Edward Waters Baseball Adds Seven for 2018

JACKSONVILLE, Florida -- Head Coach Reginald Johnson, II announced the signing of seven student-athletes for his baseball program for the 2018 season. C/OF Juan Loyo, C Karl Morales, C/IF Parker Rook, RHP Hunter Morris, INF/RHP Cody Melton, IF Arnie Ruiz, & IF Latek McNeil will be expected to contribute immediately to a team that had its second consecutive 30+ win season in 2017. 

"I'm very pleased with this year's signing class." said Coach Johnson. "The seven guys we've added are not only quality baseball players, but quality young men that will add to what we have coming back next season."

C/OF Juan Loyo/Caracas, Venezuela/CSA Becas Academy:

Coach Johnson on Loyo: "Juan has great tools and leadership qualities behind the dish. He's also very athletic in the outfield and swings the bat well to all parts of the field."

C Karl Morales/Dundee, FL/Spoon River College (IL):

Coach Johnson on Morales: "He's coming in with college experience behind the dish which is a plus for us. He controls the defense and pitching staff extremely well and we're looking for him to come in and immediately compete and take over the everyday role behind the plate."

C/IF Parker Rook/Orlando, FL/Timber Creek HS:

Superlatives: Rook played a huge role both on the mound and at the plate for the Wolves in 2017 en route to the 2017 FHSAA Class 9A State Baseball Championship. During his senior season, he drove in 20 RBIs and was an All-Metro Conference Honorable Mention selection in 2017. 

Coach Johnson on Rook: "I'm looking for Parker to come in with the winning mentality that he already has and carry it over to the collegiate level."     

RHP Hunter Morris/Orange Park, FL/Ridgeview HS:

Superlatives: Morris had a perfect 5-0 record in his final season for Head Coach John Sgromolo in 2017. He also had a 1.24 ERA in 28.1 innings pitched for the Panthers and had 27 strikeouts. 

Coach Johnson on Morris: "Hunter has three pitches that he commands very well and can be thrown on any count. He does a great job in keeping good hitting teams off balance and I'm looking for him to come in and compete in the rotation as a mid-week starter."

IF/RHP Cody Melton/Jacksonville, FL/University Christian School:

Superlatives: During 2017, Melton had a .440 batting average in 118 plate appearances with just six strikeouts. He helped lead the Fighting Christians the 2017 FHSAA Class 3A State Championship Game, where UC finished as the runner-up. Melton was also named to the 2017 All-First Coast Baseball Team and finished third in the 2017 Mr. Baseball voting for the state of Florida.

Coach Johnson on Melton: "Cody is another guy that we have coming in that just flat out knows how to win. I defintely expect for him to compete for a starting position and he'll also have some innings on the mound. He'll bring great diversity in the lineup being able to hit to all parts of the field and doesn't strikeout much."  

IF Arnie Ruiz/Orlando, FL/Timber Creek HS:

Superlatives: Ruiz joins his fellow State Champion teammate Parker Rook as the newest Tigers on the squad. During his senior season, he had a .330 batting average in 103 plate appearances with 33 runs scored and one homerun. Ruiz was named the Most Valuable Player for the Wolves in 2017, Third-Team All-Area, & an All-Metro Conference Honorable Mention selection. 

Coach Johnson on Ruiz: "He's another great player that we've brought in who knows how to compete. He' is a great defender and a very scrappy hitter that finds a way to get on base."

IF Latek McNeil/Hampton, GA/Dutchtown HS:

Coach Johnson on McNeil: "Latek will come in and immediately compete for the starting spot at second and third base. He has great hands and even greater instincts for the game. I am really excited to see the development of him as a ballplayer. Out of all of the players we have coming in, Latek has the highest ceiling."

EDWARD WATERS COLLEGE ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS  

Randall, Claflin Panthers hungry for SIAC Baseball title

Claflin head baseball coach James Randall couldn't help but to think about what could have been. With his team just two games away from the 2010 SIAC Baseball Tournament's championship game, the Panthers saw their quest to be the conference's best team dashed at the hands of eventual champion Stillman College. Now that the season is here, Randall and his squad are ready to set their sights on a title run once again.

"Our mindset going in is to win our conference championship," Randall said. "From day one, our goal is to put ourselves in a position to win the conference championship."

Led by preseason All-SIAC selections Julius McDougal, Donald Smith, Leonard Williams and Fedor Herrera, the Panthers return a number of players from their 2010 campaign in hopes of winning a title and earning a bid in the NCAA Division II Championship tournament.

Claflin falls to USC Beaufort in opener of 2011 season

Tuesday proved to be a long day for James Randall. The Claflin University head baseball coach arrived at historic Mirmow Field at 3:30 a.m. to work on a soggy infield, ensuring that the surface was playable for his team and the visiting USC Beaufort Sandsharks. About 15 hours later, Randall's hands were tied as he could only watch as the Sandsharks capitalized on critical infield miscues, handing his Panthers a season-opening 9-3 loss.

Claflin (0-1) wasted no time taking a 1-0 lead when Chauncey Davis, who reached thanks to a leadoff walk, scored on a sacrifice fly by Randolph Brown in the bottom of the first inning.

USC Beaufort (1-0) responded in the top of the second with two runs of their own. After reaching on a 1-out walk and stealing second, Keifer Youmans tied the game 1-1 on an RBI double by Brett Martin. Two batters later, David O'Neal drove in Martin on a single, giving the Sandsharks a 2-1 lead.

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

Claflin University 2011 Baseball Schedule

Panthers Baseball Roster Profiles (.pdf)

OPPONENT DATE DAY GAME TIME SITE
USC-BEAUFORT FEB. 8 TUESDAY S 2:00 PM HOME
BREWTON-PARKER FEB. 12 SATURDAY D/H 1:00 PM HOME
COKER COLLEGE FEB. 15 TUESDAY S 2:30 PM HARTSVILLE, SC
DAVIS & ELKINS FEB. 19 SATURDAY D/H 12:00 PM HOME
DAVIS & ELKINS FEB. 20 SUNDAY S 2:00 PM HOME
SAVANNAH STATE FEB. 23 WEDNESDAY S 2:00 PM SAVANNAH, GA
PAINE COLLEGE FEB. 25 FRIDAY S 1:00 PM HOME
VOORHEES COLLEGE MAR. 2 WEDNESDAY D/H 12:00 PM DENMARK, SC
USC-BEAUFORT MAR. 8 TUESDAY S 4:00 PM BLUFFTON, SC
PAINE COLLEGE MAR. 12 SATURDAY D/H 12:00 PM AUGUSTA, GA
PAINE COLLEGE MAR. 13 SUNDAY S 1:00 PM AUGUSTA, GA
ELIZABETH CITY ST. MAR. 15 TUESDAY D/H 1:00 PM HOME
ST. AUGUSTINE'S MAR. 16 WEDNESDAY S 5:00 PM HOME
ALBANY STATE MAR. 19 SATURDAY D/H 12:00 PM ALBANY, GA
ALBANY STATE MAR. 20 SUNDAY S 1:00 PM ALBANY, GA
ST. AUGUSTINE'S MAR. 23 WEDNESDAY D/H 2:00 PM RALEIGH, NC
TUSKEGEE MAR. 26 SATURDAY D/H 12:00 PM TUSKEGEE, AL
TUSKEGEE MAR. 27 SUNDAY S 1:00 PM TUSKEGEE, AL
MORRIS COLLEGE MAR. 30 WEDNESDAY S 5:00 PM HOME
STILLMAN COLLEGE APR. 2 SATURDAY D/H 12:00 PM HOME
STILLMAN COLLEGE APR. 2 SUNDAY S 1:00 PM HOME
MORRIS COLLEGE APR. 5 TUESDAY S 5:00 PM SUMTER, SC
CLARK-ATLANTA APR. 9 SATURDAY D/H 12:00 PM ATLANTA, GA
CLARK-ATLANTA APR. 10 SUNDAY S 1:00 PM ATLANTA, GA
COKER COLLEGE APR. 12 TUESDAY S 6:00 PM HOME
MOREHOUSE APR. 16 SATURDAY D/H 12:00 PM HOME
MOREHOUSE APR. 17 SUNDAY S 1:00 PM HOME
VOORHEES COLLEGE APR. 19 TUESDAY D/H 4:00 PM HOME
BENEDICT COLLEGE APR. 23 SATURDAY D/H 12:00 PM HOME
BENEDICT COLLEGE APR. 24 SUNDAY S 1:00 PM HOME
SIAC TOURNAMENT APR. 27-30 WEDNESDAY TBA ALBANY, GA


Videographer: Checkpoint2010; prod. by: Racardo Davis

N.C.A&T Baseball to Face UNC In NCAA Chapel Hill Regional

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- The rematch is set. Two months after losing to the University of North Carolina in a pitcher’s duel at Boshamer Stadium, North Carolina A&T baseball will get another crack at the Tar Heels in the 2018 NCAA Baseball Championship Tournament Chapel Hill regional at Boshamer Stadium, 2 p.m., Friday.

The Aggies (32-23), who earned the No. 4 seed in the region, were informed of their destination Monday afternoon on ESPNU as the team, fans and parents gathered at the Bryan Fitness and Wellness Center on N.C. A&T’s campus to watch the selection show. Joining the Aggies in the Chapel Hill regional along with the top-seeded Tar Heels are No. 2 seed Purdue and No. 3 seed Houston. The Boilermakers and the Cougars are scheduled to play at 7 p.m., on Friday.

The Aggies lost at UNC 1-0 in a midweek contest on March 13. There were only 10 hits in the game, six by UNC and four by N.C. A&T. N.C. A&T head coach Ben Hall announced after the selection show that junior right-hander Tim Luth (6-2, 3.55 ERA) will be his Friday starter.

“It’s a great feeling to play in the tournament for the team, for the fans and for the university, so I’m going to go out and do all I can do,” said Luth. “We’re all just a bunch of guys having fun. We all want to play the best that we can and see what happens.”

N.C. A&T opened the season 5-10 but they closed out the season in dominating fashion, going 27-13 over their last 40 games including a 3-0 run through the MEAC Baseball Championship Tournament to win the title for the first time in 13 years. Also in 2018, the Aggies claimed the MEAC Southern Division title, broke the school record for wins and the school record for conference wins (16).

“It’s good when guys get to see the fruits of their labor,” said Hall. “It is another stepping stone. Last year we made the conference tournament for the time in four years. We came close but we came up a little short. We talked about how the next step we take has got to be forward. We took that step, but there is no finish line until you get where you want to be. In my mind, this is just another stepping stone in a growing program.”

Only the top 16 teams are seeded in the NCAA baseball tournament. The Tar Heels (38-18) are the No. 6 seed overall after winning the ACC Coastal Division title. The winner of the Chapel Hill region will advance to play the winner of the DeLand Regional consisting of Stetson, South Florida, Oklahoma State and Hartford).

“We get to focus on Chapel Hill. The rest of it doesn’t factor in,” said Hall when asked what he thought of the region the Aggies were placed in. “It’s about one game and we’re ready to lock in on what we have to do Friday to go out and play our best baseball. It’s a four-team tournament and a one-weekend deal for them to go out and compete at the highest level against some of the best teams in the country.”

The four-team region is a double-elimination tournament. The Aggies are 0-2 in the NCAA tournament all-time after losing to Clemson and Oral Roberts in 2005. The Aggies are somewhat tournament tested after having two other tournament teams on their schedule in 2018 other than UNC. N.C. A&T lost to N.C. State 9-7 in Raleigh on Feb. 20 and they were defeated 12-2 by South Carolina on March 7 after the Gamecocks scored seven runs over their final two at-bats.

“We've been working toward this for a while now,” said four-year senior Adan Ordonez. “We are a real confident group. We know that we can pitch it, we know that we can swing it and we know that we can field it. There were several different possibilities out there. Once we saw it, it's like game on. It's real now. We played them close earlier in the year so hopefully, when we go back we can give them another good fight and win this time.”

Tickets packages for the weekend will go on sale Wednesday at noon. Single-game tickets will be available starting Thursday at noon. They will be $15 for a single game, $60 for full session tickets. Parking will be available in the Rams Head Deck for $10 and in the Craige Deck for free (levels 5-9). Beginning at 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday, there will also be free parking available in the Bowles Lot, the Raleigh Road Visitors Lot and on Stadium Drive. Disability parking is available for $10 in the Rams Head Deck. Ridge Road will be closed to through traffic for the weekend.

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

NSU Clark announces 2007-08 baseball recruiting class

NSU Sports Information

Photo: Norfolk State University Head Baseball Coach Claudell Clark

NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State University baseball coach Claudell Clark announced Wednesday the addition of 13 baseball recruits who will join the Spartan baseball program for the 2007-08 school year.

After losing 10 seniors from the 2007 team which won a school Division I record 25 games, Clark knew he would have to bring in a large, talented recruiting class for next season. He feels he has done just that with the addition of three pitchers, two catchers, four infielders and four outfielders, two of whom can also pitch. Of the 13 recruits, seven are transfers.

“This is a talented group of players who we feel will help keep us as one of the more competitive teams in the MEAC,” Clark said. “We’ve added some outstanding pitching arms as well as depth in the infield and outfield. With so many transfers, we are also getting an experienced group of players.”

The recruits are as follows:

Chase Bailey (1B, Roanoke, Va./Newberry College)
Batted .260 with three doubles in 50 at-bats as a junior at Division II Newberry (S.C.) College in 2007…transferred to Newberry from Potomac State College in W.Va…batted .405 with 2 homers, 13 doubles and 53 RBI as a sophomore in 2006, helping PSC to the Junior College World Series in 2006…has one year of eligibility remaining.

Quinn Bright (RHP, Virginia Beach, Va./Bridgewater/Ocean Lakes HS)
Transfers to NSU after playing as a freshman in 2007 at Bridgewater…was 3-5 in 15 appearances spanning 39 innings.

Tiquan Griffin (OF, Florence, S.C./Wilson HS)
Attended NSU but sat out the 2007 season…batted .305 with a team-high 20 stolen bases as a senior…first-team All-Region 6 3A selection…lettered two years.

Brandon Hairston (1B, Charlottesville, Va./Monticello HS)
Batted .484 with five home runs and 21 RBI as a senior…named first team All-Jefferson District as a junior and senior…team MVP as a senior…batted .324 with 16 RBI as a junior…a three-year varsity player.

Juan Herrera (IF, Santiago, Dominican Republic/Centro Cristiano de Enseñanza) Batted .406 and led his team from the Chichi Vasquez League in hits in the spring of 2007 at the City Tournament in Santiago…was named Junior Division Rookie of the Year in 2003 and Junior Division MVP in 2004…can play third base, second or shortstop.

Tyler Johnson (C, Laramie, Wy./McCook [Neb.] CC)
Batted .253 as a sophomore with one homer and five doubles…had 27 assists behind the plate, throwing out would-be base stealers…had seven multi-hit games.

Chris Joyce (IF, Chesapeake, Va./Great Bridge HS)
Attended NSU but sat out the 2007 season…batted over .300 and was named to the All-Southeastern District first team at second base as a senior in 2006…a second-team All-Eastern Region pick, Joyce helped the Wildcats to the district regular-season and tournament titles as well as a berth in the regional semifinals.

Braden Kaminske (RHP, Waupaca, Wisc./Indian Hills [Iowa] CC)
Limited to one appearance as a sophomore in 2007 due to an injury…excelled for the Parker Express, a wooden-bat Mountain Collegiate Baseball Summer League team in Colorado this summer…despite posting a 1-4 record, had a 2.45 ERA and fanned 24 in 36 2/3 innings…went 3-1 in seven appearances as a freshman at IHCC in 2006, striking out 12 in 13 innings.

John Lynch (OF/RHP, Newport News, Va./Heritage HS)
A second-team All-Peninsula District outfielder as a senior…batted .491 with three home runs, eight doubles and 10 stolen bases as a senior…was also 1-0 in limited duty on the mound.

Mike Mendenhall (OF, Laramie, Wy./Northeastern [Colo.] JC)
A first-team All-Region IX selection as a sophomore, when he batted .355…recorded 29 stolen bases, 31 runs scored, five doubles, one triple and 15 RBI.

Horace Smith III (OF/RHP, Emporia, Va./Greensville County HS)
Batted .425 with seven home runs and 30 RBI as a senior…recorded three wins and five saves on the mound in his final prep season…a three-time first-team All-Southside District selection.

Brad Stephenson (C, Chesapeake, Va./Virginia Commonwealth)
Batted .233 in 18 games, including 10 starts, as a sophomore at VCU in 2006…attended East Carolina in 2005…attended NSU but sat out the 2006-07 school year…batted .412 with six home runs as a senior at Great Bridge…first-team all-district and all-region as a junior and senior…has two years of eligibility remaining.

Marcus Taylor (LHP, Tampa, Fla./South Florida CC)
Went 1-1 with 23 strikeouts in 24.1 innings pitched in his freshman season at SFCC…has three years of eligibility remaining…a first-team All-Western Conference selection as a senior at Blake HS in 2006…went 1-1 with a 3.40 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 27 innings pitched as a senior.

MEAC Announces 2016 Baseball All-Conference Honors

NORFOLK, Virginia  — Florida A&M infielder Dylan Dillard was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Baseball Player of the Year, the conference announced on Tuesday.Danny Rodriguez, of Bethune-Cookman, was selected Rookie of the Year, while Norfolk State’s Matt Outman earned Pitcher of the Year honors. Florida A&M’s Jamey Shouppe received Coach of the Year accolades.

All awards are voted on by the conference’s head baseball coaches and sports information directors.

Dillard started 48 games and batted .335 in 167 at-bats. He finished the season with 56 hits, including eight doubles, six triples, six home runs, 53 runs batted in and 46 runs scored. He led the conference in RBIs and triples. Dillard was a two-time MEAC Player of the Week honoree.

Rodriguez, a two-time MEAC Rookie of the Week honoree, led the Wildcats in RBIs (40). He recorded 60 hits, including nine doubles and seven home runs, with 29 runs scored. Defensively, he notched a .988 fielding percentage.

Outman, the 2015 Pitcher of the Year and 2016 Preseason Pitcher of the Year, appeared in 12 games and registered seven wins, including five shutouts, in 79.0 innings pitched. He led the conference in innings pitched, batters struckout looking (30) and wins. He ranks second in the MEAC in earned run average (2.62) and runs allowed (26).

Shouppe earned Coach of the Year honors after leading the Rattlers to a 19-5 conference mark and 30-19 overall, along with clinching the number one seed from the southern division in the upcoming 2016 MEAC Baseball Championship. This season marks Florida A&M’s first 30-win season since 2003.

Joining Dillard and Outman on the first team are Jonathan Mauricio (NSU), Andrew Vernon (NCCU), Alex Mauricio (NSU), Clay Middleton (B-CU), Brian Davis (FAMU), Alec Wong (FAMU), Ben Ellzey (FAMU), Milton Rivera (NCAT), Nathan Bond (B-CU), Carlos Ortiz (NCCU) and Michael Cruz (B-CU).

The 2016 MEAC Baseball Championship tournament gets underway Thursday, May 19 beginning at 12 p.m. at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium in Salisbury, Maryland. A complete tournament bracket can be found on www.MEACsports.com.

2016 Baseball All-MEAC Teams

As voted on by the conference’s head baseball coaches and sports information directors

Player of the Year: Dylan Dillard, Florida A&M

Rookie of the Year: Danny Rodriguez, Bethune-Cookman

Pitcher of the Year: Matt Outman, Norfolk State

Coach of the Year: Jamey Shouppe, Florida A&M

First Team

Pos.	Name	School	Class	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown
P	Matt Outman	Norfolk State	r-Sr.	6-3	210	Chesapeake, Va.
P	Jonathan Mauricio	Norfolk State	Jr.	6-2	175	Midlothian, Va.
RP	Andrew Vernon	North Carolina Central	Sr.	6-4	240	Raleigh, N.C.
RP	Alex Mauricio	Norfolk State	So.	6-0	175	Midlothian, Va.
C	Clay Middleton	Bethune-Cookman	r-Jr.	6-0	205	Oviedo, Fla.
1B	Brian Davis	Florida A&M	So.	5-10	195	Pensacola, Fla.
2B	Alec Wong	Florida A&M	Sr.	5-6	160	Rockledge, Fla.
3B	Ben Ellzey	Florida A&M	Jr.	6-0	205	Ocala, Fla.
SS	Milton Rivera	North Carolina A&T State	So.	5-9	175	Humacao, Puerto Rico
OF	Nathan Bond	Bethune-Cookman	Sr.	6-2	195	Orlando, Fla.
OF	Dylan Dillard	Florida A&M	Gr.	6-1	205	Kissimmee, Fla.
OF	Carlos Ortiz	North Carolina Central	Jr.	5-9	197	Cleveland, Ohio
UTL	Michael Cruz	Bethune-Cookman	Jr.	5-11	210	Aguadilla, Puerto Rico

Second Team

Pos.	Name	School	Class	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown
P	Ricky Page	Florida A&M	Sr.	5-11	185	Ocala, Fla.
P	Tyler Norris	Bethune-Cookman	So.	6-1	160	Coral Springs, Fla.
RP	Joseph Calamita	Bethune-Cookman	So.	6-0	175	Lake Worth, Fla.
RP	Michael Parmentier	Norfolk State	So.	6-0	170	Suffolk, Va.
C	Adan Ordonez	North Carolina A&T State	So.	5-7	185	Clermont, Fla.
1B	Danny Rodriguez	Bethune-Cookman	Fr.	6-3	240	Pembroke Pines, Fla.
2B	Mike Escanilla	Maryland Eastern Shore	Sr.	5-7	150	Waldorf, Md.
3B	Ellington Hopkins	North Carolina Central	Jr.	5-6	174	Lansing, N.Y.
SS	Tom Prospero	North Carolina Central	Jr.	6-0	180	Batavia, N.Y.
OF	Austin Bentley	Delaware State	So.	5-11	205	Waldorf, Md.
OF	Denathan Dukes	Norfolk State	Jr.	6-2	180	Woodbridge, Va.
OF	Marlon Gibbs	Florida A&M	r-Sr.	5-9	185	Orange Park, Fla.
UTL	James Dey	North Carolina Central	Sr.	5-10	198	Charlotte, N.C.

Third Team

Pos.	Name	School	Class	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown
P	Alex Dandridge	North Carolina Central	Sr.	6-3	204	Arlington, Texas
P	Chase Jarrell	Florida A&M	Jr.	6-3	175	Winter Springs, Fla.
RP	Devin Repine	Maryland Eastern Shore	r-Sr.	6-9	250	Salisbury, Md.
RP	Ryan McCranie	Savannah State	Sr.	6-2	220	Covington, Ga.
C	Jacky Miles, Jr.	Florida A&M	Jr.	6-0	205	Graceville, Fla.
1B	Kyle Clary	North Carolina A&T State	Jr.	5-11	175	Lakewood, Calif.
2B	Jonathan Moore	Savannah State	Sr.	6-1	160	Cairo, Ga.
3B	Bryant Miranda	Coppin State	Jr.	5-10	175	Cidra, Puerto Rico
SS	Demetrius Sims	Bethune-Cookman	r-So.	6-2	200	Ann Arbor, Mich.
OF	George Dragon	Coppin State	Sr.	6-0	215	Ashtabula, Ohio
OF	Zachary Marszal	North Carolina Central	Jr.	6-0	211	Cary, Ill.
OF	Rakeem Quinn	Bethune-Cookman	Sr.	5-10	205	Port St. Joe, Fla.
UTL	Kyle Vaas	Norfolk State	Sr.	6-0	205	Chesterfield, Va.

MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

2014 SIAC Baseball Championships - Day Two Recap

OZARK, Alabama — Day Two of the 2014 SIAC Baseball Championship saw two elimination games in the morning and two afternoon games in the tournament's winner's bracket.

GM 8:  Stillman blanks Miles 6-0
The Stillman Tigers faced the Miles Golden Bears in the second round of the 2014 SIAC Baseball Championship, with the Tigers capturing a 6-0 victory.

The Tigers opened the scoring the bottom of the first when Paul Winterbottom scored on a Fernando Tanaka groundout.  In the second inning, Cameron Stallings singled to score Jose Alicea.  In the fifth inning, Stillman added two runs, one on an RBI single and the other on a sacrifice fly.

Stillman would get two more runs in the bottom of the eighth:  first on a Winterbottom double that scored Dunn before Winterbottom scored on a stolen base and an errant throw.

Tiger senior starter Ashton Johnson worked nine innings, striking out six, walking three and allowing only one hit – a single to Austin Freeman.  Miles pitcher Austin Pate threw eight innings allowing four earned runs and a walk while striking out six.

Stillman will meet Tuskegee at 3 pm in the deciding game of the winner's bracket.

GM 7:  Kentucky State Rally Falls Short as Thorobreds Fall to Tuskegee, 5-2
A day after beating top-seeded Albany State in the opening round of the 2014 SIAC Baseball Championship, a Thorobred rally fell short as the Tuskegee Golden Tigers won, 5-2, Thursday afternoon at Historic Eagle Stadium.

Tuskegee plated a run in each the first, second and sixth innings before scoring twice in the bottom of the eighth frame.  In the inning, Travis Hylton singled before Samuel Rodney walked.  Both runners scored when Cameron Duncan singled later in the inning.  The Thorobreds mustered three team hits against Tuskegee but reached base 10 times via walks Thursday's contest.

Junior catcher Marshall Howard went 2-for-2 and scored two runs on Thursday including one in the top of the ninth inning as the Thorobreds tried to come back from a 5-1 deficit. After Howard drew a walk and moved to second when Justin Cain walked, Kyle Clark hit a single to bring Howard home.

Kentucky State had kept things close throughout the game and entered the bottom of the eighth inning behind, 3-1. After loading the bases, Tuskegee's Cameron Duncan hit a clutch 2-RBI single to push the TU lead to, 5-1.

Cameron Summers pitched well for the Golden Tigers, allowing just one hit, but was pulled in the fourth inning after surrendering his fourth walk of the game. Relief pitcher Stanley Smith (1-0) earned the victory after taking over for Summers and pitching 3.0 innings. Smith allowed just one hit and no runs.

Kentucky State starter AJ Garza-Hall (1-7) was saddled with the loss after 6.0 innings on the mound. Garza-Hall allowed seven hits, surrendered four walks and struck out five Golden Tiger batters.

GM 6:  Paine Lions Stave Off Elimination with Ninth-Inning Heroics
The Paine College Lions avoided elimination as they defeated the Claflin Panthers 5-4 in game six of the 2014 SIAC Baseball Championship Thursday at Eagle Stadium in Ozark, Alabama.

Trailing 4-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth, pinch runner Cordale Duncan scored when Jonathan Richey doubled to left field.  Two batters later, Paine faced two outs and runners on first and third; Demonta Streeter hit a shot to left center field to score Jonathan Richey for the game-winning run.

Paine opened the scoring in the game in the bottom of the first inning.  Claflin scored their first run of the contest in the top of the fourth inning before the Lions answered in the bottom of the frame.  Claflin then added two runs in the top of the sixth to build a 3-2 lead.  After Paine scored a run in the bottom of the seventh, the Panthers added a run in the top of the eighth inning to give Claflin a 4-3 advantage going into the final inning.

Paine was guided by Avery Wilson and Streeter, each going 3-for-5 in the game.  Richey and Jon-Tyler Shaw each had two hits in the game.  Thomas Clay paced Claflin with three hits while Johnny Stevenson and Wendell Ferguson both finished with two hits.

Paine's Cornelius Reed got the win in relief, pitching two innings walking three.  Paine starter Adam Martin threw six innings walking five and striking out one before leaving the game.  For Claflin, Darius Boykins took the loss, allow two hits against three batters faced.  Panther starter Anthony Ford pitched 8.1 innings striking out four and walking three.

Paine advances to face the loser of the Tuskegee / Kentucky State contest.

GM 5:  Albany State Remains Alive with 12-5 win over Benedict
The Albany State Golden Rams kept their championship hopes alive with a 12-5 in the first elimination game of the day over the Benedict Tigers.

After plating a run in the top of the second inning, the Rams (29-16) plated five runs in the top of the third, using three bases loaded situations to push runs across.  The Rams also scored in the top of the third, making the score 7-0.

Benedict scored two runs in the bottom of the inning, cutting the deficit to five runs.  Albany State added a run in the fifth, giving the Rams an 8-2 advantage.

Over the final three innings, Albany State outscored Benedict, 4-3, for the final division.

The Tigers out hit the Rams 14-9, but fell victim to four errors in the game.

Rams pitcher Andrew Bacon (7-4) earned the complete game victory, striking out four and walking two over nine innings.  Five Benedict pitchers combined to strike out four in the game.

Hector Carrasquillo went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and two runs driven in for the Rams while Ryan Latner finished 2-for-5 with a run scored.  Lashante Grimes led Benedict with three hits and a run while four other Tigers registered two hits each.

Friday's Baseball Tournament Pairings:
9 am - Kentucky State vs. Paine
12 pm - Miles vs. Albany State
3 pm - Tuskegee vs. Stillman
6 pm - Winner of MC/ASU versus Winner of KSU/PC

COURTESY THESIAC.COM

Delaware State will focus on smarter recruiting

School addresses academic shortcomings

DOVER -- Delaware State University officials said Wednesday the school is working with coaches as part of its response to Tuesday's announcement that four DSU sports teams are among 218 cited by the NCAA for poor academic progress.

"Coaches are no longer evaluated on wins and losses," athletic director Rick Costello said, noting that the school was expecting the NCAA's action. "[Coaches] are evaluated on A's and B's. They are now considering the APR."

The NCAA requires that a team's APR, or academic progress rate, reach a score of at least 900 each school year. The APR measures how teams retain athletes, keep them academically eligible and ultimately graduate them.

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OFFENDERS

INDIANAPOLIS -- The list of schools and teams that have posted two consecutive scores of less than 900 on the NCAA's academic progress report. A third consecutive score under 900 next year would ban the teams from postseason competition in 2009-10.

Listed in alphabetical order)

California State-Fresno -- men's basketball
California State-Sacramento -- football
Centenary -- baseball, men's basketball
East Carolina -- men's basketball
Florida International -- baseball
Hampton -- men's basketball
Indiana State -- men's tennis
Jacksonville State -- football
Louisiana-Lafayette -- men's basketball
Montana State-Bozeman -- football
Morgan State -- women's volleyball
Murray State -- football
New Mexico State -- men's basketball
New Orleans -- baseball
Oral Roberts -- baseball
San Jose State -- football, men's cross country, men's soccer
Southern -- football
Temple -- football
Tennessee-Chattanooga -- football, wrestling
Texas-Arlington -- baseball
Texas Southern -- men's tennis
Weber State -- football

NCCU's Michael Romano Signs Pro Baseball Contract With Taos Blizzard

Taos, New Mexico —  North Carolina Central University baseball senior pitcher Michael Romano (Spotsylvania, Va.) has been picked up by the Taos Blizzard of the Pecos League, becoming the first Eagle at the NCAA Division I level to sign a professional baseball contract.

“As cliché as it may sound, to sign with the Blizzard means that dreams do come true,” Romano said. “When you have dreamt your whole life and it suddenly becomes a reality it’s pretty overwhelming. It also shows that hard work and dedication truly does pay off. I’ve been lucky to be surrounded by some amazing people and I could not have done it without them. The Blizzard is giving me an opportunity to live out my dream and I am forever thankful.”

Romano was signed by the Blizzard after attending the Northeast Pro Showcase in Torrington, Conn.  The Blizzard organization is run by officials from the New York State League.

“We really liked what we saw out of Michael,” said General Manager of the Taos Blizzard Jay Acton.  “We liked his aggressiveness and willingness to challenge hitters during the showcase and our team needed another lefty out of the bullpen.”

The 6-1 lefty logged 84.0 innings in his final season at NCCU ending with a 3-9 record overall and an ERA of 5.25 with 37 strikeouts and 20 walks.  His final performance donning a maroon and gray uniform was one of his finest as he came on in-relief allowing only four hits and no earned runs with five strikeouts through 7.0 innings in the 12-6 victory over Norfolk State to eliminate the Spartans from the 2013 MEAC Tournament.

“We are very proud of Michael’s accomplishment,” said NCCU head coach Jim Koerner.  “He has worked hard and earned the opportunity to play professional baseball.  For me, it adds some significance knowing that he was one of the first players we recruited during the coaching transition.”

The Pecos League is a professional independent baseball league headquartered in Houston, Texas, which operates in cities in desert mountain regions throughout New Mexico, Southern Colorado, and West Texas.

For more information on the Pecos League and the Taos Blizzard, check out the website www.pecosleague.com

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Congratulations to @FAMUAthletics on winning the 2019 @MEACSports Baseball Championship! The Rattlers faced elimination four times over two days and won all four games!

Rattlers take the ‘ship! 🏆⚾️@BaseballFamu wins four straight elimination games including the championship 8-1 win over @SpartanBSB to be crowned @MEACSports champs!#FloLive pic.twitter.com/qEG4gSXs9M

— FloLive (@FloLive) May 18, 2019

#MEACBSB: Congratulations to @FAMUAthletics on winning the 2019 @MEACSports Baseball Championship! The Rattlers faced elimination four times over two days and won all four games! #IBackTheMEAC pic.twitter.com/UDJaH6q2F3

— Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (@MEACSports) May 19, 2019

#MEACBSB: @FAMUAthletics Wins 2019 @MEACSports Baseball Championship #IBackTheMEAC https://t.co/wt3qOkgUxs

— Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (@MEACSports) May 19, 2019

So proud of this group! What an effort this week. NCAA Tournament bound!!! pic.twitter.com/Owvq4zgpKs

— FAMU Baseball (@BaseballFamu) May 19, 2019 

Congratulations to the 2019 MEAC Baseball ⚾️ Champions @baseballFAMU @FAMUAthletics pic.twitter.com/LZ8bYQjYxD

— US Rep. Al Lawson Jr (@RepAlLawsonJr) May 19, 2019

Milestone moment: From Southern to Cooperstown

BATON ROUGE -- Arkansas native and Mer Rouge transplant Lou Brock became the 20th player in Major League Baseball history to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

Brock, a former standout for the Southern University baseball team, walked-on in order to gain a collegiate scholarship to pay for school, but even he did not realize the magnitude to which his potential could climb. His ability became truly undeniable following his sophomore season, where he raised his batting average to .500; .300 points higher than his freshman campaign.

As a member of the Jaguars, Brock led Southern University to its first NAIA baseball championship and was named to the All-SWAC team in 1960, his second consecutive appearance.



Brock’s success on the diamond led to the United States baseball team selecting him to play in the Pan American games, where he performed so well that he was offered a $30,000 signing bonus by the Chicago Cubs. Brock accepted the offer, and spent only one year in the minor leagues before being called up to the MLB at the end of the ’61 season.

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Lions Baseball Drops Two Against Warner Saturday, Falls In Weekend Series

BASEBALL | RECAP
Lions Baseball Drops Two Against Warner Saturday, Falls In Weekend Series https://t.co/rLpJLmmz3N

— FMU Lions 😷 (@GoFmuLions) February 27, 2022

BASEBALL | RECAP
FMU Baseball Shuts Down Webber International In Weekend Series Opener, Wins 5-0 https://t.co/uL1nJjVOxJ

— FMU Lions 😷 (@GoFmuLions) February 25, 2022

The Rattlers score double-digits to win their season opener!

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗪𝗜𝗡 𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗥!

FAMU - 13
PVAMU - 7#FAMU | #FAMUly | #Rattlers | #FangsUp 🐍 pic.twitter.com/xHvtYPCKUq

— Florida A&M Baseball ⚾️ (@FAMU_Baseball) February 19, 2022

The Rattlers score double-digits to win their season opener!#FAMU | #FAMUly | #Rattlers | #FangsUp 🐍https://t.co/FtPZqYHdbf

— Florida A&M Baseball ⚾️ (@FAMU_Baseball) February 19, 2022

3-hit game on opening day? 🤷‍♂️#FAMU | #FAMUly | #Rattlers | #FangsUp 🐍 pic.twitter.com/vUXZvF3cN9

— Florida A&M Baseball ⚾️ (@FAMU_Baseball) February 19, 2022

𝟭-𝟬#FAMU | #FAMUly | #Rattlers | #FangsUp 🐍 pic.twitter.com/ZfEjlqckVY

— Florida A&M Baseball ⚾️ (@FAMU_Baseball) February 19, 2022

M7 | Rattlers celebrate after another five-run inning to retake the lead over the Panthers!

FAMU - 10
PVAMU - 7#FAMU | #FAMUly | #Rattlers | #FangsUp 🐍 pic.twitter.com/U17qRPuO6F

— Florida A&M Baseball ⚾️ (@FAMU_Baseball) February 18, 2022

New Orleans UYA hosts Urban Invitational

NEW ORLEANS -- For the fourth consecutive year, MLB's Urban Invitational was hosted at the Urban Youth Academy in New Orleans. Saturday began with Play Ball, a youth-oriented program rooted in teaching baseball's fundamentals, then featured a six-team, round-robin tournament, featuring Alcorn State's 11-3 win over Prairie View A&M, and Grambling State's 11-5 win against Southern University.

In Saturday's other Invitational matchup at the University of New Orleans' Maestri Field, UNO captured an 8-5 win over the University of Illinois-Chicago during the weekend set, televised on MLB Network.

"You see the passion and energy from these teams, with the way that they play and how excited they are to be here, playing on MLB Network," said Del Matthews, MLB senior director of baseball development. "This is fun. This is what it is all about."

The goal for MLB's expanding youth-oriented initiatives -- a primary focus for MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred -- is to keep baseball pertinent in the lives of its pupils. To Matthews and Darrell Miller, vice president youth and facility development for Major League Baseball, that is what Saturday was actually all about.

"Keep playing," Miller said. "Make sure baseball is a part of their life. It doesn't have to be all of their life, it doesn't have to be all they do. But if it's a part of their life, that's valuable to us."

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