A&T's Simmons’ shot at big leagues a little late

The honor came 58 years late for Bert Simmons, but then, most everything did.

The former N.C. A&T baseball player who fought his way through lesser leagues of the South before getting his shot in the Negro Leagues, was "drafted" Thursday to play for the Baltimore Orioles.

Baseball's been trying to make up for lost time and accrued embarrassment for more than 60 years, embracing the ballplayers who were never given a chance to play in the majors simply because of the color of their skin. The gestures have been both grand and hollow since Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947.

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SSU baseball coach reinstated

Savannah State baseball head coach Carlton Hardy has been reinstated after being suspended from April 18 until May 23 while he was the focus of an internal investigation, SSU communications director Loretta Heyward said.

"Mr. Carlton Hardy returned to work on May 23," Heyward said of SSU's third-year coach, who was suspended from the Tigers' final 12 games. SSU was 3-9 without Hardy, and finished the season 20-25.

Because the case is a personnel matter, Heyward said she could not provide further information.

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A new color barrier?

Photo: Bethune Cookman University 2008 Baseball Team.

Baseball seeing fewer black athletes on deck.

Central High School junior Johnny Gray has never played organized baseball, although his friends have attempted to talk him into giving it a try. "They tell me I'd be good at it," said Gray, who plays basketball and runs track at Central. "But I'm so busy with basketball, I don't really have time."

Besides, Gray said, baseball just doesn't do anything for him. "It's kind of boring to me," he said. Gray's view seems typical of many young black athletes who dream of earning a college athletic scholarship. Baseball probably isn't their ticket. The number of black players in college baseball continues to decline, with black players comprising only 2.6 of the NCAA Division I total in 2006, the latest NCAA report.

That's down from 6 percent in a 2004 report by Richard Lapchick, director of the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports. Lapchick isn't pointing fingers at the college game or its coaches. He said the dwindling number of blacks in baseball is an across-the-board problem.

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Texas Southern faces #7 National Seed LSU in NCAAs

Photo: Texas Southern Tigers will face the LSU Tigers on their home field in the first round of the NCAA Baseball Tournament.

LSU is the No. 7 national seed in the NCAA baseball tournament field released today, and the Tigers could host a super regional at Alex Box Stadium for the first time since 2004.

LSU would be at home for the super-regional round if it wins this weekend's regional at Alex Box Stadium.

The Tigers will face Texas Southern (16-32) at 1 p.m. Friday in the regional opener in Baton Rouge. New Orleans (42-19), the No. 3 seed in the regional at LSU, will face No. 2 Southern Miss (40-20) at 6 p.m. Friday in the other first-round matchup.

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Bethune-Cookman Travels to Miami for NCAA Baseball Regional

Wildcats draw top-seeded Hurricanes for opening game

Daytona Beach, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman University Baseball found out Monday afternoon that they will stay in state and travel down I-95 south to the University of Miami for their NCAA Regional in Coral Gables, Fla. The Wildcats will be making their third consecutive trip to the NCAA Baseball Regional, as well as their third trip to a Regional hosted by the Miami Hurricanes. B-CU traveled to Coral Gables in 2003 and 1999 as well.

Joining the Wildcats in the Coral Gables (Fla.) Regional will be the University of Mississippi [Ole Miss], Missouri and of course homestanding and host University of Miami. B-CU faced off against the Rebels of Ole Miss two years ago in the Oxford (Miss.) Regional in one of the most exciting Regional games in Bethune-Cookman history. The `Cats fell 3-2 to the Rebels in the opening game in front of a sell-out crowd.

Bethune-Cookman University will make their second trip this season to Coral Gables to tangle with the Hurricanes. B-CU dropped both games of a midweek doubleheader (10-5 & 7-6) to the Canes earlier this season while Miami was ranked #3 nationally. The `Cats and Canes will hook-up on Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. at Mark Light Stadium on the campus of the University of Miami. The entire Coral Gables Regional will be shown live on ESPNU, with games at 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If necessary, Monday's contest will also be shown live on ESPNU at 7 p.m.

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North Carolina A&T pulls out win over Norfolk State

Archive Photo: North Carolina A&T Aggies head coach Keith Shumate.

NORFOLK, Va. – In a game that played dead even for seven-plus innings, Thursday’s MEAC first-round game between fifth-seeded Norfolk State and second-seeded North Carolina A&T was probably going to come down to which team caught a break.

A&T caught two of them, and Nick Rogers was in the middle of both.

Rogers’ long fly ball into left-center field bounced off the outstretched glove of NSU center fielder TiQuan Griffin, allowing two runs to score in the bottom of the eighth, and the Aggies escaped with a 4-2 victory.

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FAMU pulls out dramatic win over Delaware State

Photo: FAMU Pitcher Cirilo Manego has ugly game, but goes distance for the victory as FAMU saves their ace pitcher for North Carolina A&T game scheduled on Friday.

NORFOLK, Va. – After hitting a bases-clearing double to send Florida A&M over Delaware State, shortstop Tim Schalch and his teammates sprinted toward the outfield at Marty L. Miller Field. And straight for the tarp.

The victory was dramatic. The celebration was short.

FAMU players began rolling out the tarp in anticipation of heavy overnight rains Thursday. The Rattlers’ 7-6 come-from-nowhere victory was actually interrupted by a brief rain delay in the bottom of the ninth.

After it rained, FAMU poured it on.

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BCU vs. North Carolina A&T Baseball on ESPNU Today

B-CU and N.C. A&T to play on ESPNU Today at 2 PM.

Bethune-Cookman will host North Carolina A&T State University on Sunday at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in front of a nationally television audience. The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU at 2 p.m. in Daytona Beach.

BCU Wildcats Use Comeback for 6-5 Win Over Florida Gulf Coast

Lozada stays white hot with perfect 4-for-4 evening

Daytona Beach, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman University used an amazing four-run seventh inning to grab a come-from-behind 6-5 victory over Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach.

B-CU (11-6) started out the day with two runs in the second and third inning, respectively, to go ahead 2-0 early in the contest.

Senior shortstop Jose Lozada's team-leading third homerun of the season came with a solo shot to left to lift the `Cats, 2-0 in the third frame.

Freshman starter Samuel Rodriguez seemed to have little trouble on the mound until the fourth frame when the visitors from Ft. Meyers, Fla. Took aim at the freshman.

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The Power Of Eight Aids USC In Wild 13-9 Win over Southern Jaguars

Trojans score eight runs in the eighth for the win over Southern.

COMPTON, Calif. - The USC Trojans scored eight times in the eighth inning Saturday to defeat the Southern Jaguars, 13-9, in action at the MLB Urban Invitational. The Trojans took advantage of Jaguar pitching, which allowed seven walks in the USC eight, including three with the bases loaded. Both teams allowed a combined 20 walks with Southern accounting for 14 walks on the evening.

Senior third baseman Roberto Lopez (La Mesa/Rancho Bernardo HS) went 4-for-5 with two doubles and three RBI for the Trojans (5-2) while sophomore shortstop Hector Rabago (Riverside/Poly HS) also had three RBI, including a two-run home run.

Victor Franklin went 2-for-5 for Southern (0-3) with a double and three RBI while Calvin Anderson and Brad McDavid had three hits each.

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Promise still has Williams at Coppin State

Photo: Coppin State University Coach Harvey Lee had some painful days last season going 0-44 with only 11 players. Better days are ahead for the Eagles in 2008 with a full roster of talented players.

No games have been played yet, but life as a Coppin State baseball player is better for Harry Williams (Potomac '06) this season than it ever was last season. It's easy to see why. All the sophomore first baseman has to do is scan the field.

There are players catching fly balls in the outfield, third basemen taking grounders and pitchers working out on the mound. Last season, Williams did all those things, filling in at all but two positions for a Coppin State team that fielded 11 total players and finished the season 0-44.

Williams could have bolted the program after 2007, but second-year coach Harvey Lee made a promise to Williams. If Williams stayed, Lee said he would not only find more players to field a competitive team. That team would be built around Williams. "Coach Lee guaranteed that we would have a team and it would be a lot better," said Williams, who hit a team-high .339 last season. "When he said that, I believed every word he said about it. He kept his word."

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The Coppin State baseball home opening weekend has been postponed due to snow and rain in the Baltimore area and instead the Eagles will travel to Hofstra for their season opener. The Eagles were originally scheduled to host the Pride for single games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Hofstra and Coppin State, pending weather in the Hempstead area, will play a doubleheader on Sunday beginning at noon.

A Renaissance is on in the SWAC and MEAC

Photo: North Carolina A&T State University Aggies head baseball coach Keith Shumate (9th year). #23 is RH Pitcher Marquis Frink, 5-10/180 junior, Garner, N.C., Louisburg Junior College/Pine Forest H.S.

As Mississippi Valley State coach Doug Shanks looks around the Southwestern Athletic Conference, he likes the scenery.

He sees a traditional power like Southern University, the first historically black school to win an NCAA tournament game. He sees the new bully on the block at Prairie View A&M, the two-time defending SWAC champion. He sees vastly improved programs at Grambling and Arkansas-Pine Bluff. He sees schools like Jackson State and Texas Southern with a stable of fine athletes. He sees improving facilities. He sees better attendance. He sees higher-caliber players.

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