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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WSSU Rams fall in regional baseball

LANCASTER, Pa. -- Nick Gillung struck out 10 batters in the first four innings and allowed just three hits in seven innings Friday as Mercyhurst defeated Winston-Salem State 7-2 in the first round of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional baseball tournament.

Despite finishing with just four hits, the Rams stayed close through 51/2 innings, trailing just 2-1. Mercyhurst broke the game open with three runs in the sixth, then added two insurance runs in the eighth. In the sixth, Mercyhurst used three consecutive singles to push across one run, then scored two more on an Ethan Santora double, making it 5-1.

Rams Open NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional with a 7-2 Loss to #17 Mercyhurst

LANCASTER, PA - The Winston-Salem State Rams (30-24) struggled to get their offense going in a tough 7-2 loss to the Mercyhurst Lakers (40-23), Friday afternoon. The Rams gave their best effort in the game, but the runs were hard to come by for the Rams as the team managed just four hits and two runs in the hard-fought loss.

Though the Rams, took the loss, the game gave a great defensive effort to keep the game in reach, trailing 2-1 through the first six innings, but the Rams were outscored 5-1 in the final four innings of play to take the loss. The Rams struggled against the Mercyhurst pitching with just four hits on the day and 16 WSSU strikeouts in the loss. The Rams were able to get on the scoreboard with some clutch hitting as junior catcher Michael Robbins forced an error to third base with a sacrifice bunt that scored junior second baseman Jordan Graham. Freshman outfielder Andrew Smith added a sixth-inning RBI single that drove in sophomore centerfielder German Reyes. The two runs were all that the Rams could muster, however as the team finished the day with the loss.

Box Score

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Winston Salem State back and thriving

After 37 years, Rams baseball is reimplemented and succeeding

Winston-Salem, N.C. - For nearly 40 years, baseball at Winston-Salem State only lived on in memories. Perhaps once in awhile those memories would be dusted off by former players, but the idea of the sport ever coming back to life after being dismantled in 1973 seemed unlikely.

Everything changed when the school decided to put the brakes on its transition to Division I. The thing is, to do that, it had to revive the baseball program because the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association requires all schools to offer the sport.

Revive, as it turns out, might be an understatement. All the Rams have done this season is command attention, winning 30 games, taking home the title in the CIAA tournament and punching a ticket to its first ever NCAA Division II tournament.

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Stillman headed to NCAA Division II South Regional

TUSCALOOSA, AL | The Stillman College baseball team earned an automatic bid into the 2011 NCAA Division II Baseball Tournament by winning the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament championship two weeks ago.

On Sunday, the Tigers were officially invited to the NCAA championship party. The tournament is comprised of 48 teams at eight regional sites. The South Regional consists of eight teams and the West Regional consists of four teams. The six-team regionals are the Atlantic, East, Central, Midwest, Southeast and South Central.

Stillman (26-17) will play in the NCAA Division II South Regional, which begins Thursday at Jim Spooner Field on the University of West Florida campus in Pensacola. The winner will advance to the NCAA Division II World Series in Cary, N.C., on May 29.

“We are very excited,” Stillman head coach Donny Crawford said. “I am just ready...

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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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Stillman Captures Fifth SIAC Championship; Cagle Hurls Complete Game in 3-2 Win

ALBANY, Ga. – Junior left-hander Josh Cagle fired his second complete game in less than 48 hours, pitching the Stillman College baseball team to a 3-2 win over Albany State University in the championship game of the 2011 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament at Paul Eames Complex on Sunday afternoon.

The Brookwood native was named the 2011 SIAC Tournament Most Valuable Player after his second complete game in the four-day event. The former Tuscaloosa Academy standout worked 18 innings in his two tournament starts and allowed five runs (3 ER) on nine hits with 21 strikeouts and two walks.

Shortstop Josh Beal and first baseman Jarius Brown were also named to the All-Tournament team.

Stillman College 2011 SIAC Tournament Baseball Champions - ROSTER

 Stillman (25-17) won all four games at the 2011 SIAC Tournament Championship in winning its fourth tournament championship in the last five years. The Tigers, who have won SIAC championships in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011, also secured the league's automatic bid to the 2011 NCAA Division II Tournament, which will begin on May 19. The pairings and location will be announced at a later date by the NCAA.

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Stillman faces Albany State for SIAC title

ASU Coach Kenyon Conner

ALBANY, Ga. - The Stillman College baseball team's quest for a fourth Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament championship was put on hold Saturday afternoon at the Paul Eames Complex.

The Tigers were scheduled to play in the championship game at 5 p.m. but the game has been rescheduled for today at 11 a.m. after the Albany State University Rams won both elimination games against Tuskegee and Claflin to reach the championship game.

NCAA and SIAC rules prohibit a team from playing three games in the same calendar day, so the championship game was rescheduled for today.

Stillman (24-17) is the only undefeated team remaining in the SIAC Tournament and needs just one win to claim the school's fourth conference title in the last five years. The Tigers won tournament crowns in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

ASU arms keep Rams alive

ALBANY — An Albany State baseball team that entered the 2011 season with uncertainty and inexperience is now two wins away from winning its second straight SIAC Tournament championship.

“Everybody doubted us because we had a bunch of freshmen,” ASU interim coach Kenyon Conner said about a Rams squad that doesn’t have a single senior. “They didn’t think we would win 20 games, but we did. They didn’t think we would make it to the championship game.”

On Saturday, they did that, too. The sixth-seeded Rams (29-24) capitalized on a pair of strong pitching performances to beat Tuskegee University and Claflin University in back-to-back loser’s bracket games at Paul Eames Park, advancing to today’s championship series with Stillman College.

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Albany State University survives long, long day

ALBANY, GA — Albany State interim baseball coach Kenyan Conner was momentarily speechless following Friday night’s SIAC Tournament game against Miles. Then he aptly described his team’s 18-12 win. “Long,” he said about the four-hour game where his team nearly blew a 15-0 lead.

The sixth-seeded Rams hung on and are still alive in the SIAC Tournament, but now they have no room for error entering the final two days of the event.

After committing five errors in a 5-3 quarterfinal loss to the No. 2 seed Stillman College Tigers, the Rams avoided bowing out of the double elimination tournament Friday at Paul Eames Sports Complex by knocking off Miles.

'Bama athletes think about home

ALBANY, GA - Some people who survived those storms in Alabama are in Albany this week at the SIAC Baseball Tournament. While they're playing ball or rooting for their teams, all of them said their hearts are back home.

The Stillman College baseball Tigers from Tuscaloosa had a former teammate killed in the tornadoes that flattened their town. Three members of the Miles College baseball Bears from Birmingham lost their rental homes at school, while two players' families lost their homes.

Many of the fans at today's games lived through the killer storms. Katie Watkins' fiance is one of the coaches for Stillman College's baseball team. She was in her apartment in Northport during the tornadoes. "He had gone to be with a girl, to protect her...

Defending champion Rams open 2011 SIAC tourney today at home

ALBANY, GA — When Albany State junior shortstop William Smalls talks, interim baseball coach Kenyon Conner said his team listens. That was clear during Wednesday afternoon’s practice when Smalls spoke about preparing for this week’s SIAC baseball tournament, which starts today at Paul Eames Park.

“We are ready to play, man,” the SIAC Player of the Year candidate said. “Just like in the military, get your soldiers up and get ready to go to war.” “War” starts today at 10 a.m. when the No. 6 Rams (25-23 overall, 10-5 SIAC) host No. 3 Tuskegee (16-15, 11-4) in the opener of the eight-team, double-elimination tournament.

The Rams, who have won 11 of their last 18 games, hosted and won last year’s SIAC Tournament. Conner said pressure to repeat lingers in the back of his players’ minds.

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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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Defending champion ASU Rams open 2011 SIAC tourney today at home

ALBANY, GA — When Albany State junior shortstop William Smalls talks, interim baseball coach Kenyon Conner said his team listens. That was clear during Wednesday afternoon’s practice when Smalls spoke about preparing for this week’s SIAC baseball tournament, which starts today at Paul Eames Park.

“We are ready to play, man,” the SIAC Player of the Year candidate said. “Just like in the military, get your soldiers up and get ready to go to war.”

“War” starts today at 10 a.m. when the No. 6 Rams (25-23 overall, 10-5 SIAC) host No. 3 Tuskegee (16-15, 11-4) in the opener of the eight-team, double-elimination tournament. The Rams, who have won 11 of their last 18 games, hosted and won last year’s SIAC Tournament. Conner said pressure to repeat lingers in the back of his players’ minds.

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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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Paine College sign Fox Creek High School baseball standout

North Augusta, SC - Fox Creek High School baseball standout Rick Hickson recently signed a letter of intent to play baseball at Paine College in Augusta next year.

Paine offered Hickson a four-year scholarship to play for the Lions, who are members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Paine is fourth in the SIAC's east division this season at 16-22 overall, 5-7 in conference play.


Hickson is a senior and a four-year varsity letter-winner for the Predators. Primarily a pitcher, Hickson has been instrumental to the Predators' consistent winning seasons. That includes the 2011 campaign, where they're 17-6 overall and 12-0 in Region 4-A. Fox Creek head coach Wesley Brown has been most impressed with Hickson's dedication.



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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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Stillman sweeps LeMoyne-Owen

TUSCALOOSA, AL | The Stillman College baseball team set three school and one NCAA record in a 38-2 win over LeMoyne-Owen in the second game of doubleheader at Stillman Park on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers won the opener 5-0 as junior left-hander Josh Cagle flirted with a perfect game.

With the doubleheader sweep, Stillman improves to 21-16 overall and 15-2 in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play. The Tigers has won all 11 games in the SIAC Western Division this season. LeMoyne-Owen falls to 3-23, 2-19 in SIAC play with the two losses. The Magicians have lost 13 straight games.



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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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ASU baseball finishes off series with Morehouse with 14-10 win

ALBANY, GA — Fresh off a doubleheader sweep of Morehouse on Saturday, the Albany State baseball team made it 3-for-3 when it won a slugfest, 14-10, in the series finale Sunday. The Rams moved to 21-16 overall and 8-1 in the SIAC one year after winning the conference title.

Dallas Neloms led the way, going a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and two RBI, while posting two hits each were Corbin Williams (two runs scored, RBI), former Westover star Jacob Campbell (two runs scored, RBI), Brandon Small (two runs scored, RBI) and Desmond Towns (three runs scored, two RBI).


Videographer: albanystatega; The Past, Present and Future: The Role of HBCUs in Higher Education

ASU mashes Morehouse in twin bill sweep, moves to 7-1 in SIAC

ALBANY, GA — Talk about laying it on thick. That’s what Albany State’s baseball team did to Morehouse College in both games of Saturday’s doubleheader. The Maroon Tigers (10-19 overall, 1-7 SIAC) did not stand a chance as they tried the bounce back from a 20-7 thumping in Game 1, only to fall in similar fashion by a final of 12-2 in the night cap.

“I thought we came into the second game with a little more sense of urgency — (we) jumped right on them,” said ASU interim coach Kenyan Conner, whose team improved to 20-16 overall and 7-1 in the SIAC. “Anytime you don’t have a lot of walks and (play) good defense then you will always give yourself a chance to win.

But the effort by the Rams, who won the SIAC title last season under longtime coach Edward Taylor before Taylor left and Conner took over, on the defensive side of the ball was just one reason for their dominance in this meeting as their bats got hot early — and stayed that way for the entire afternoon.

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Jackie Robinson Day planned at ballpark to help minority colleges

Greenville, S.C. - Michelin North America is underwriting a Jackie Robinson Day on April 15 at Fluor Field, and the proceeds will go to the United Negro College Fund, organizers said. Two UNCF baseball teams, from Claflin University and Voorhees College, will square off at 7 p.m., said Greenville Drive baseball team spokeswoman Ashley Peden.

The game is open to the public; tickets are $8, she said. There will be local students, church groups, sororities, fraternities, members of the United Way and others in attendance, Peden said. “A high school band will play.”

Herb Johnson, Michelin's director of community affairs, said he and Mike DeMaine, the Drive's general manager, teamed up. Johnson said Michelin is eager to raise funds for UNCF. “It helps us fulfill our diversity goals,” he said.

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