Final Stats
ELIZABETH CITY, NC- The Elizabeth City State University baseball team kept their hopes for a berth in next week's CIAA tournament alive with a double header sweep of Shaw University 7-0 and 8-0 Thursday afternoon.

However the, Vikings' post season push temporarily served as a backdrop to a near flawless performance by freshman Kerich Randolph, who threw a no-hitter in the game 7-0 win over Shaw in game one.

"I wasn't aware of it," the Bolivia, NC native said. "I didn't know until my teammates told me in between games. A lot of the credit goes to them because they made some great plays today."

Randolph, who leads the Vikings in strikeouts this season with 72, fanned 10 batters on Thursday. "In a way, I'm glad I didn't know (about the no-hitter). I felt good out there today. I'm just happy we got two wins."

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'Gramps' leads WSSU's baseball resurgence

WSSU Rams Michael Robbins

Catcher Michael Robbins doesn't need people to remind him that he's the oldest player on the Winston-Salem State baseball team. His body does that for him. "It can get rough out there on this old dude from time to time," said Robbins, 25, "but I'm handling things pretty well."

WSSU revived the program this spring after a 37-year absence, and Robbins, a 2002 Glenn High graduate and former assistant coach there, decided he wasn't done playing.

"I just kind of kept an eye on the situation because I heard they might bring baseball back," Robbins said. "Once they brought it back, I felt like it was an opportunity, and I took advantage."

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Tenth no-hitter in Francis Marion school history beats Winston-Salem State

FLORENCE, S.C. – Sophomore right-hander Don Sandifer tossed the 10th no-hitter in school history, allowing only two baserunners, as Francis Marion beat Winston-Salem State 13-0, Saturday afternoon in non-conference play.

FMU (6-3) picks up its fourth consecutive win, while Winston-Salem State drops to 5-6. Francis Marion will play host to Benedict College at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Sandifer (2-1), a native of Bamberg, S.C., fanned a career-high 14 batters and walked only one. That free pass came with two outs in the fifth inning. Earlier in the frame, a Ram batter reached on an FMU infield error but was then erased on a double-play line-out. The 14 punchouts were the most by a Patriot in four seasons and only three shy of the school record.

The 2010 Peach Belt Conference Freshman of the Year recorded eight ground ball-outs, one line-out, one pop-up, and only two fly-ball outs.

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ECSU Vikings off to surprising 3-0 start

Elizabeth City State’s baseball team has been practicing under some difficult conditions. That is why last weekend’s season-opening three-game road swing, which produced three wins, came as a bit of a surprise to coach Terrance Whittle

The Vikings won twice at Morehouse in Atlanta on Saturday, 8-1 and 13-6, then followed that with a 10-7 win over Paine in Augusta, despite having only had three outdoor practices and not facing live pitching because of rain and winter weather.

RANDOLPH FANS NINE AS VIKINGS BEAT PAINE COLLEGE 10-7

AUGUSTA, GA-The Elizabeth City State University baseball team will return home with a perfect record intact as they downed Paine College 10-7 Sunday afternoon.

Pitcher Kerich Randolph pitched 7 innings striking out nine against on one hit.

Offensively the Vikings stayed hot with four different players going 2-4 on the afternoon. Tony Wiggins and Clifton Taylor both tallied two singles each while Phillip Dodson finished with a double and a single. Kyle Meads, who hit a three-run homer in the Vikings' opener against Morehouse, hit a triple and a double on the afternoon

VIKINGS SWEEP MOREHOUSE WITH 13-6 WIN IN GAME TWO OF DOUBLEHEADER

ATLANTA, GA- Elizabeth City State University Vikings completed a doubleheader sweep of Morehouse College downing the Maroon Tigers 13-6 in game two on Saturday afternoon.

Weston Dodson collected his three RBI on a three run homer while Hasten Simmons and Khatim Butler both added 2 RBI apiece in the seven run victory. Freshman Cameron Cecil, who was relieved by Hertford, NC native Brad Miller, pitched four shut-out inning in his first appearance.

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WSSU Rams Open 2011 Season with Tough 4-3 Loss at Wingate

WINGATE, NC - The wait is over as Rams baseball made its return after a 37-year hiatus, but the return was a bittersweet one as the Winston-Salem State Rams (0-1) could not hold on in a tough 4-3 loss at Wingate (1-0), Tuesday evening. The Rams had a solid day, holding a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, but four unanswered runs by the Bulldogs in the final three innings ended the day with the WSSU loss.

"First game or not, it's disappointing that we didn't play baseball for nine innings; we played for seven innings," WSSU head baseball coach Kevin Ritsche said following the tough loss. "We had some runners on base in scoring position with only one out and we get them across. We only had one error so I can't be too upset about, but it was a costly error."

The WSSU offense had a solid day with eight total hits for the game and took advantage of three Wingate errors to score three unearned runs. Junior outfielder Brice Rivenbark led the effort with two hits and two RBI in the game. Junior catcher Michael Robbins added a hit and a pair of runs scored.

'Dogs rally for 4-3 win over Rams in season opener

Wingate, N.C.----The defending South Atlantic Conference champion Wingate University Bulldogs scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth to rally for a 4-3 victory over the Rams of Winston-Salem State University in the 2011 season opener Tuesday afternoon at Ron Christopher Stadium and Plyler Athletic Field. Wingate is 1-0 on the season, while the Rams, playing their first game since 1973, are 0-1.

Junior outfielder Casey Allison (Horse Shoe, N.C.) was two-for-three with a double and a run scored to lead the Wingate offense. Redshirt sophomore first baseman Brian Yeung (Raleigh, N.C.) had a pair of hits and an RBI for the Bulldogs, while redshirt sophomore infielder James Tedder (Clemmons, N.C.) was one-for-three with an RBI.

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Winston Salem Rams' reborn baseball program to open season today

After a 37-year absence, baseball is back at Winston-Salem State.

The Rams, with their program resurrected, are scheduled to open their season at 3 p.m. today at Wingate. And although there was rain in the forecast Monday night, there's only a 10-percent chance of precipitation at Wingate this afternoon. "We are monitoring the weather, but we hope we can play (today)," Coach Kevin Ritsche said.

Outfielder Dominique Fitzgerald, also a wide receiver on the football team, will start in center field and said he's looking forward to seeing how the Rams will fare. "It's exciting for the school to be playing baseball again," said Fitzgerald, a junior from Danville, Va. "It's going to be interesting to see how we can compete as a first-year program."

Rams 2011 Baseball Schedule

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Fitzgerald hopes to fit baseball into his schedule

Winston-Salem State University Interim Head Baseball Coach Kevin Ritsche.

Dominique Fitzgerald chuckled when asked if he might be the best baseball player at Winston-Salem State. Fitzgerald is a rising junior wide receiver on the WSSU football team. But he's also very interested in playing baseball next spring, when the Rams will field a team for the first time since 1973. "I've already talked to Coach (Kevin) Ritsche, so we'll just have to see what happens," Fitzgerald said in a telephone interview.

Ritsche, named the interim coach of the fledging baseball program last week, is trying to find players for a team that will play in the CIAA next spring. He'll have to do that without the benefit of a large recruiting budget, so any talent he can find that's already on campus can only help.

Fitzgerald, who played football and baseball at George Washington High School in Danville, Va., is playing summer baseball with the Virginia Marlins, a traveling team of college players based in Danville. He's plays the outfield, and he also pitched some in high school.

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WSSU Rams name interim coach

Winston-Salem State wasted little time finding a coach for its new baseball program, naming Kevin Ritsche yesterday (June 30) on an interim basis. "Wow," Ritsche, 28, said as he was introduced by Chancellor Donald Reaves at the Bowman Gray Stadium Fieldhouse. WSSU, as required by the CIAA for reentrance, must field a baseball team by the spring of 2011, and Ritsche said he's ready to start putting the pieces together. WSSU last offered baseball in 1973.

"After a 38-year hiatus, baseball is back at Winston-Salem State University," said Reaves, an avid baseball fan. "We have a short time frame to get a team on the field, but now is the best time to once again have baseball back at this university." Athletics Director Bill Hayes stayed in-house to find his coach. Ritsche has been a faculty member in WSSU's exercise-science department since 2005 and is working on his doctorate.

"After I talked to Kevin, I didn't have to talk to anybody else," Hayes said. "This guy wants to start practice now, so he's ready to hit the ground running. That's what we need." Ritsche was a catcher and team captain at The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minn., and later a graduate assistant there. He was an honorable-mention NAIA All-America in 2004.

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Winston-Salem State Rams to bring back baseball‎

Winston-Salem State University is bringing back baseball, a sport it last offered in the early 1970s. The team will start play in the spring of 2011, a condition of the school's readmission to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA).

Leon Kerry, the CIAA commissioner, said: "We have a rule that was voted in by the CIAA Board of Directors that any school that comes into the conference had to have a baseball program. This was part of the deal with Winston coming back." Chancellor Donald Reaves of WSSU confirmed yesterday that plans to add baseball are in the works but said all details have yet to be worked out. Kerry said that WSSU is on the CIAA schedule for next season.

"I'm really excited about baseball coming to Winston-Salem State," Reaves said. "I think this will help raise the profile of athletics, and it's also great for the profile of the university.

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Virginia State Trojans' Merrill Morgan Coaching AL Ball

Virginia State University Trojans coach Merrill Morgan has compiled over 100 wins and has guided VSU to four Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championships, including three consecutive championships. Morgan is a 1986 graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, and batted .308 in Rams baseball his junior season.

While high school baseball has ended, American Legion baseball has only just begun within the Tri-Cities for the Colonial Heights (Virginia) Post 284 Bucs and Pirates teams. For fourth-year Post 284 Bucs coach Merrill Morgan, also the head baseball coach at Virginia State University, he is excited to get going. "I just like helping young players develop. I love baseball and working with young players improve for college," Morgan said. "I get a chance to watch and follow many of the players because I coach at Virginia State and live within the area."

As a Dinwiddie native, both of Morgan's sons, M.L. (Merrill,Jr.) Morgan and Marcus have gone to play collegiate baseball. M.L. is currently on the Virginia Commonwealth baseball team and also graduated from Dinwiddie High School while Marcus went to VSU. Both sons last year coached with Morgan during the American Legion season and this year M.L. will join him again.

While at Virginia State, Morgan has coached six seasons - leading the Trojans to over 100 wins with four Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championships, including three straight titles. He has also been named CIAA baseball coach of the year three times (2004, 2006 and 2007). Because of the good relationships that the Morgan family has developed over the years within the local community, it has only made the teams under the fourth-year coach that much closer.

"The kids that we get are pretty polished. All we try to do is give them the guidance and confidence to play college ball," Morgan said. "They already come from good programs so that experience certainly helps."

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CIAA: Bagbey named NCCAA South Region Player of the Year

NCCAA South Region Player of the Year for Baseball -- Chowan University's Justin Bagbey from Virgilina, VA /Halifax County H.S.

Justin ‘Buzzard’ Bagbey continues to succeed at the next level, after another standout season at Chowan University. Bagbey was named National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) South Region Player of the Year for Baseball. Bagbey was named Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association player of the year earlier and first team, 2010 American Baseball Coaches Association Atlantic All-Region (ABCA).

The Hawks first baseman led the conference in home runs (13) this season and hit at a .437 clip. “It’s actually a big honor. When we had the tournament down at our place a couple of weeks ago, I saw a lot of great athletes there, a lot of great baseball players there. For them to name me regional player of the year over all them, it really told me something and it was a big honor,” Bagbey said.

The Chowan University sophomore had added protection in the lineup this year, always a boost for key run producers. The Hawks outstanding freshman Justin Shockley usually got a big hit if pitchers walked Bagbey, giving the former Comet extra help. Shockley was named to the 2010 ABCA Atlantic Region Second Team after hitting at a .452 clip as the Hawks' designated hitter. He collected nine doubles and 22 RBI in his first season of collegiate play.

Bagbey showed extra patience at the plate, a sign of maturity. “I knew after my freshman year, I was going to see a lot of off-speed. I ended up drawing 34 walks this year. Being patient helped a lot, too,” said Bagbey. The Chowan first baseman said he’s getting better, even if he did not produce the same offensive numbers as last year as a freshman. “But if you look at it, I had about ten more walks than I had last year, and other guys in the lineup also hit around me. If they didn’t want to pitch to me, they had trouble to pitch to behind me and everything.

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Note: When Justin 'Buzzard' Badgey career is over a Chowan University, he may be the most famous person in his hometown of Virgilina, Virginia, which has a population of 147 people based on the 2008 census.