Brooks, SU dominate Coppin State

Photo: SU Coach Roger Candor.

The important part of Southern University’s 19-5 win over Coppin State came in getting a solid, knuckle-down start from junior right-hander Sherrard Brooks.

Brooks, who had struggled in three appearances, settled down after a rocky first inning, got out of a jam in the second and dominated from there until coming out after the sixth.

For a team with two starting pitchers, Chris Donaby and Seth Monaghan, out with injuries and still trying to build its bullpen, having Brooks gain confidence is a big help.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK ON BLOG TITLE.

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.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK ON BLOG TITLE.

Banged-up Southern University to host Coppin State

The Southern University baseball team, which hosts Coppin State tonight and has a key Western Division series this weekend at Grambling, is in a world of hurt.

Eight position players and two starting pitchers have a variety of injuries.

SU (5-7) hosts Coppin State (2-14), a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, at 6 p.m. today at Lee-Hines Field.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK ON BLOG TITLE.

Coppin State Snaps Losing Streak with Sweep of North Carolina Central

BALTIMORE – Behind a gutty pitching performance from Jeremiah Cothiere, the Coppin State Eagles baseball team beat North Carolina Central, 11-7, in game one of a double header sweep on Tuesday afternoon at Joe Cannon Stadium. The win snapped a 55-game losing streak for the Eagles, the longest losing streak in Division I baseball history.

The Eagles won game two, 7-6, on a walk off wild pitch with the bases loaded to improve their record to 2-10 on the season while North Carolina Central fell to 1-9.

In the opener, Cothiere, a junior from Lake Worth, Fla, started shaky allowing six runs over the first two innings, only to settle in and keep NCCU off the scoreboard over the next three frames.

Trailing 4-0 after the top of the first, the Eagles answered with six runs of their own off NCCU starter David Scott. Brandon Alexander led off the inning with a walk, stole second and came around to score on Jerry Matos’ double to left field. After a pop out brought the first out of the inning, Matos stole third, and then scored on a single by Patrick Regalado. After back to back errors allowed Carlos Russell and Angel Recci to reach base, Roman Batista singled to right field scoring Regalado, with Russell and Recci both coming around to score on a bad throw from the outfield to give the Eagles a 6-4 lead.

“I finally got the monkey off my back,” said head coach Harvey Lee after the game. “The kids deserve this. There have been a few games where calls didn’t go our way, but I wanted them to see they really are a good team.”

CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE BLOG TITLE.

Urban Invitational comes to a close

COMPTON, Calif. -- The first MLB Urban Invitational has now come to a close, but the three-day event at USC's Dedeaux Field, UCLA's Jackie Robinson Stadium, and the MLB Urban Youth Academy created such goodwill and positive feedback from everyone involved, there is little doubt that this will set the stage for more and bigger invitationals in the coming years.

"It has been a tremendous opportunity to showcase the historical black colleges and universities [HBCUs] and a chance for the commissioner's initiative on African-Americans participation in baseball to be even further enhanced," said Major League Baseball Executive Vice President of Operations Jimmie Lee Solomon.

"What really struck me though is we had over 3,500 people here at the academy on Saturday night. People stayed here past midnight, cheering, watching the games -- we had kids running around and the crowd was extremely diverse. You can't tell me that the African-American population is not interested in our game."

CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE BLOG TITLE.

What a positive way to kick off the baseball season for Bethune Cookman and Southern University. Once again you proved that HBCUs can compete successfully in Division I Baseball. Those two losses by BCU to USC and UCLA 2-0 were great pitching duels. And how 'bout that SU slugfest with USC that ended 13-9?

The `Cats next test will be Georgia Southern on Tues, Mar. 4 at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach. Southern University will play Tulane on Tuesday.

-beepbeep

BCU Baseball Bounces Back with 10-4 Win over Southern University

Photo: Bethune Cookman University's Eric Thomas, 5-11/185 junior P/OF, Daytona Beach CC/Bucholz H.S., Gainesville, FL

Drew Clark and Justin Hoyte hit first collegiate career homeruns

Compton, Calif. - Bethune-Cookman University bounced back on Sunday afternoon with an emphatic 10-4 win over Southern University in the final game of the inaugural MLB Urban Invitational Tournament held at the Urban Youth Academy in Compton, Calif.

Everyone knew whenever the bats joined the outstanding pitching of the Bethune-Cookman staff, and then the Wildcats would certainly be the most dangerous team in Black College Baseball. That point was made evident on Sunday afternoon as the Southern Jaguars and Bethune-Cookman Wildcats met for the first time in school history.

With controversy surrounding the game of the century between these two storied programs for years, the game was finally put on the field for the entire HBCU world to see Sunday. The problem is that it took place almost 3,000 miles away from B-CU, and about 2,000 miles from Southern's home site of Baton Rouge, La.

B-CU starting pitcher Eric Thomas was nearly flawless for the second consecutive week as he mowed down the hot-hitting Southern (0-4) bats. The hard-throwing right-hander from Gainesville, Fla. was touched just twice on the day and allowed one earned run. He struck-out six batters and was almost untouchable with the awesome B-CU defense right behind him whenever he got himself into trouble with six walks issued on the day in unusual fashion.

CONTINUE READING THIS STORY AND VIEW GAME STATS BY CLICKING ON BLOG TITLE.

Urban Invitational a rousing success

COMPTON, Calif. -- After four years of talks and planning, the first MLB Urban Invitational was a coming out party for the Urban Youth Academy.

Tournament games started at USC's Dedeaux Field and UCLA's Jackie Robinson Stadium on Friday with UCLA Right-hander Charles Brewer (1-0) limiting Southern University to three hits in 7 2/3 scoreless innings, leading the No. 3-ranked Bruins past Southern, 11-2. Catcher Brent Dean powered the Bruins offense, finishing 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBIs, two runs and one walk at Jackie Robinson Stadium. Down the freeway, Junior left-hander Tommy Milone threw eight scoreless innings and allowed just two hits while tying a career high with nine strikeouts as the Trojans shut out the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, 2-0.

The games moved to the academy's main field Saturday where UCLA shut out Bethune Cookman in the first game of the doubleheader, 2-0, aided by a solo home run by UCLA right fielder Gabe Cohen and a 10-strikeout performance by UCLA starter Tim Murphy. Despite two shutout losses, Bethune-Cookman head coach Mervyl Melendez is proud that his team was invited to take part in the tournament.

READ THE COMPLETE STORY BY CLICKING ON THE BLOG TITLE.

Milone And Cook Shut Out Bethune-Cookman, 2-0, In USC's Home Opener

LOS ANGELES - Junior left-hander Tommy Milone (Saugus/Saugus HS) threw eight scoreless innings and allowed just two hits while tying a career-high with nine strikeouts Friday as the USC Trojans shut out the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, 2-0, at Dedeaux Field. It was USC's home opener and the first game for both teams in the MLB Urban Invitational.

Milone (1-0) did not allow a runner past second base and retired the final 13 batters he faced for USC (4-2). Junior Ryan Cook (Clovis/Clovis HS) made his first career relief appearance and threw a perfect ninth to pick up his first save as a Trojan.

USC broke the scoreless tie with both runs in the eighth. Anthony Vasquez doubled down the right field line and scored on an RBI single by senior Roberto Lopez. After Lopez stole second and reached third on a wild pitch, he scored on pinch hitter Keith Castillo's RBI single to left.

Concepcion Guzman (0-1) took the loss for Bethune-Cookman (2-2) after relieving starter Hiram Burgos, who threw seven scoreless innings. Burgos allowed just three hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

CONTINUE READING THIS STORY AND VIEW GAME STATS BY CLICKING ON BLOG TITLE.

African-Americans in NCAA baseball few and far between

Photo: Southern University head baseball coach Roger Candor.

It isn't a myth or an overstatement to say that the hardest thing to see in college baseball is an African-American ballplayer. The decline almost makes a triple play look common.

In 2007, less than seven percent of all NCAA Division I baseball players were African-American, and the numbers are expected to decline for 2008. The comparisons to basketball, where 57 percent of D-I players were African-American, and football (43 percent) are mind-boggling.

There are a grand total of seven African-American players at the five pre-eminent college baseball teams in Southern California - two at Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State, and one each at USC, UCLA and Pepperdine. Considering UCLA gave us Jackie Robinson, USC is located in the inner-city and Long Beach has a long history of producing outstanding African-American athletes, it's a regrettable local statistic.

CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE BLOG TITLE.

Black colleges facing pivotal time

Photo: BCU head baseball coach Mervyl Melendez.

Mervyl Melendez, the baseball coach at Bethune-Cookman University, respects his school's distinguished tradition within the ranks of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He tries every year to recruit African American players to the private liberal arts school, which has about 3,000 students at its Daytona Beach, Fla., campus.

"We offered, in November, seven African American kids scholarships. All but one rejected that offer and signed with different universities," he said. "After we were rejected we got kids from Puerto Rico. We recruited six, and all six said yes." And so Bethune-Cookman, whose student body is more than 91% black, fields a team in which African Americans are a minority, outnumbered by players from Melendez's native Puerto Rico.

CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON BLOG TITLE.

Pitt Baseball Pummels Maryland Eastern Shore, 25-3

Princess Anne, Maryland - A last-minute schedule change brought the Pitt baseball team one of it's most successful days in the program's 69-year history. The Panthers were scheduled to travel to Chillicothe, Ohio this weekend for a three-game series with Youngstown State, but inclement weather conditions forced Pitt to make a quick schedule change. Instead of Ohio, the Panthers traveled to Maryland Eastern Shore for a weekend-series against the Hawks and Rhode Island.

In the opening game of the weekend, Pitt (2-2) rolled to a 25-3 win over host Maryland Eastern Shore (0-6) Friday afternoon. The win marked the 21st time in the program's history that the Panthers have scored 20 or more runs.

CONTINUE TO READ THIS ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON BLOG TITLE.

The Hawks have no football team; maybe they need to drop baseball too. Dang...25-3!

Big Inning Propels Appalachian State Past N.C. A&T

by Appalachian Sports Information

BOONE, N.C. — Highlighted by Wes Hobson’s first-career grand slam, Appalachian State University baseball scored seven fifth-inning runs en route to a 9-6 victory over North Carolina A&T on Tuesday afternoon at War Memorial Stadium.

Hobson’s two-out grand slam to right field capped a seven-run fifth that turned Appalachian’s 4-2 deficit into a 9-4 lead. Hobson’s blast was one of only three hits in the seven-run frame, as ASU benefitted from four walks in the stanza. In all, Appalachian drew 12 walks on the afternoon.

As has been the case in three of the season’s first four games, the Mountaineer bullpen turned in an impressive effort. Three ASU relievers combined to surrender just one run on four hits over five innings of work to make the lead stand up. The Aggies tacked on a pair of meaningless runs in the ninth to account for the final margin.

CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLE AND GAME STATS BY CLICKING ON THE BLOG TITLE.

North Carolina A&T record is 3-1 on the season.

B-CU Splits Baseball Doubleheader with Temple in Season-Opener

Photo: BCU head baseball coach Mervyl Melendez record first win of season, 5-1 over Temple University.

Daytona Beach, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman University baseball opened up the 2008 season on Sunday with a doubleheader affair with visiting Temple University at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach, Fla. The `Cats split the two-game swing with a 5-1 win in the opener, followed by the 9-6 loss to the Owls in the nightcap.

Bethune-Cookman opened up the 2008 campaign with four newcomers ... all of whom were patrolling the infield as everyone from last year's team graduated on to better things.

The Wildcats (1-1) jumped on top first with the new-style of play for head coach Mervyl Melendez as newcomer Mark Brooks walked and stole second to get himself into scoring position right off the bat--so to speak. That was immediately followed up by an RBI single to centerfield for shortstop José Lozada to plate Brooks for the 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning.

CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLE AND GAME STATS BY CLICKING ON BLOG TITLE.

Buffalo Bulls Fall To North Carolina A&T, 9-3

GREENSBORO, NC – The University at Buffalo baseball team fell in the final game of a three-game set at North Carolina A&T on Sunday afternoon, 9-3. Chris Ciesla (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) and Jacob Rosenbeck (Medina, NY/Medina) each had three hits for the Bulls in the loss. UB is now 0-3 on the season.

North Carolina A&T opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with a pair of runs off of Chaz Mye (North Tonawanda, NY/St. Joseph's Collegiate), who was making his Buffalo debut on the mound. Philip Brewington and Joe McIntrye each singled for the Aggies before Nick Rogers drove them both in with a double to center field.

UB cut the Aggies' lead in half in the top of the second when Eric Flynn (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara Falls) knocked in Nick Walczak (Tonawanda, NY/Kenmore East) on a single to left center.

In the bottom of the third, North Carolina A&T increased their advantage with a four-run inning. Jeremy Jones had an RBI single in the inning for North Carolina A&T, but a pair of Buffalo errors in the frame meant only two of the four runs scored by the Aggies were earned.

CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE BLOG TITLE.

UCF Completes Sweep in 17-2 Win over Florida A&M

Photo: FAMU head baseball coach Robert Lucas has a young squad that will require time to develop into championship form.

ORLANDO, Fla. - The UCF baseball team set a school record for most runs in a three-game series after defeating Florida A&M, 17-2, Sunday at Jay Bergman Field. In all, the Knights (3-0) racked up 50 runs over the weekend vs. the Rattlers (0-3), and will now host No. 6 Missouri Monday at 3 p.m.

A total of 3,208 attended the three-game series vs. FAMU, marking the third-largest series in stadium history.

Junior southpaw Mitch Herold (1-0) collected the win by going 5.0 innings with six strikeouts and five hits allowed, including not surrendering a hit until the fourth inning. On the basepaths, UCF swiped 10 bases, highlighted by junior Josh Siebenaler's three steals.

UCF posted 16 hits on the day, led by sophomore Chris Duffy who went 3-for-5 with two RBI. Junior Chadd Hartman delivered with the Knights' first home run of the season with a three-run shot in the seventh. Sunday marked the second-straight game that all nine Knight starters scored a run.

CONTINUE READING THIS STORY AND BOX STATS BY CLICKING ON THE BLOG TITLE.

Betty Powers North Carolina A&T to wins

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Early indications are there is no sophomore slump in store for CJ Beatty.

Beatty went a combined 4-for-7 with two home runs and four RBI to lead the North Carolina A&T baseball team to a doubleheader sweep of Buffalo 9-1 and 10-4 at War Memorial Stadium on Saturday. The Aggies improved to 2-0 while the Bulls fail to 0-2.

In the opener, Beatty, the 2007 MEAC Rookie of the Year, took the first pitch he saw on the season and towered over the right field fence for a solo home run and a 1-0 Aggies lead. The Bulls’ Nick Walczak evened the score in the sixth by going deep off of N.C. A&T starter Tim Johnson.

The Aggies broke the game open in the next half inning, however. The Aggies put together six straight hits and a walk off of starter Zach Anderson before he was replaced by reliever Mike Stangroom.

CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE BLOG TITLE.

Sweat's Career-High Eight Strikeouts Lead UCF Past Florida A&M, 16-2

Brown drives in four runs, Duffy scores four times in the win over the Rattlers.

ORLANDO, Fla.- After suffering through a lengthy rain delay before first pitch, the UCF baseball team moved to 2-0 on the season with a 16-2 win over Florida A&M Saturday at Jay Bergman Field. Junior starter Kyle Sweat delivered with a career-high eight strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work for the victory.

The Knights racked up 15 hits in the win over the Rattlers (0-2), led by senior Dwayne Bailey and sophomore Shane Brown, who each posted three hits. Brown also posted a career-high four RBI, and sophomore Chris Duffy set a personal mark with four runs scored.

UCF climbed on top of FAMU and starter Anthony Espin (0-1) in the second as Duffy reached on an error and senior Ryan Richardson blasted a double high off the center-field fence. Following an intentional walk to Brown, freshman Evan Stobbs was issued a free pass with the bases juiced for the first run.

CONTINUE READING THIS STORY AND BOX STATS BY CLICKING ON THE BLOG TITLE.

UCF Baseball Pounds Out 17 Runs in Opening-Day Win over FAMU

Photo: FAMU starting pitcher Cirilo Manego had a difficult day on the mound pitching 2.1 innings, giving up 12 hits, 10 runs and 3 strikeouts to UCF Knights.

Knights defeat Rattlers, 17-1, to tie school record for most runs in a season-opener.

ORLANDO, Fla. - A festive crowd of 1,282 ventured to Opening Day at Jay Bergman Field Friday and had a lot to cheer about as UCF routed Florida A&M, 17-1. The Knights' 17 runs tied a school record for most in a season-opener, as they also accomplished the feat vs. Rollins in 1998.

Senior Jaager Good (1-0) got the start for the Black and Gold and gave up just two hits and struck out eight in 5.2 innings of work, including striking out the side in the first. At the dish, senior Dwayne Bailey came one hit shy of matching the school mark for hits in a game, as he went 5-for-5 with four runs scored. Meanwhile, senior Tyson Auer tied his career high by scoring four runs as well.

"As long as you win by one run, it's a W," said head coach Jay Bergman, who enters his 26th season with UCF. "I thought we played very well tonight, particularly defensively, and Jaager was in control of his game. The team played with a lot of enthusiasm and what we call synergy."

CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLE AND VIEW GAME STATS BY CLICKING ON BLOG TITLE.

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."

CONTINUE READING THIS STORY BY CLICKING ON THE BLOG TITLE.

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.

CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON BLOG TITLE.