DSU Hornets Open Baseball Season at Arkansas

Dover, Del. - It's time to "play ball" at Delaware State University, as a new baseball season gets underway this weekend.

The Hornets will open the 2011 campaign tomorrow (Feb. 18) with a three-game series against the nationally ranked Arkansas Razorbacks at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. The series begins with a 4:05 p.m. (ET) contest on Friday. The first pitch is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Delaware State returns 15 letter winners, including seven players who started at least 30 games, from its 2010 squad. The Hornets were 13-36 overall and 8-10 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) last season.

Arkansas is ranked 24th in two major preseason polls after posting a 43-21 overall record in 2010.

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Arkansas Hogs crush ball, Grambling in record-setting win

FAYETTEVILLE, AK — Brett Eibner and Zack Cox returned to the lineup, and Arkansas' offense came alive Friday in a 19-7 victory against Grambling in the first game of the Fayetteville Regional. Eibner was 4-for-5 at the plate with three home runs, which tied a school record set by Tim Smalling in 2008. Eibner also recorded a double and 7 RBIs in his return from a hairline fracture in his right hand as Arkansas pounded a school-record nine home runs in the win.

Arkansas advances to play the winner of Kansas State-Washington State, which is set for a 7:05 p.m. start today. The Razorbacks will return Saturday in the winner's bracket at 7:05 p.m. Arkansas' offense had struggled since early May as Eibner and Cox rested injuries and their availability was spotty. The Razorbacks hadn't reached double figures in runs since an 11-4 win against Ole Miss on May 7. It was the same series Eibner hurt his hand after being hit by a pitch.

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Bethune-Cookman draws Florida Gators in NCAA Regionals

B-CU draws UF in regionals

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- Just as the NCAA baseball selection show was coming on Monday afternoon, the satellite dish at the local restaurant went on the blink due to a weather disturbance. "Don't they know that's the reason we're here," Bethune-Cookman coach Mervyl Melendez joked. But the satellite reception resumed just as the Gainesville Regional teams were being announced and the Wildcats lifted their heads from their conversations and meals long enough to find out their first regional opponent will be the Florida Gators for the second year in row.

Then they returned to their chicken wings and fries. No hoots, no cheers no applause. "We're used to it by now," senior pitcher Andrew Tilka said. "We expect to be someplace watching it every year. And we knew we'd be going to either Florida or Miami." The Wildcats will be playing in the regionals for the fifth straight year and for the 11th time in the past 12 years, but they are still looking for their first win over a No. 1 seed. They've never come closer than last year when they led 7-5 going into the bottom of the ninth where the Gators scored three runs to stave off the upset with an 8-7 win.

Gainesville Regional team capsules

Bethune-Cookman University, 2010 record: 35-20

Players to watch: C Peter O'Brien, 1B Ryan Durrence, OF DJ Leonard, P Roman Lacara

Of note: Sophomore ace Ali Simpson (6-1, 4.66 ERA) was suspended three games by the MEAC in the semifinals vs. North Carolina A&T for an in-game shoving incident. If the suspension holds, Simpson isn't eligible to pitch until game three of the regional as he sat out one game (the MEAC final).

Quotable: O'Sullivan on B-CU — "Obviously, we're real familiar with Bethune. We got rained out against them this year and they gave us everything we could handle last year (in the Gainesville Regional). They're very, very well coached and they're a good club and we'll have to play well (to beat the Wildcats Friday)."

Of note: This is Florida's 26th NCAA Regional appearance and the Gators have claimed seven titles. Five of those titles came while hosting in Gainesville. The Gators are a combined 37-6 all-time against FAU and Bethune-Cookman, including a 23-0 record against B-CU. If Oregon State and Florida meet, it will be the first time the two programs have played against each other.

Quotable: Florida coach Kevin O'Sullivan: "We figured we'd be one of the eight (national seeds). That was the goal from the beginning of the season so we can host regionals, super regionals. It's awfully nice to play at home.“

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Grambling State to face Arkansas in NCAA Opener

Arkansas will host Grambling in the first round of the NCAA's Fayetteville Regional Friday at Baum Stadium. Arkansas announced that the Hogs would playing Grambling at 2:05 p.m. on Friday. No. 2 seed Washington State and No. 3 seed Kansas State will meet in the nightcap at 7:05. The winners will advance to play Saturday night at 7:05. The losing teams will play at 2:05 in an elimination game.

The Razorbacks (40-18) will host their first regional since 2007 and fourth in seven years while the Tigers will make their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1985. Grambling (22-29) won the SWAC Tournament championship last week to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Razorbacks were an at-large selection to the NCAA Tournament.

Playing an afternoon game gives Razorbacks and Tigers a chance to get on the field first instead of waiting all day for the NCAA Tournament opener. If the Tigers win, they’ll have more than 24 hours to prepare for their next game. If they lose, they’ll still be the team with more rest heading into the elimination game. And when you’re dealing with the potential of playing four or five games in three or four days, any extra rest could prove very, very valuable.

Washington State (34-20) will travel to Fayetteville as the No. 2 seed in the regional and will face No. 3 seed Kansas State (36-20) on the first day. Arkansas and Washington State are no strangers to one another. The Razorbacks went 4-0 against the Cougars in 2009, winning 10-3 in the first game of the Norman Regional and sweeping Washington State in the season opener for both teams last year. The winner of the Fayetteville Regional will be paired with the winner of the Tempe Regional. Arizona State, the No. 1 overall seed, will headline that field.

Fayetteville Regional schedule:
Friday, June 4
Game 1 – Arkansas vs. Grambling – 2:05 p.m.
Game 2 – Washington State vs. Kansas State – 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, June 5
Game 3 – Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 – 2:05 p.m.
Game 4 – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 – 7:05 p.m.
Sunday, June 6
Game 5 – Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 – 2:05 p.m.
Game 6 – Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 – 7:05 p.m.
Monday, June 7 (if necessary)
Game 7 – Same teams as in Game 6 – 7:05 p.m.

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JSU Tigers make some history, deal more misery to Mississippi State Bulldogs‎

PEARL, MS — Quintavious Drains pumped his fist, walked toward the Jackson State dugout and then met the mob of players pouring out in ecstatic celebration. There were chest bumps, bear hugs, high-fives and even a bit of dancing. Yep, David had beaten Golliath. Jackson State beat Mississippi State 3-1 Tuesday night at Trustmark Park, knocking off the tradition-rich program for the first time in 18 years. The Tigers (29-14), in position to win their first SWAC title in a decade, won their 10th straight game and won for just the eighth time in 58 meetings with Mississippi Sate (20-24).

"We were ready. We were ready," said Drains, a sophomore pitcher who got the save. Said JSU coach Omar Johnson: "It means a lot to the people at the university." Meanwhile, the Bulldogs dropped their seventh straight and lost to JSU for the first time since an 8-4 defeat in Jackson in 1992. State, which was swept in the past two SEC weekend series, beat Jackson State 18-2 on April 6 in Starkville to make it 23 in a row over the Tigers. This time around the Bulldogs failed to handle Drains and JSU starter Cortney Nelson. They had a season-low three hits and hit into three double plays. Their only run came in the sixth on Connor Powers' homer.

PHOTO GALLERIES: JSU - MSU

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Relief pitcher Ross stymies Southern in LSU Tigers’ 8-3 win

Photo: (L) LSU Tigers Coach Paul Mainieri; and (R) SU Jaguars Coach Roger Candor.

What was shaping up as a thriller between crosstown rivals — with Southern’s Human Jukebox grooving a cozy full house and seven runs already on the scoreboard — got quelled quickly when LSU coach Paul Mainieri made the unusual move of going to the bullpen in the second inning.

Freshman Austin Ross answered the extremely early call.

Ross struck out eight and walked one, scattering four hits, in getting his first collegiate win and making his longest appearance as LSU won 8-3 Tuesday night, in front of 660 fans, the band and onlookers from the Harding Blvd. overpass, at Lee-Hines Field.

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Southern University baseball is 2-43 all-time against LSU.