ASU Hornets To Play At Mercer, Host Samford In Midweek Contests

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The Alabama State baseball team returns to action with midweek games Tuesday at Mercer and Wednesday at home against Samford.

The second meeting in eight days with Mercer begins at 5 p.m., with internet radio on bamastatesports.com/showcase. The home contest against Samford is at 6 p.m. at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.

The Hornets (26-10) got back on track over the weekend with a two-game sweep of SWAC Eastern Division foe Mississippi Valley State with wins of 7-2 and 6-1. The pitching struggled in last week's midweek games, but starters T.J. Renda and Joseph Camacho had strong outings on the mound.

"We addressed a few things on Thursday and Friday, and I thought our pitching was our strongest area this past weekend," head coach Mervyl Melendez said. "It was good to see the guys make the adjustments, and have better concentration on the mound, commanding the strike zone better than we did during the week."

Offensively, despite cool, windy conditions, the Hornets were able to hit three home runs, all at important times over the weekend.

"It wasn't a great day for offense," Melendez said of temperatures in the 50s. "The wind was blowing in at times in cold and condensed air. You get whatever you can on days like that, and we were fortunate to hit three home runs. They were all key, starting with Dexter Price in the first game with the three-run homer in the sixth inning with two outs when we were trailing 2-1 to put us in a good position. In the second game, it was a bit of the same. We go ahead on a two-run homer by Waldyvan Estrada (fourth inning) and then the big two-run home run by Cesar Rivera (fifth inning) gave us a cushion. The long ball helped us this weekend."

The Hornets and Mercer (26-7) meet for the second straight Tuesday. Last week, the Hornets lead 4-3 entering the seventh inning before ineffective pitching and three defensive errors contributed to nine Bear runs in a 12-4 home loss. Mercer has won six straight, and 12 of its last 13 games.

"It will be very important for us to get back on our feet," Melendez said of his teams' play in midweek games. "We know what Mercer is going to bring. They are a very good offensive ball club. We have to do a much better job pitching, especially late in the ball game. That's where we faltered. We didn't pitch well out of the bullpen. We have to find those guys that will be ready to compete at that level when the game is on the line when you are up by one late in the game to give us the innings that we need. We have to pitch very well tomorrow."

The inverse is true of Wednesday's matchup, as the Hornets had season highs in runs (23), hits (19), and home runs (four) in a 23-7 win at Samford March 18. The Bulldogs (19-13) have posted wins over Auburn and Jacksonville State in recent weeks.

"Samford is one of the better offensive teams we've played all year," Melendez said. "We were very fortunate to score a lot of runs and outhit them in that game. It wasn't a pitchers' dual. Eventhough the score was lopsided, we only outhit them 19-16. They still got hits. They just didn't get them when they counted (leaving 11 runners on base). That's a very good hitting ball club, and we have to be ready for them. If our pitchers continue to work, command the zone, and put emphasis on every pitch, we could do very well this midweek. It's important for us to do well midweek, as it's the springboard to the weekend to get the confidence about what you've done offensively and on the mound. We will put a lot of emphasis on these games."

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

2014 NFL Draft: Cleveland Browns Should Consider Alabama State's RB Isaiah Crowell in Middle of Draft

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With 10 picks in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns are one of the teams being talked about the most. However, people are mostly concerned with their two first round picks and their second round pick and not focusing on the damage they can do in the mid-to-late rounds with the depth of this class.

Running back for the Browns will be addressed in the draft, but with the signing of Ben Tate the need to draft one in the early rounds will not be necessary. Mid-to-late round running backs have seemed to make names for themselves over the past few years, and it just so happens that is when the Browns could be looking to add another back to their stable.



Names like Zac Stacey (5th Round), Alfred Morris (6th Round), Jamaal Charles (3rd Round) and Ahmad Bradshaw (7th Round) were taken outside of the first two rounds. Obviously these are just a few, but there have been plenty of impactful running backs taken outside of the first two rounds.

This draft there is one name that has the potential to be a great flier pick for the Browns. Isaiah Crowell, the running back from Alabama State, is a name to remember. Crowell was considered the top running back recruit in the country out of high school and made his selection to attend the University of Georgia by bringing out a Bulldog puppy at his press conference.

CONTINUE READING

Florida A&M Hires Kellen Winslow, Sr. as Athletic Director

KELLEN WINSLOW, Sr.
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- President Elmira Mangum has only been in position for about a week, but she has made her first big hire. Mangum has appointed Kellen Winslow, Sr. as the school's new Athletic Director.

Winslow, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame, will be introduced at a press conference on Wednesday at 1 p.m., in the Al Lawson Multipurpose Center.

He replaces Mike Smith, who served as interim Athletic Director for the past 10 months.

Winslow previously was the Athletic Director at Lakeland College in Plymouth, Wisconsin. Prior to that, he was the Athletic Director at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio.

CONTINUE READING

NOTE: I love this hire!  Winslow graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in Education in 1987 and earned a law degree from the University of San Diego in 1993. He is also an in-demand public speaker on economic, social, political and racial issues related to sports, with appearances on Fox Sports, ABC's Nightline, ESPN, and major national radio and television sports talk shows. The former college football captain was a member of the secret honor society QEBH at the University of Missouri.  He was selected in the first round (13th overall) of the 1979 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers.  In nine seasons with the Chargers, he revolutionized the tight end position. 

Football did not use Winslow -- he used football to elevate his educational level and to prepare him for life's opportunities.  

The last National Football Foundation college football hall of famer to sit in the athletic director chair at FAMU was none other than the legendary coach Alonzo Smith "Jake" Gaither (203-36-4).  Within this hall of fame family are Rattlers: Jake Gaither, Willie "Gallopin' Gal" Galimore,  Billy Joe and Tyrone McGriff.

Welcome home, Mr. Winslow.  We expect great things from your administration for Rattler Nation.

Cole to Transfer from Kansas to Prairie View A&M

#1 LAMARIA COLE
PHOTO COURTESY: UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS ATHLETICS

LAWRENCE, Kansas —  Kansas women's basketball coach Bonnie Henrickson announced Thursday that sophomore guard Lamaria Cole has been released to transfer to another school.

"We support Lamaria's decision to transfer to a school in her home state of Texas and be able to be closer to her family," said Henrickson. "We wish her well in her future endeavors both on-and-off the court."

In 2014, Cole started five games and appeared in 24 averaging 10.4 minutes per game. During her sophomore campaign, Cole amassed 63 points, 28 assists and 26 rebounds. She shot 38.7 percent from the field and 54.2 percent from the free throw line.

In her career at Kansas, Cole appeared in 35 contests and started five. She averaged 9.2 minutes per game, while shooting 42.3 percent from the field. In her two years at KU, she averaged 2.5 points, 0.82 assists and 1.0 rebounds per game.

Cole will continue her collegiate career at Prairie View A&M.

BIO

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Texas Southern Davis Not Top Choice at JU; Tony Jasick emerges as top candidate for Jacksonville University basketball job

Edwards has talked to a dozen candidates about the position, including Texas Southern head coach Mike Davis.

JACKSONVILLE, Florida  --  Tony Jasick, who was named the top mid-major coach in college basketball this past season after winning 25 games at Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne, is the leading candidate for the Jacksonville University basketball vacancy. Both sides continued negotiating a potential contract Monday night without a deal being consummated, sources told the Times-Union.

Jasick, who flew back to Indiana after discussing job parameters with athletic director Brad Edwards in Jacksonville on Monday, has guided IPFW to a 52-47 record the past three years. He took the Mastodons from eighth place in the eight-team Summit League, to fifth, and then a tie for second behind North Dakota State in 2013-14. At the Final Four, he was named winner of the Hugh Durham award, given annually to the top mid-major coach in Division I basketball.

 

JU remains optimistic it can reach an agreement sometime Tuesday and possibly have a press conference to introduce him on Thursday. Jasick, who ...
 

CONTINUE READING

Southern completes first SWAC home sweep since 2011

Courtesy: David Clark, SU Athletics Media Relations Student Photographer

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  Freshman Bailey Rankin stepped into the batter's box at Lady Jaguar Field with the game on the line in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Southern, eyeing the programs first SWAC series sweep since April 2011, was tied 3-3 with Arkansas-Pine Bluff with runners in scoring position and one out.

Facing an 0-2 count, Rankin connected on a low fastball to produce a bloop-single that carried over third base and dropped just shy of left field. Redshirt Junior Danielle Jackson, who struck out but reached first base safely after UAPB catcher Kelsey Ridgeway dropped the third strike, scored the decisive run.

For a Southern squad which started 0-22 before capturing its first win of the season in late March, Saturday's 4-3 win over UAPB provided the exclamation point for a team in the midst of a dramatic mid-season makeover and now finds itself in the hunt for a SWAC Western division title.

"I really think that these girls are just buying into what we work on in practice everyday and it's the little things," Interim head coach Tayl'r Hollis said.  "I talk about the small victories and I mean these girls came out here and they fought and they battled every inning. We’ve been talking about win each inning, win each pitch.

I talked to our pitchers about when they’re on the mound, they’re ‘one-pitch’ warriors. They’re not making the game bigger than what it is. They’re taking one inning at a time and are just buying into what (Assistant) Coach (John) Garris and I are trying to teach them."

Despite a 6-30 overall record, seven losses were decided by one run in games which came down to the final at bat in most instances. And since defeating Alabama A&M 9-0 in its final game of the SWAC Softball Roundup in Longview, Texas, Southern is 5-1 in league play and hosts Prairie View A&M April 11-12 at Lady Jaguar Field.

Friday's first pitch is set for 3 p.m. with Saturday's doubleheader starting at noon.

With the help of its freshman class, Southern has positioned itself to contend for a division title if it can navigate the conference terrain unscathed over the final six games of SWAC play.

[The play of the freshman class] shows what the future of this program will look like and the journey that we are going to be taking is going to be a positive one," Hollis said.

"I think it's going to be – I was telling the girls yesterday - Jag domination from here on out. Jade Luke really stepped up [in Game 1 Saturday]. Bailey Rankin coming in clutch at the end there, being a freshman in an 0-2 count. I don't think there's much more pressure than she could’ve had on her at that time. Rankin’s game-winning single was a phenomenal moment for her as a player.

COURTESY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Alabama A&M Bulldogs don full pads for the first time

NORMAL, Alabama  --  The Alabama A&M football team put on their full pads for the first time in the James Spady era and showed the 80+ in attendance what the 2014 edition of Bulldog football would look like.

Two drills that always get the players, coaches and the lucky fans in attendance excited were the Oklahoma drill and inside run.

The Oklahoma drill pitted a defensive player against an offensive player with a running back behind the blocker trying score. The object of the drill is for the defensive player to get off the block and tackle the runningback before he scores.  The coaches called out the one-on-one matches based on position and size.



The inside run drill pitted the offensive line versus the defensive line with a runningback trying to get between the tackles.

Both drills allowed major contact between the players who had been conditioning since December 2013.

The practice was held at J.O. Johnson high school as part of Bulldog football giving back to the community tour.

A&M will return to Louis Crews for their next three practices Monday, April 7, Wednesday, April 9, and Friday, April 11 all beginning at 7 p.m.

PHOTO GALLERY: AAMU BULLDOGS AT J.O. JOHNSON H.S.

COURTESY ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

XU's Rolland, Abbes collect more GCAC weekly awards

Nour Abbes

Devinn Rolland

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Devinn Rolland and Nour Abbes were repeat winners Monday of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference's weekly awards. Rolland is the GCAC Performer of the Week in women's field, and Abbes is the GCAC Player of the Week in women's tennis.
   
The awards honor performances from March 31-April 6.
   
Rolland is the GCAC all-time leader in women's field awards with eight. This is her second of the year. Abbes tied a GCAC season record with her fourth women's tennis award. She shares that mark with teammate Kourtney Howell (2012) and former XU standout Anastesia Opata (2009).
   
Rolland — a junior from Harvey, La., and a graduate of Cabrini High School in New Orleans — finished second in the long jump at the Pelican Relays in Baton Rouge, La., on Friday. Her jump of of 18 feet, 1 inch met the B-qualifying standard for next month's NAIA National Championships.
   
Abbes, a freshman from Tunis, Tunisia, and a graduate of Lycée Sportif d'El Menzah, won in doubles and singles Friday in the Gold Nuggets' only dual match, a 6-3 home loss to Southern Miss. Abbes teamed with Simone-Alyse Ewell for an 8-5 doubles victory against Karina Gurgenyan and Kathrin Waidner, and in singles she defeated Carolin Drescher 6-4, 6-3 at the top flight.
   
Abbes is 11-0 in singles this season, 4-0 against NCAA Division I opponents.
   
Xavier's women's and men's track teams will compete Saturday in the GCAC Outdoor Championships at Tad Gormley Stadium in New Orleans. Field events will start at 8:45 a.m., track events at 9:30 a.m. The final event of the day, the 1,600-meter relay, will start at 4:45 p.m. The next dual match for XU women's tennis will start at 3 p.m. on April 14 against Southern at XU Tennis Center.


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
https://twitter.com/xulagold
https://www.facebook.com/xulagold

Grambling State players aren't unionized, but walkout made their point

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  —  Grambling State’s 2013 football team perhaps qualified to form a union more than any other college in the country.

Grambling State’s current and recent former players will likely be watching the progress of what may have been a landmark decision by a regional arm of the National Labor Relations Board in Chicago two weeks ago that ruled Northwestern University football players can be treated as employees and unionize. The players pitched their case to the main NLRB in Washington D.C. last week, while Northwestern University itself appeals the decision.

Last season during the week leading up to their Oct. 19 game at Jackson State, Grambling State’s football players, in effect, formed their own ersatz union by boycotting two practices and walking out of a volatile meeting with Grambling State President Frank Pogue and other top administrators.

CONTINUE READING

TSU Track & Field Concludes Record-Setting Performance in Florida

GAINESVILLE, Florida -- A small contingent of the Tennessee State track and field teams headed down to the University of Florida for the Pepsi Relays over the weekend to go up against the nation’s top talent.

 

Jerome Henderson of the Flying Tigers continued his stellar sophomore campaign with a new record of 10.65 in 100-meter, which ranks as the third-fastest time in OVC this season.

 

Tyler Anderson came in fourth at the prestigious relay in the Long Jump after a leap of 7.32 meters, and Royce Dates notched a top-ten finish in the invite portion of the event (7.04 meters).

 

Freshmen Amber Hughes clocked a 13.56 in 100-meter hurdles, setting a new personal best and fastest time in the conference by .30 seconds.

 

Lastly, the TSU relay teams all set new seasons bests, and both of the 4x400 teams now lead the OVC, as do the 4x100 Tigerbelle team (45.16) by a wide margin.

 

Tennessee State will come home to Nashville on April 12-13 for the Boston/Moon Relays. Admission will be five dollars per adult for each day of the event, kids 6-17 will be charged three dollars and five and under will be free.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Tennessee State Tigers Reed Honored by Fritz Pollard Alliance

COACH ROD REED
PHOTO COURTESY: TSU ATHLETICS

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  --  Tennessee State football’s Rod Reed was given the 2013 NCAA Head Coaches Award by the Fritz Pollard Alliance Foundation last week.

 

Reed led the Tigers to their first appearance in the FCS Playoffs since 1999 and first postseason win since 1986.  The Tigers defeated Butler 31-0 in the first round before falling to Eastern Illinois in the second round.  The Tigers finished the season 10-4 and second in the Ohio Valley Conference.

 

The Fritz Pollard Alliance Foundation aims to increase access and opportunity for minorities interested in coaching, front office and scouting positions in the National Football League.

 

The Alliance’s namesake was the first African American in the APFL and NFL. Pollard was also the first to play on a championship team (1920), as well as the first black quarterback (1923) and coach (1921).

 

Reed was one of just 15 coaches given the honor along with Dino Barbers (EIU), Brian Jenkins (BCU), James Franklin (Vanderbilt), David Shaw (Stanford), Charlie Strong (Louisville) and Kevin Sumlin (TAMU).

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Howard Bison Smalls' Record Day Leads WLAX To First Victory

CYNITHIA SMALLS
Photo Courtesy: Howard University Athletics

WASHINGTON, D.C.  --  Cynithia Smalls picked the right time to set a new school record.

The senior attack and team captain scored six goals and surpassed former Lady Bison Desiree Cox's program record for goals scored and helped Howard earn its first victory of the season in a 17-9 win over Delaware State University on Thursday afternoon at Greene Stadium.

Smalls entered HU's second home game with 122 career goals, one score shy of the mark Cox set over two seasons (2009-11) as a transfer from Division Lees-McRae College. She wasted no time tying the record, scoring the first goal of the game 12 seconds into the contest on a free position shot.

After an unassisted goal by junior midfielder Jaymie Cox 22 seconds later, Smalls fittingly took a pass from Jaymie - Desiree's sister - and netted the record-breaking score at the 24:45 mark of the first half to put HU ahead, 3-0.

By the 12:30 mark of the first half, the Lady Bison had surged to a 6-1 lead. DSU would fight back using a 4-1 run of their own to cut Howard's lead to 7-5 at the half.

Delaware State would open the second with a goal and pull to within one goal (7-6) but Smalls would respond for HU with her first of three second half scores at the 26:38 mark, keeping the Lady Bison ahead by at least two goals the rest of the game.

Smalls now has 128 career goals with five games to go in her storied career.

Senior midfielder Courtland Lackey tied Smalls with a team high six goals while Cox added three goals and two assists and both freshman midfielder Tianna Clark & junior midfielder Dariel Wimbley scored a goal each.

Howard will finish the season within conference, beginning with a three-game Atlantic Sun home stand. The Lady Bison welcome Kennesaw State on Friday, April 11 at 6:00 pm at Greene.  

COURTESY HOWARD UNIVERSITY BISON SPORTS INFORMATION  

St. Aug Mourns Loss of Football Student-Athlete

RONALD CUNNINGHAM

RALEIGH, North Carolina  -- Saint Augustine's University is mourning the loss of first-year student Ronald Cunningham, a member of the Falcons' football team who died Sunday, April 6, 2014.

St. Aug Athletic Director George Williams issued the following statement:

"We are saddened by the passing of Ronald Cunningham," Williams said. "He was a member of the St. Aug family, so everyone is grieving right now. He was an outstanding student-athlete and also an outstanding person. He was fun to be around. Our heart bleeds for the family."

Cunningham was a freshman offensive lineman on the football team. A native of Dinwiddie, Va., he majored in Computer Engineering.

A vigil in Cunningham's honor will be held at the Chapel on campus Monday, April 7, at 5 p.m.

COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF SPORTS INFORMATION

Alabama State adds former Super Bowl MVP to coaching staff

Head Coach Reggie Barlow has added former NFL teammate and
Super Bowl MVP Dexter Jackson (Florida State) to the Hornets coaching staff.
Photo Courtesy: Alabama State University Athletics

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State University Head Football Coach Reggie Barlow has announced the addition of Dexter Jackson to the coaching staff where he will coach the Hornets safeties.

"Dexter had always talked about wanting to be a college coach and to come up and work for me and be a part," Barlow said.  "Dex is obviously a guy who is very knowledgeable, understands the game, a good people person and I thought he would be a good fit. He has the enthusiasm you want in a young coach and he wants to learn and teach the stuff he knows."

Barlow and Jackson had previous ties as the two were teammates at Tampa Bay when the Bucs won the 2003 Super Bowl.  Jackson was named the game's MVP after intercepting two Oakland Raider passes in the Bucs 48-21 victory.

Jackson spent 10 seasons in the NFL following his final season at Florida State where he finished his career as a two-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) pick and was also an Academic All-ACC honoree.  He completed his collegiate career with 194 tackles, seven interceptions and four blocked field goals.

Jackson was drafted in the fourth round as the 113^th overall pick by Tampa Bay in the 1999 draft.



He played for Tampa Bay 1999-2002 before signing with the Arizona Cardinals as a free agent in 2003.  After spending a season with the Cardinals he re-signed with Tampa Bay where he played the 2004 and 2005 seasons before finishing his NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals playing 2006-08.

Jackson finished his NFL career with 433 total tackles including five sacks.  He also had 17 career interceptions.

"I always kept in touch with Reggie during the season," Jackson said.  "He (Barlow) called me and asked me if I was still working with the football teams and I told him I was still working with them and he knew my history.  You can't be perfect but you can strive for that and he told me he needed someone to coach safeties and I know your history and know how you work and I told him I was ready."

He and his wife Tina are the parents of four daughters; Jasmine, Daisia, Meah and Taylor.

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Delaware State Hornets Report: Rod Milstead - Football

NFL looks for talent anywhere it can

New Orleans Saints' Safety Rafael Bush (SCSU Bulldogs) has an offer on the table from the Atlanta Falcons that presented Bush with a two-year deal and an opportunity to start immediately.  Bush started his NFL career with the Falcons on a free agent contract in 2010 after a great showing at South Carolina State's Pro Day Workouts.

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  --  Before NFL draft experts Merrill Hoge, Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay, South Carolina State running backs’ coach Lee Chambers knew all about outside linebacker Khalil Mack.

He was the running backs coach at the University of Buffalo when an unheralded, yet talented 6-2, 220-pound freshman was brought onto campus by linebackers’ coach Robert Wimberly.

“He knew about Khalil,” Chambers said. “Liberty was his only offer and it was kind of crazy. You knew his tape was good. He just kind of got overlooked, but his only two offers were from Liberty and Buffalo. When he stepped on campus, we knew he was going to be a good player.”

Watching Mack during one-on-one drills, Chambers saw ...



CONTINUE READING

Gross Powers TSU Tigers to Sweep Over Southeast Missouri

Courtesy: Tennessee State Athletics

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Missouri –  Rebekka Gross delivered a pair of two-run home runs to help Tennessee State to a sweep of Southeast Missouri on Sunday afternoon in Cape Girardeau. The freshman drove in all four runs of a 4-3 victory in the night cap. Fellow freshman Hannah St. Clair tossed a complete game to earn a win in the opener, 3-1.

 

The Tigers entered the weekend two and a half games out of the final spot for the Ohio Valley Conference Championships and climbed to within one game with the sweep over SEMO. TSU improved to 4-9 and 16-25 overall. The 16 wins is the first time a Jeff Dabney coached team has reached as many wins in a season and is the most wins in a year since the Tigers won 18 in 2009.

 

Gross finished the late game 2-for-2 with a walk and led the Tigers in an eight hit attack. Kiarra Freeman added two hits in four at bats, while Courtney Gearlds, Ashley Haynes, Lindsey Burgess and Shea Morris each notched one.

 

Haynes led off the top of the second with a single to right and moved to second on a Kate Morris sacrifice bunt. After a ground out by Burgess to advance Haynes to third, Gross stepped to the plate a launched a 2-1 pitch over the fence in left center. The first dinger in the catchers career gave TSU a 2-0 lead.

 

Southeast Missouri (7-22, 2-9) took the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning with a two-run bomb. But the lead was short-lived as TSU came to bat in the top of the sixth. Burgess opened the inning with a single to center. Gross fouled off a bunt attempt making the count 1-1. On the next pitch the Angels Camp, Calif., product sent a ball over the left field fence giving the Tigers a 4-3 advantage.

 

Shea Morris, who recorded her first extra-base hit over her career with a double in the second, earned the win as she retired the final seven batters. Morris struck out four batters and is now one fanning away from 500 in her career. The junior improved to 9-10 as she scattered seven hits and two walks. With the win, Morris became the winningest pitcher in TSU history.

 

In the opener, St. Clair and SEMO starter Hannah Durham stifled the opposing hitters. Freeman earned the first hit of the game for either team with a shot through the left side of the infield to lead off the fourth. Freeman was sacrificed into scoring position, but Durham would sit down the next two Tigers.

 

Southeast Missouri picked up their first hit of the game in the bottom of the inning, but St. Clair was able to strand the base runner as she fanned a batter to end the inning.

 

The Tigers broke through in the sixth with three runs off three walks, a hit and a Redhawks error. Back-to-back walks by Gearlds and Freeman, along with a fielding error off the bat of Burgess loaded the bases to open the inning. Jayna Hanawahine would push across the first run on a ground out to third. Three pitches later the Tigers took a 2-0 lead as Freeman charged home on a wild pitch. After a walk to Haynes, Kate Morris shot a ball into left field and registered her team leading 22nd RBI, as Burgess crossed home plate.

 

The Redhawks would scratch an unearned run off St. Clair in the sixth. The freshman pitcher would close out the game by sitting down the Southeast Missouri batters in order in the seventh. St. Clair finished just shy of her first collegiate shutout allowing just two hits and three walks. The Taylorsville, N.C., native improved to 3-7, while striking out five.

 

The Tigers will face Samford on Wednesday at Tiger Field for a double header. The Tigers and Bulldogs are scheduled for a 4:00pm first pitch.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

FAMU tight end Morris impresses

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- One of the questions about the FAMU football team’s offense this season is whether offensive coordinator Quinn Gray will insert more plays for his tight ends.

The uncertainty isn’t bothering redshirt sophomore Mike Morris, who should be the next man in line for the starting job at tight end. Morris believes he might persuade Gray to use him more by the time they get through spring workouts.

“If I take advantage of the route concepts and make those quick catches, I will get more comfortable,” Morris said. “As I play consistently, they will begin to trust me even more and add new packages.”

That Morris is taking such an approach is ...

CONTINUE READING

I got a great education at a historically black university, and so much more

LEE HALL
FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY

'You want to go to school where?' But in four short years, my institution built me up and placed me on the shoulders of giants.

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania  --  I’ll never forget one of the final conversations I had with my high school career counselor.

He’d advised me through four years of Cambridge and AP classes, SAT and ACT prep courses, seven rigorous college applications, countless scholarship applications and, eventually, seven equally attractive college acceptance letters.

It was down to the wire: March of my senior year and I had yet to decide where I was going to college or how I was going to pay for it. Despite many “generous” financial aid packages, it looked as though I would have to take out a loan to help pay for school.

The day before one of our last “college readiness” sessions of the year, an academic  counselor from Florida A&M University, Florida’s only public historically black college or university and the largest single-campus HBCU in the United States, had approached me in my high school’s front office.

“How would you like a full scholarship to go to college?” he asked.  I thought it was a joke. Who drove for hours just to hand someone a letter with an offer for tens of thousands of dollars?

CONTINUE READING

St. Paul's College sees hope in sale

LAWRENCEVILLE,Virginia — The St. Paul's College campus and the 35 buildings on its roller-coaster grounds are for sale in hopes it can continue to educate young black men and women in this rural community.

Located in Virginia's tobacco-growing belt, the private, liberal arts college closed in June 2013 under crushing debt and questions about its governance, and following an ill-advised foray into football years earlier.

Now the school's 11th president presides over the largely abandoned grounds and looks ahead to the April 9 sale of a campus that has everything you'd expect of a college, except for students.

"What our ultimate goal will be is to find another college or university that will take over St. Paul's as an educational institution," President Millard "Pete" Stith Jr. said.

CONTINUE READING

FAMU Rattler Rally Falls Short in 4-2 Loss To B-CU 'Cats

COURTESY FAMU ATHLETICS

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  –  Florida A&M’s (11-19, 8-6) late inning rally falls short against Bethune-Cookman (17-17, 9-6), as the Rattlers fall 4-2 in Sunday’s finale at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. FAMU scored two runs and left two on in the eighth to end the rally.

David Duncan (2-3) took the loss for the Rattlers, giving up three runs on six hits in 4.1 innings of work. Brandon Flemming and John Marcus Roberts combined to only give up one unearned run on two hits over the final 3.2 innings.

Bethune scored quickly as the Wildcats Eric Sams hit a solo home run to straight-away center on the first pitch of the game for an early 1-0 lead.

B-CU increased its’ lead to 2-0 in the second inning off of Zach Olszewski’s RBI single back up the middle to plate Josh Johnson.

The Rattlers missed out on a scoring chance in the top of the fourth inning after working the bases loaded with one out. Bennie Robinson singled to second base, Ryan Kennedy walked and Marlon Gibbs was hit-by-pitch with one out before Devin Perry struck out looking and Kendal Weeks grounded out to second with the bags full to end the inning.

Bethune-Cookman loaded the bases twice in the fifth but only managed one run on Matt Noble’s RBI single to left and added a run in the sixth inning making the score 4-0.

Florida A&M cut the Wildcat lead in half, by a score of 4-2, with a pair of runs on four hits in the eighth inning. Blake Quillan led off the inning with a triple to left center and scored FAMU’s first run of the game on Robinson’s RBI single. After moving up to second on a groundout, Robinson came around to score on Gibbs bloop, two-out, RBI single into right field to end the Rattler scoring.

B-CU's starter Montana Durapau (7-0) earned the win for the Wildcats. Durapau went 7.2 innings, allowing two runs on five hits with eight strikeouts.

Florida A&M returns home on Tuesday, April 8 against Jacksonville. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 pm.

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Alabama State football: Defense dominates again in scrimmage

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The defense had its way with the Alabama State offense in the Hornets’ second scrimmage of the spring, keeping the offense from mounting any serious threat throughout the 78-play, hour-long workout at Houston Markham Football Complex on Saturday afternoon.

It’s become a recurring theme CCfor the Hornets this spring as the offense managed just three first downs against the first-team defense and never sustained any real scoring threat in the 12th practice of the spring.

“It was a bit sloppy,” Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow said. “The offense didn’t compete and perform with any urgency. This is a game of passion and energy and our guys lacked it on offense. We did get a couple of big plays — Earl Lucas had a big play — so that was good to see, but as a group, I didn’t think they were quite as motivated and had as much energy as the defense. And it showed.”

CONTINUE READING

Turnovers, showboating draw ire of NCCU coach Jerry Mack

ROCKY MOUNT, North Carolina  — N.C. Central’s offense committed four turnovers during a team scrimmage at Rocky Mount High School on Saturday.

NCCU’s defense returned one of those turnovers for a touchdown.

“We just can’t have that,” first-year NCCU coach Jerry Mack said. “You talk about the quickest way to lose a football game, it’s turnovers.”

The Eagles went down east to show love to the fan base there. Some of those fans help keep NCCU’s football program going with their donations, and it’s important for the Eagles to appreciate that, Mack said.

Rocky Mount-based Gardner’s Barbecue catered the post-scrimmage meal. Mack said NCCU’s defense definitely earned the grub, but the offense — not so much.

CONTINUE READING

Jackson State QB Ivy ahead of rehab schedule

JACKSON, Mississippi  -- Jackson State football coach Harold Jackson watched as quarterback LaMontiez Ivy played dodge ball about a week ago.

“I said, ‘Man you’re running around here like there’s nothing wrong with you,’” Jackson said.
He was surprised at how smooth Ivy’s rehab has gone in the last few months. Jackson didn’t think Ivy, who suffered a season-ending ankle injury last August, would be able to participate at all in spring practice.

He’s already defied that notion, participating in every drill except 11-on-11s, and he might not be done yet.



CONTINUE READING

SU Jaguars miss longtime assistant Fernando Puebla

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- Southern baseball coach Roger Cador stood near the third-base coach’s box at practice Thursday, reflecting on the emotional scene that took place there just before the season began.

It was early February, and Jaguars assistant coach Fernando Puebla delivered the news that the Jaguars had hoped would not become a reality. Puebla, Cador’s consigliore for the past seven years, had to return with his wife and son to his native Venezuela while his attorney continued an ongoing quest to gain a green card for Puebla, who could no longer stay in the U.S., legally.

“It was a sad moment,” said senior first baseman B.J. Rowry, who has known Puebla as long as any player has.

CONTINUE READING