Saint Augustine's University Men No. 1, Women No. 2 in USTFCCCA National Track and Field Rankings

LEGENDARY COACH GEORGE WILLIAMS
SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY FALCONS

NEW ORLEANS – It was a Saint Augustine’s takeover in the sixth edition of the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field National Team Computer Rankings, released Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

The two-time defending national champion Falcon men reclaimed the No. 1 position they last held two weeks ago, while the SAU women flew up four spots to No. 2, just behind top-ranked Central Missouri.

With just over a month remaining until the NCAA Division II Championships in Allendale, Michigan, on May 21-23, the rankings continue to ebb and flow with each passing week; of the combined 20 teams in the men’s and women’s top 10s, 18 checked in at a different position than a week ago.

Case in point: only Saint Augustine’s and Ashland – the former men’s No. 1 which dropped down to No. 4 this week – remained part of the top five from last time; Pittsburg State fell from No. 3 to No. 11, Adams State from No. 4 to No. 6, and Angelo State from No. 5 to No. 10.

Assuming their positions and reprising former top-five ranks of their own were No. 2 Minnesota State, No. 3 Texas A&M-Commerce, and No. 5 Grand Valley State.

For Saint Augustine’s – which saw the rankings’ second-biggest improvement of 44.09 points to a 179.57 team rankings score – was boosted to the top, as usual, by its corps of dynamic short sprinters. Omar Johnson ran a DII-leading 45.78 and was joined in the top five by teammates Burkheart Ellis, Jr., at No. 3 and Khari Herbert at No. 5.

Ellis, Jr., also posted the No. 2 time at 200 meters, followed by No. 5 Daniel Jameison and No. 6 Johnson.

Those performances put the Falcons more than 40 points ahead of the group of teams from No. 2 Minnesota State through No. 8 Findlay that are all themselves separated by fewer than 20 points.

As has been the case of late, movement in the women’s top five was more subdued – but teams are starting to creep up on indoor champ Central Missouri. The Jennies checked in at 171.10 points – down about five points despite Heavin Warner’s NCAA Division II record in the hammer throw.
Just one week ago, only one team was within 30 points of UCM; this week, both Saint Augustine’s (150.91) and cross country champion Grand Valley State (147.56) are within 25 points, with No. 4 New Mexico Highlands, which dropped two spots this week, still very much in the hunt at 131.07.
Rounding out the top five was Pittsburg State (112.69) following a three-position jump.

Like their men’s teammates, the women of Saint Augustine’s moved up the rankings behind the power of their sprinters and hurdlers. Samantha Woodburn had herself a weekend at the CIAA Championships, moving up to No. 3 at 200 meters, No. 6 at 400 meters and running a leg of the No. 1 4×100 relay.

Also contributing big points for the Falcons were No. 6 Ornella Livingston at 200 meters, No. 6 Shakinah Brooks in the long jump, and No. 7 Shamia Lassiter in the 100-meter hurdles.

Three women’s teams made double-digit improvements in the rankings. No. 13 Winston-Salem State jumped up 12, No. 18 Johnson C. Smith leape a week-best 18 positions, and No. 23 Western Washington improved 14 spots.

Only one more men’s teams climbed 10-or-more spots, as No. 2 Minnesota State rose 13 notches from a week ago.

At the regional level, the eight regions saw a combined two new men’s No. 1 teams and three new top-ranked women’s squads.

Southern Connecticut’s men climbed to No. 1 in the East, while Shorter took command of the South.

For the women, Saint Augustine’s moved to No. 1 in the Atlantic, as did Southern Connecticut in the East and West Texas A&M in the South Central.

Below is the entire list of SAU Falcons and Lady Falcons ranked among the top 10 competitors in their respective track & field events in Division II. Go to ustfccca.org for the entire team and individual rankings.

WOMEN
(Ranking, Name, Event, Time or Mark)
1 – Tia-Adana Belle (400-Meter Hurdles) 58.01
1 – Shamia Lassiter, Samantha Woodburn, Shakinah Brooks, Ornella Livingston (4x100-Meter Relay) 45.17
2 – Samantha Woodburn, Cherrisse Lynch, Ornella Livingston, Tia-Adana Belle (4x400-Meter Relay) 3:39.99
3 – Samantha Woodburn (200-Meter Dash) 23.65
6 – Ornella Livingston (100-Meter Dash) 11.60
6 – Ornella Livingston (200-Meter Dash) 23.88
6 – Samantha Woodburn (400-Meter Dash) 54.07
6 – Shakinah Brooks (Long Jump) 19-11¾
7 – Shamia Lassiter (100-Meter Hurdles) 13.84

MEN
(Ranking, Name, Event, Time or Mark)
1 – Omar Johnson (400-Meter Dash) 45.78
1 – Khari Herbert, Jr., Burkheart Ellis, Jr., Immanuel Hutchinson, Omar Johnson (4x400-Meter Relay) 3:06.73
2 – Burkheart Ellis, Jr. (200-Meter Dash) 20.69
3 – Burkheart Ellis, Jr. (400-Meter Dash) 46.74
3 – Immanuel Hutchinson (800-Meter Run) 1:48.39
5 – Daniel Jamieson (200-Meter Dash) 20.83
5 – Khari Herbert, Jr. (400-Meter Dash) 46.81
5 – Claytin Lewis, Khari Herbert, Jr., Burkheart Ellis, Jr., Daniel Jamieson (4x100-Meter Relay) 40.38
6 – Omar Johnson (200-Meter Dash) 20.89
7 – David Shaw (Triple Jump) 49-5½

USTFCCCA NCAA Division II

Men’s Outdoor Track & Field National Team Computer Rankings (Top 25)

2015 Week #6 — April 21 (REVISED)
next ranking: April 28

View Complete Men’s National Coaches’ Poll
Rank	Institution	Points	Conference	Head Coach (Yr)	Last Week
1	Saint Augustine’s	179.57	CIAA	George Williams (39th)	2
2	Minnesota State	139.29	NSIC	Jim Dilling (2nd)	15
3	Texas A&M-Commerce	137.25	Lone Star	Tom Dibbern (2nd)	6
4	Ashland	134.87	GLIAC	Jud Logan (12th)	1
5	Grand Valley State	127.71	GLIAC	Jerry Baltes (16th)	7
6	Adams State	124.57	RMAC	Rock Light (2nd)	4
7	Texas A&M-Kingsville	123.49	Lone Star	Ryan Dall (7th)	11
8	Findlay	120.46	GLIAC	Marc Arce (27th)	9
9	West Texas A&M	111.45	Lone Star	Darren Flowers (6th)	10
10	Angelo State	108.55	Lone Star	James Reid (16th)	5
11	Pittsburg State	104.36	MIAA	Russ Jewett (27th)	3
12	Chico State	97.86	CCAA	Oliver Hanf (3rd)	8
13	Shippensburg	94.74	PSAC	Dave Osanitsch (10th)	12
14	Azusa Pacific	92.69	PacWest	Kevin Reid (20th)	23
15	Alaska Anchorage	91.39	GNAC	Michael Friess (25th)	14
16	Johnson C. Smith	86.15	CIAA	Lennox Graham (8th)	21
17	Southern Indiana	77.78	GLVC	Mike Hillyard (17th)	26
18	Tiffin	72.75	GLIAC	Jeremy Croy (15th)	18
19	Colorado Mines	66.85	RMAC	Matt Sparks (2nd)	13
20	Central Missouri	63.70	MIAA	Kirk Pedersen (19th)/Kip Janvrin (17th)	19
21	Missouri Southern	60.11	MIAA	Bryan Schiding (2nd)	20
22	Cal Poly Pomona	59.96	CCAA	Octavious Gillespie-Bennett (3rd)	17
23	CSU-Pueblo	52.97	RMAC	Matt Morris (2nd)	32
24	Lincoln (Mo.)	52.90	MIAA	Victor Thomas (14th)	25
25	Tarleton State	51.02	Lone Star	Patrick Ponder (9th)	28
dropped out: No. 16 Academy of Art, No. 22 Western State, No. 24 Western Washington
View All Teams Beyond the Top 25   USTFCCCA NCAA Division II Women’s Outdoor Track & Field National Team Computer Rankings (Top 25) 2015 Week #6 — April 21 (REVISED) next ranking: April 28 View Complete Women’s National Coaches’ Poll  Rank Institution Points Conference Head Coach (Yr) Last Week 1 Central Missouri 171.10 MIAA Kirk Pedersen (19th)/Kip Janvrin (17th) 1 2 Saint Augustine’s 150.91 CIAA George Williams (39th) 6 3 Grand Valley State 147.56 GLIAC Jerry Baltes (16th) 3 4 New Mexico Highlands 131.07 RMAC Bob DeVries (23rd) 2 5 Pittsburg State 112.69 MIAA Russ Jewett (29th) 8 6 Azusa Pacific 110.09 PacWest Preston Grey (1st) 5 7 West Texas A&M 107.06 Lone Star Darren Flowers (6th) 7 8 Ashland 98.73 GLIAC Jud Logan (12th) 10 9 Lincoln (Mo.) 94.51 MIAA Victor Thomas (14th) 4 10 Hillsdale 91.39 GLIAC Andrew Towne (4th) 11 11 Adams State 80.94 RMAC Rock Light (2nd) 21 12 Angelo State 78.59 Lone Star James Reid (16th) 9 13 Winston-Salem State 74.62 CIAA Inez Turner (6th) 25 14 Simon Fraser 72.38 GNAC Brit Townsend (15th) 18 15 Texas A&M-Kingsville 65.04 Lone Star Ryan Dall (7th) 15 16 Wayne State (Neb.) 61.97 NSIC Marlon Brink (15th) 12 17 Winona State 60.41 NSIC Mason Rebarchek (11th) 14 18 Johnson C. Smith 58.62 CIAA Lennox Graham (8th) 36 19 Lewis 56.85 GLVC Dana Schwarting (10th) 13 20 Chico State 56.68 CCAA Robert Nooney (2nd) 16 21 Alaska Anchorage 53.05 GNAC Michael Friess (25th) 28 22 Shorter 51.61 Peach Belt Scott Byrd (8th) 17 23 Western Washington 51.54 GNAC Pee Wee Halsell (28th) 37 24 Findlay 50.35 GLIAC Marc Arce (27th) 32 25 Fort Hays State 46.23 MIAA Dennis Weber (22nd) 22 d ropped out: No. 19 Humboldt State, No. 20 Wayne State (Mich.), No. 22 Fort Hays State, No. 23 UC San Diego, No. 24 Livingstone View All Teams Beyond the Top 25 COURTESY: Kyle Terwillegar, USTFCCCA Release and Saint Augustine's University Sports Information

Norfolk State wins 13th-straight game; defeat Richmond

RICHMOND, Virginia — Norfolk State continued its record-setting pace on Tuesday. The Spartans defeated the Richmond Spiders 12-5 for their 13th consecutive win.

NSU scored four runs in the first inning, four in the fifth and three more in the sixth. It was the Spartans first win over Richmond.

The Spartans entered the day tied with Alabama State for the second-longest winning streak in the nation at 12 in a row. Only Illinois (13 straight) had a longer streak entering the day. Both Illinois and Alabama State play later Tuesday evening.

The Spartans return to MEAC play with a three-game series at UMES on Saturday and Sunday. NSU can wrap up the No. 1 seed from the MEAC Northern Division this weekend.



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For Gilbert, VUU basketball already is a family affair

 RICHMOND, Virginia -- AnnMarie Gilbert has listened for many years to her husband’s tales of life within the Virginia Union University basketball community.

She hopes soon to be able to tell stories of her own.

Gilbert, a 46-year-old with abundant Division I experience, was introduced Tuesday as the Panthers’ new women’s basketball coach. Joining her at her get-acquainted news conference was her husband, former VUU men’s player Jonathan Walker. Gilbert and Walker met when she was coaching at Division III Oberlin (1995-2002).

“We went to the gym for our first date,” said Gilbert, a prolific scorer as an Oberlin player. “We wanted to see who would be the first to make 100 free throws in a row.”

She was introduced soon thereafter to the mystique of Virginia Union basketball.

“Over the past 13 years I don’t think a day has gone by — and certainly not a week — that I haven’t listened to (Walker) talk about Virginia Union and how special it is and how much being here and playing here feels like being part of a family,” she said.

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AnnMarie Gilbert Named Women's Basketball Coach at Virginia Union University

RICHMOND, Virginia -- Virginia Union University announced on Tuesday, April 21, that AnnMarie Gilbert will become the eighth head coach of the VUU Women's Basketball Team.

With over 20 years of college coaching experience, AnnMarie Gilbert was the head coach at Eastern Michigan University from 2007-2012, where she compiled a 94-64 record. As head coach, the Eagles had three consecutive 20+ win seasons (2009-12) and received an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament in 2012.

Gilbert guided Eastern Michigan to the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament championship in her final year (2012), with her star player Tavelyn James receiving the Francis Pomeroy Naismith Award.

In 2011 Gilbert guided the Eagles to a school-record 24 wins and a berth in the WNIT. Eastern Michigan knocked off Michigan in the first round of the WNIT Sweet 16.



With Gilbert at the helm, Eastern Michigan had the second-best turnaround in the nation in 2010, recording 22 wins and a WNIT berth. The Eagles had just eight wins in 2009.

In her first year at the head of the Eastern Michigan Program she guided the Eagles to 17 wins and became only the fourth head coach in MAC history to win a division title in their first year as a coach.

Gilbert spent three seasons (2003-06) as an assistant on the Michigan State coaching staff. She was the staff's recruiting coordinator and works with the guards.

Under her tutelage, Lindsay Bowen was a second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2006, Kristin Haynie was named honorable mention All-Big Ten and Rene Haynes was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. She helped bring a recruiting class for the 2004-05 season that All-Star Girls Report ranked 18th in the nation, including Courtney Davidson, who was ranked as the nation's sixth-best point guard.

Gilbert spent the previous eight seasons (1994-2002) as the head coach of NCAA Division III Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio. She is the winningest coach in Oberlin women's basketball history as the Yeoman made six appearances in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) postseason tournament during her tenure. She assisted in the development of eight different all-conference players and the 1999 All-NCAC Newcomer of the Year.She began her coaching career at Oberlin as an assistant coach with the women's basketball team in 1992-93 and was an assistant men's basketball coach in 1993-94, before assuming the women's basketball head coaching duties in 1994. In addition to coaching, Gilbert served as the Senior Women's Administrator/Associate Director of Athletics at Oberlin from 1996-2002.

Gilbert played for two seasons (1986-88) at Ohio University, gaining Most Outstanding Defensive Player and All-Mid-American Conference honors in 1988. She transferred to Oberlin for her junior and senior seasons (1989-91), where she was a two-time Kodak First-Team All-American, a two-time NCAC Player of the Year, the Honda Division III Athlete of the Year and the Champion USA/WBCA Player of the Year in 1991.

Gilbert led the nation in scoring as a junior (31.1 points per game) and was the nation's second-leading scorer as a senior (31.3 ppg). She set the NCAA Division III record for points in a game with 61 against Allegheny on Feb. 6, 1991. She is still the Oberlin record holder for points in a season (778, 1989-90), field goals in a game (28), field goals in a season (319) and free throws made and attempted in a game (13-of-17 vs. Case Reserve, Jan. 6, 1990).

In just two seasons at Oberlin, she registered 1,527 points to become the school's leading scorer, a record which stood until 2002. All told, Gilbert set 24 school records and 10 conference records as a player and still holds 10 standing NCAA Division III records.

She received an invitation to the Pan Am Games trials in Colorado Springs in 1990. Oberlin retired her jersey in 1994 and in 2001, she was inducted into the Oberlin College Athletic Hall of Fame.

Gilbert was a Street & Smith's All-American, a McDonald's All-Star game participant and was Ohio Miss Basketball her senior year of high school.

She earned her B.A. in sociology with a minor in economics from Oberlin in 1991.

COURTESY VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Bryan Henry column: One game at Fenway Park worth the trip

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- On the road again, which has been a common theme for us lately at Florida A&M. Since we have no home baseball games left in the season, it will continue to be that way.

On Tuesday, we played at Auburn in Alabama. On Thursday, we leave for Boston to play North Carolina Central in a huge three-game MEAC series on Friday and Saturday.

The race for the Southern Division title is about as close as it can be. Only the top three teams in the South make it to the conference tournament, and it is currently a four-team race for first place.

Bethune Cookman is the leader at 13-8. North Carolina Central is right behind at 12-8. We currently in third at 10-8, while Savannah State is 9-9. The fifth team in our division is North Carolina A&T but with only three wins, it does not factor into the tournament discussion.

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Fobbs wants to win SWAC in second year at Grambling

COACH BRODERICK FOBBS

Grambling will open the season Sept. 5 at California.

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Grambling came inches away from clinching a berth in last year’s Southwestern Athletic Conference title game, a feat that would have crossed off a major accomplishment for first-year coach Broderick Fobbs.

Actually, it was the only accomplishment worth striving for.

Southern stuffed quarterback Jonathan Williams at the goal line in the final seconds of the Bayou Classic as the Jaguars, not the Tigers, earned a spot in the SWAC title game where they eventually lost to Alcorn State.

“We went into last year seeking to win a championship. Whether you get close or not doesn’t matter. This is not horseshoes,” Fobbs told The News-Star on Monday.

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Alabama State Wins 2015 SWAC Women's Golf Championship

ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S GOLF TEAM
Courtesy: SWAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

ALEXANDRIA, Louisiabna – Alabama State University claimed its third straight Southwestern Athletic Conference championship Tuesday afternoon in Alexandria, La at Links on the Bayou. The conference crown marks their fourth out of the last five years.

Chanelle Avaricio earned the league’s Most Valuable Player (Low Medalist) while teammate Sylvia Masango was tabbed with Freshman of the Year honors.

As a unit, ASU shot 602 including a 295 in the final round with five players named to the all-conference team.

For the remainder of the team standings, Texas Southern finished second with 626 and was led by Kassandra Rivera. Dismary Marquez followed behind with a 152 for TSU

Jackson State notched third place with a team score of 688. Alcorn State (838), Prairie View (896), Mississippi Valley State (1016), rounded out team scoring

Alabama State’s Gary Grandison was named SWAC Coach of the Year.

FIRST TEAM ALL CONFERENCE
Alabama State - Chanelle Avaricio
Texas Southern - Kassandra Rivera
Texas Southern - Cherie Chua
Alabama State – DisMary Marquez
Alabama State – Janelle Kraackman
Texas Southern – Allison Flores

SECOND TEAM ALL CONFERENCE
Alabama State – Sylvia Masango
Alabama State - Mia Campbell
Alcorn State – Quinn Meyer
Jackson State – Nicole Blanchard
Jackson State – Makaila Brown

COURTESY SWAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Roberts plays through the pain for Winston-Salem State

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- As Winston-Salem State continues toward a possible fifth straight CIAA baseball championship leftfielder Des Roberts is thankful to be playing again.

Roberts, a 22-year-old senior transfer from UNC Charlotte, has been a mainstay in the lineup. He’s been a solid, all-around player for Coach Kevin Ritsche, giving the Rams speed, a little bit of power and an excellent glove.

The amazing part of his season is he’s doing it with basically one hand because of a lingering injury. A left-handed hitter, Roberts broke a bone in his right hand last year, but after the surgery he still wasn’t 100 percent.



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Southern baseball team sweeps Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Sunday doubleheader

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Whether it was a career-best pitching performance or an offensive outburst, Southern pushed all the right buttons to pull off a doubleheader sweep against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Sunday afternoon at Lee-Hines Field.

In the first game, SU senior right-hander Santos Saldivar stole the show in a 4-3 win.

In the second game, it was the Southern hitters’ turn. Seven of them had at least two his in a 14-9 victory.

The Golden Lions (19-14, 13-5) struck first in the opener after leadoff hitter Rashawn Tillman lined a single to left field. The ball scooted under the glove of SU left fielder Tyler Kirksey, putting a runner in scoring position with no outs.

Later on, Jaguars right fielder D.J. Wallace couldn’t bring in a fly ball near the warning track, leading to a two-run triple. UAPB picked up a third run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the second inning.

But that was all. 

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Baker, Footman shine for Alcorn in spring game

LORMAN, Mississippi — Alcorn State will enter the 2015 season with a target on its back. The reigning Southwestern Athletic Conference champion finished its first step in making it a moving target at Saturday’s spring game.

The Gold team held off the Purple for a 28-21 win, but the game was really just another step in the process of turning Alcorn into a perennial power in the SWAC. Spring practice gave the coaching staff time to work with their veterans, and younger talent a chance to step up.

Two younger players who made serious impacts in the game were Gold quarterback Lennoris Footman and Purple running back Arron Baker.

Footman led the gold team by completing 6 of 12 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw an interception.

Baker had a game-high 104 rushing yards on seven carries, which included a 60-yard touchdown run.

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Kwashaun Quick, N.C. A&T QB in 2014, no longer on team

Kwashaun Quick
Courtesy: North Carolina A&T Athletics

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- The N.C. A&T football program has suffered an unexpected loss this spring, starting quarterback Kwashaun Quick.

Quick is no longer on the team because of a violation of team rules and is no longer in school, a team spokesman says. He did not participate in the Aggies’ spring game Saturday.

Quick was arrested in Durham on March 6 and charged with maintaining a vehicle or residence with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver marijuana and possession of marijuana paraphernalia.

He has a court date May 5 in Durham County.

The Aggies earned a share of the MEAC championship last season in large part because of Quick’s versatility under center.

He finished as the team’s second-leading rusher and leading passer, accounting for 2,028 total yards of offense and 19 total touchdowns.

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Two FAMU Baseball Games To Be Televised This Week

Courtesy: Florida A&M University Athletics

TALLAHASSEE, Florida – Florida A&M baseball will have two games televised this coming week as it heads into the final stretch of the 2015 season. Tuesday’s game at Auburn will be televised on the SEC Network + (SECN+) with first pitch scheduled for 6:00 PM ET. Saturday’s game in Boston, Mass., on April 25th, against North Carolina Central is scheduled for a 2:00 PM ET start and will be broadcast on the New England Sports Network (NESN). Saturday’s game is also being played in FenwayPark, home of the Boston Red Sox.

FAMU and NCCU will be playing a three-game series as a part of the first-ever Historically Black Colleges and Universities Legacy Weekend Celebration, which is brought to you by the Boston Red Sox and the Boston Area Church League, Inc. The two teams will begin the series with a doubleheader on Friday, April 24, at Jim Rice Field in Roxbury, Mass., at 11:00 AM before the series finale moves to FenwayPark on Saturday.

The New England Sports Network (NESN) is available on Direct TV channel 628, while it is also available on the Dish Network channels 434 and 5434 (NESN HD).

Check with your local cable provider to see if NESN offered in your area.

SEC Network + can be seen through the WatchESPN app via your Desktop, Laptop, iPad, iPhone, tablet, phone or other mobile device. However it is not available through the SEC Network channel.

As always, fans can follow FAMU Baseball via Live Stats on FAMUAthletics.com and on Twitter at @FAMUAthletics.

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NSU Spartans Sweep 4th Straight Series, Extend Win Streak to 12 Straight

HANOVER, Maryland – Freshman shortstop Alex Mauricio recorded his first career three-hit game, and the Norfolk State bullpen held Coppin State without a hit over the final five innings to help the Spartans run their win streak to 12 with an 8-2 win on Sunday afternoon at Joe Cannon Stadium.

The Spartans (18-10 overall, 15-3 MEAC North) now own a four-game lead over second-place Maryland Eastern Shore in the division following UMES' loss to Delaware State on Sunday. The Spartans have swept their last four MEAC series.

Mauricio went 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored and also notched two of NSU's season-high seven stolen bases. He was one of four Spartans who had multi-hit games, joining outfielders Denathan Dukes and Angel Rosario and third baseman Robbie Hiser, who all had two hits.

NSU jumped out to a 4-0 lead over the Eagles after its first three times at-bat. Hiser singled and stole second before scoring on Rosario's team-leading 12th double of the season in the top of the first off CSU starter Yayha Muhammad (0-9). Two CSU errors led to one Spartan run in the second before Mauricio's RBI single made it 3-0 later in the frame.

Rosario singled and scored on Syeed Mahdi's groundout to extend the lead to 4-0 in the third.



Bryant Miranda hit a solo homer in the bottom of the third off NSU starter Stephen Butt for CSU's first run. But that was the only run Butt allowed in four solid innings of work. He yielded five hits and struck out four, but earned the no-decision.

CSU's only other run came via a wild pitch in the eighth, but that was all the Eagles could muster off NSU's stout bullpen. Josh Vales (3-2) pitched two hitless innings of relief to pick up the win, his third of the year. Jeff Di Fulgo also tossed a scoreless inning of relief, while Cooper Jones recorded the final four outs by strikeout to finish off the Eagles (3-29-2, 2-16).

Eagle errors led to the next three NSU runs before Dukes capped the scoring with an RBI single in the ninth.

Dukes went 2-for-5 with two steals. Hiser went 2-for-6 and swiped one bag, while Mikey Bruno also stole two bases. Rosario batted 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

NSU's offense scored 37 runs on 39 hits and stole 15 bases in the three-game sweep. The Spartan pitching staff allowed just 14 hits and five runs in the three games, and has yielded just 18 earned runs in the 12-game winning streak.

The Spartans step out of conference play when they travel to the state capital to face Richmond on Tuesday at 3 p.m.

BOX SCORE

Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

SCSU Bulldogs Receive Automatic Bid to NCAA Division I Tennis Championships and Regular Season Conference Championship

Courtesy: South Carolina State University Athletics
ROSTER

CAYCE, South Carolina – The 2015 MEAC Men's Tennis Championship Final between No.1 seed South Carolina State (15-4) and No. 2 seed Bethune-Cookman (15-12) was suspended due to inclement weather in the area.

"It was unfortunate that we didn't get a chance to play the finals today," said SC State head coach Hardeep Judge. "But our domination during the regular season allowed us a chance to compete in our 11th NCAA Championship."

South Carolina State captured the regular season crown with a 5-0 mark in the MEAC, including defeating Bethune-Cookman 7-0 during the regular season.

Despite the tournament suspension, SC State will receive the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Men's Championship by virtue of winning the regular season championship.

The Bulldogs defeated Coppin State (4-0) and FAMU (4-0) to reach the finals for the 11th straight year. Head coach Hardeep Judge guided SC State to the best record in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and earned Coach of the Year honors this season, his fifth in his 14-year career.

The NCAA selection show will air Tuesday, April 28, at 5:30 p.m. on NCAA.com. The South Carolina State Men's Tennis Send-Off will be announced after the selection show.

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North Carolina A&T Women's Bowling wins USBC National Championship

Courtesy: NC A&T Sports Information
BRACKET

WICHITA, Kansas – In its first appearance in a national championship, the North Carolina A&T women’s bowling team didn’t disappoint.

The Aggies were crowned the 2015 United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Intercollegiate Team Champions, Saturday afternoon with a 3-1 win over Robert Morris at Northrock Lanes in Wichita, Kansas.

The ITC, first contested in 1975, is the pinnacle event of the college bowling season. The ITC brings together the top 16 men's and top 16 women's teams in the country to compete for national titles. They are mostly the top teams who came up short in their conference championsips. USBC is the national governing body of bowling as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee.

“Accomplishing this goal was huge,” said head coach James Williams whose team finished the season 74-37. “With all of the individual awards from this year, it is awesome that the team accomplished this because no one ever remembers the individual accomplishments. But they remember the best team. This is something that no one can take from us. We will forever be national champions.”

Several Aggies have stepped up in clutch situations the enire season. On Saturday, those players were junior Rakia Jenkins, sophomore Kristin Shinn and sophomore MacKenzie Robinson who threw a strike in the last game for the win.

“I felt as though the team bowled really well this weekend,” said Robinson. “There were times when it came down to the wire but we persevered. The team picked each other up when we needed it the most. Now that we won we can see the improvements of this team and look forward to next season.”

“It’s an unbelievable experience, especially being down in the beginning when we lost by one pin,” Shinn said. “We definitely battled and bought everyone’s spirits up and pulled out a great game the next round. We stayed on top and never gave up. Our first time bowling in the ITC and we come out as champions is something no one will ever forget.”

A&T’s road to the ITC title started when it won the ITC Sectionals in March. At the championship, A&T was seeded sixth after 24 qualifying games and defeated McKendree 4-2 and St. Francis twice by scores of 4-0 in bracket play to appear in the championship against Robert Morris.

“The season started off a little rough being new and having to get acclimated to my new surroundings,” said Jenkins, a junior transfer. “I believe we all had a little adjusting to do to each other but over time we got into the swing of things and we came together for a common goal. Every time we bowled, we bowled for each other, A&T, and respect. We accomplished a lot this year and we hope to accomplish more next season. I have grown as a person and we have grown as a team, one we can all be proud of.”

“This group of young ladies is special,” Williams said. “They grew so much over this year and I’m extremely proud of them. They have worked so hard this season and they committed to the grind every day. I couldn’t have asked for anything else. Being a national champion is a rather big deal. We have been fighting for respect for the last three years. This shows we are dedicated and committed to winning and building a winning program.”

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

B-CU Women's Tennis Downs SCSU For MEAC Title

Courtesy: B-CU Athletics

CAYCE, South Carolina – Alejandra Vidal perfectly capped off her first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament as Bethune-Cookman downed South Carolina State 4-0 in the championship game late Saturday.

The freshman delivered the clinching fourth point as the Lady Wildcats (22-6) won their first title since 2001 and snapped the ten-year dominance of the Bulldogs.

Named the tournament’s outstanding player, Vidal went all three of her singles matches – also clinching Friday’s semifinal over Florida A&M – and combining with 2015 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Rookie Of The Year Maria Garoz-Moreno on a pair of doubles wins.

Vidal rallied from a 5-2 deficit in the first set tiebreaker as she downed Smarananda Petreanu 7-6 (5) 6-3 at No. 6 singles.

Her fellow freshmen – Adel Musina and Garoz-Moreno – registered the second and third Lady Wildcat points as the B-CU upperclassmen were fending off strong challenges.

Mina Matsuba, the two-time MEAC Player Of The Year, dropped the second set of a long-awaited No. 1 match with SCSU’s Intissar Rassif, but had regained control of the third set to take a 5-2, but the window of Matsuba clinching the made closed when Rassif won two straight games to make it 5-4.

Seniors Maria Sablina and Chinatsu Kajiwara were both leading their matches when play was halted.

After a lengthy rain delay, B-CU clinched the doubles point when Matsuba/Salina got the one game they needed for an 8-2 victory. Garoz-Mareno/Vidal had won their No. 3 doubles match 8-0 earlier in the day.

Visit B-CUathletics.com for further coverage of the championship.

FINAL STATS

COURTESY BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Álabama State Hornets Sweep Alcorn State, Extend Winning Streak To 12 Games

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The Alabama State baseball team won both games of Saturday's doubleheader over Alcorn State, winning 14-9 and 15-2 in seven innings on Senior Day at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.

 
The Hornets (27-11 overall, 15-3 SWAC) extended their winning streak to 12 games in scoring 6+ runs for the 19^th straight game, and scoring 10 more runs for the seventh time during the winning streak.
 
Prior to Saturday's game, ASU baseball honored its nine seniors - pitchers Michael Estevez, Michael Montgomery, T.J. Renda, Armando Ruiz, infielders P.J. Biocic, and Einar Muniz, and outfielders Waldyvan Estrada, Cesar Rivera and Marcus Swint.
 
"I got goose bumps today," Hornets' head baseball coach Mervyl Melendez said. "Four years ago, I took a journey that a lot of people questioned. Alabama State University was the right place for me. With that move came a group of freshman that we brought in that bought into the idea, into the dream, and into the program. That group of seniors we honored today. We got a pair of big wins against a very aggressive offensive team in Alcorn State. I'm very proud of them. This group of seniors is very special to me."
 
Game 1 - Hornets 14, Alcorn State 9: Trailing 4-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth, Alabama State scored all its runs in the final three innings, starting with an eight-run sixth.
 
Three straight walks started the inning, and with the bases loaded, Yamil Pagan scored on a wild pitch. After a walk reloaded the bases, Swint's infield single scored pinch-runner Tyler Bender. After Joseph Estrada scored on a wild pitch, an RBI groundout scored Ray Hernandez to tie the score at 4-4.
 
Swint stole third and scored on a sac fly to put the Hornets ahead. After Chris Biocic was hit by pitch, stole second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch, Waldyvan Estrada walked before an infield single by Pagan scored Biocic. Manny Rodriguez' pinch-hit two run single scored Estrada and Pagan for an 8-4 Hornet lead.
 
Chris Biocic went 3-for-4 with four RBI, and Pagan, Swint, and Rodriguez each had two RBI as Charles Taylor (2-0) got the win in relief.
 
"I'm extremely proud of our ball club," Melendez said. "In the first game, Alcorn's pitcher (Nick Brooks) did a really good job getting out of jams. We didn't execute early, leaving a lot of runners in scoring position and he did a good job. However, we were able to get a big sixth inning with eight runs and the guys had very good at-bats."
 
Game 2 – Hornets 15, Alcorn State 2 (7 inn.): Alabama State hit four home runs in the nightcap, as Pagan's solo homer to left field and Swint's three-run homer to left center in a four-run second inning started the barrage.
 
After taking advantage of five walks and one error in a five-run fifth to extend to a 10-2 lead, the Hornets added five more runs in the sixth.
 
Pagan walked to lead off the inning. With one out, pinch-hitter Dillon Cooper hit a two-run to left to give the Hornets a 10-2 lead. With two outs, Swint walked ahead of Rivera's two-run homer to right. After P.J. Biocic walked and Chris Biocicsingled, Waldyvan Estrada's single to center scored P.J. Biocic.
 
Swint drove in four runs, and Rivera went 3-for-4, scoring twice and driving in two runs. Rivera extended his hitting streak to 20 consecutive games, Waldyvan Estrada extended his on-base streak to 21 straight games, and P.J. Biocic extended his on-base streak to 34 consecutive games.
 
"I'm just really proud of our players," Melendez said. "It's a testament to how hard they've worked to get here and to win ball games. To do it consecutively is icing on the cake. We take it one game at a time. We know every game is going to bring a different challenge to us, and it will be as difficult as or more difficult than the previous game. We have to continue to work on the little things that have gotten us to this point. There are a lot of people that have assisted with this team, and I'm proud of everyone that has been and will continue to be involved in our ball club."
 
The Hornets begin an eight-game road trip Tuesday at Samford at 6 p.m. before returning to SWAC play in Birmingham against Alabama A&M next Saturday at Regions Field in a 3 p.m. doubleheader Saturday and 4 p.m. single game Sunday.

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION                      

Shaw University Claims 2015 CIAA Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships in Dramatic Fashion

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina – The Shaw Bears and Lady Bears claimed both the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Men’s and Women’s Championships in dramatic fashion after a grueling day of competition at the 2015 CIAA Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships. After cruising to early wins in semifinals play earlier in the day, the Bears and Lady Bears both had to step up to upset the top-seeded Chowan Hawks and Lady Hawks.

The Lady Bears took home the championship after taking a 5-3 win over the CIAA Northern Division champion and top-seeded Lady Hawks while the men’s championship match went down to the wire with Shaw taking a clutch 5-4 win.

The Bears and Lady Bears had to overcome a pair of steep obstacles to take home the championships as both teams had just five players on their rosters and were hampered by forfeit losses at #3 doubles and #6 singles.

“I’ve been struggling all season long with my five players and for us to win here is just really, really special,” Shaw men’s and women’s tennis head coach Sunday Enitan said following the win. “We just had to focus on what we had to do. We had to win two doubles and if we could do that, then I knew that we could win.”

In addition to overcoming a short-handed roster, the Bears and Lady Bears had to defeat a Chowan team that handed them a pair of losses earlier this season.

The women’s match was a thrilling affair with Shaw taking a 5-3 win. The Lady Bears kicked things off with a win an 8-3 win at #1 singles, followed by an 8-5 win at #2 doubles. With the forfeit loss at #3 doubles and #6 singles, the score stood tied, 2-2. From there, the Lady Bears fell behind once again when Chowan took a 6-1, 6-0 win at #5 singles to put the Lady Bears behind 3-2. However, Shaw took a 6-3, 6-1 win at #3 singles, followed by a 6-2, 6-2 win at #4 singles that put them back on top 4-2. The final point was scored at #2 singles when senior Jessica Medina took a 7-5, 6-4 win at #2 singles to seal the championship victory.

While the women’s championship match was a thrilling affair, it turned out to be an exciting preamble to a classic men’s championship match. Once again, the short-handed Bears opened the match with a forfeit loss at #3 doubles and at #6 singles. However, the team tied the match with a pair of doubles wins. The Bears took an 8-2 win at #2 doubles to kick things off and then followed the effort with an 8-5 win at #1 doubles. The Bears struck first with a 6-0, 6-3 win at #3 singles that put the team on top, 3-2. From there, the Hawks struck with a 6-4, 6-0 win at #1 singles to tie the match 3-3. Things got interesting when a 6-4, 1-6, 6-1 win at #5 singles, but Chowan answered with a 6-4, 6-3 win at #2 singles and tied the score, 4-4, and set the stage for a thrilling end. With the conference championship on the line, Shaw’s Juan Sanchez took a 7-5, 6-3 win at #4 singles to take the win. For his efforts, Sanchez was honored as the tournament MVP.

The two team’s thrilling wins were made even more exciting by the fact that the championship matches were the second of the day for both teams. The Bears advanced to the championship match by virtue of 5-2 win over Virginia State while the Lady Bears advanced to the championship match after taking a 5-3 win over Virginia State.

With the wins, the two teams claim the 2015 CIAA Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships and will await selection to the 2015 NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Tournaments.

COURTESY CIAA MEDIA RELATIONS

MVSU's Marcus Mann headed to Community College HOF

PASTOR MARCUS L. MANN
First Baptist Church, Carthage, MS
https://twitter.com/pastormann

DECATUR, Mississippi — Marcus Mann of Carthage, a 1994 graduate of East Central Community College, will be inducted into the Mississippi Community College Sports Hall of Fame during ceremonies April 28 on the Rankin Campus of Hinds Community College.

A native of Carthage and a graduate of South Leake High School, Mann helped lead East Central to its first state championship in men’s basketball in 40 years in 1993. He was a First Team All-American selection and was twice named to the National Junior College Athletic Association All-Region 23 and All-State teams.

Mann was inducted into the ECCC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004. He is also a member of the East Central Academic Hall of Fame.

Mann went on to star for Mississippi Valley State University, leading the Delta Devils to the Southwestern Athletic Conference title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament against Georgetown University his senior season. He was selected SWAC Player of the Year and led NCAA Division I in rebounding.

After graduation from Mississippi Valley State University, he was selected by the Golden State Warriors in the 1996 National Basketball Association draft as the 11th pick in the second round and the 40th selection overall.

After reaching his goal of being a player in the NBA, Mann decided to ...

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Saint Augustine's Falcons, Lady Falcons Sweep CIAA Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina – Saint Augustine's University swept the CIAA Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the Irwin Belk Complex on the Johnson C. Smith University campus Saturday, April 18, 2015.

The Falcons scored 158 points to win their 18th consecutive CIAA men's championship. Virginia Union was second with 132.5 and Johnson C. Smith finished third with 120 points.
The Lady Falcons scored 178 points to capture their 14th CIAA women's title in 19 years and first since 2010. Winston-Salem State was second with 161 points and Johnson C. Smith was third with 74 points. The last time the Falcons and Lady Falcons swept the CIAA championships was 2010.

FINAL RESULTS

Matthew Huckabee of The Lincoln was named CIAA Men's Field Most Valuable Performer and Immanuel Hutchinson of Saint Augustine's was selected CIAA Men's Track MVP. Ebony Moore of Livingstone was chosen CIAA Women's Field MVP and Fanta Fofana of Saint Augustine's University was selected CIAA Women's Track MVP.

The men's winners on Saturday were Andrew Alexander of Johnson C. Smith (javelin throw), David Shaw of Saint Augustine's (triple jump), Hutchinson of Saint Augustine's (1500-meter run, 800-meter run), Justin Williams of Virginia State (110-meter hurdles), Omar Johnson of Saint Augustine's (400-meter dash), Daniel Jamieson (100-meter dash), Patrick Campbell of Johnson C. Smith (400-meter hurdles), Burkheart Ellis, Jr. of Saint Augustine's (200-meter dash), Luis Nieves of Virginia Union (5000-meter run) and Huckabee of The Lincoln (discus throw).

Johnson C. Smith won the 4x100-meter relay in 40.15 seconds which tied the nation's best in Division II this season. Saint Augustine's was the winner in the 4x400-meter relay.

The women's winners on Saturday were Tajanel McNeill of Winston-Salem State (triple jump), Kenrisha Brathwaite of Johnson C. Smith (100-meter hurdles), Quanera Hayes of Livingstone (200-meter dash, 400-meter dash), C'Evon Jones of Virginia Union (100-meter dash), Tia-Adana Belle of Saint Augustine's (400-meter hurdles), Raven Hamilton of Winston-Salem State (800-meter run), Brionna Singleton of Virginia Union (high jump) and Chelsey Fuller of Virginia State (discus throw).

Saint Augustine's captured the 4x100-meter relay in a nation's best time of 45.17 se
conds in Division II, and the Lady Falcons also won the 4x400-meter relay.

COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Southern baseball team finally returns to diamond with doubleheader vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The Southern baseball team has had an unusually long break from games and especially Southwestern Athletic Conference games.

The Jaguars hope the departure of week-long rain enables them to return to Lee-Hines Field and play a conference doubleheader against Arkansas-Pine Bluff at noon Sunday.

Southern (11-18, 8-6 SWAC) hasn’t played a game since splitting a nonconference doubleheader against Loyola last Saturday and hasn’t played a conference game since winning at Prairie View 8-7 on April 4 to complete a series sweep.

“We really need to play in the worst way,” coach Roger Cador said Saturday. “I hope we’re not rusty. We’ve just hit in the cages all week because we haven’t been able to get on the field.”

The Golden Lions (19-12, 13-3) lead the Western Division. They have won their last eight games, including a four-game sweep against Prairie View last weekend and a three-game sweep against Texas Southern the weekend before that.

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Norfolk State Defense Edges Offense 39-31 in Green & Gold Spring Game

NORFOLK, Virginia – Brandon Walker's 50-yard interception return for a touchdown, coupled with a stingy second-half defensive effort, lifted the Norfolk State defense to a 39-31 win over the NSU offense in Saturday's Green & Gold intrasquad scrimmage before roughly 3,000 fans at Dick Price Stadium.

Saturday's scrimmage, the last day of this year's spring practice for the Spartans and first-year head coach Latrell Scott, was played using a modified scoring system and consisted of four eight-minute quarters. The offense was awarded points for first downs and reaching the red zone in addition to normal scoring for touchdowns and field goals. The defense earned points for forcing punts, three-and-outs and turnovers, among other things.

Walker's interception, when he stepped in front of a Terrance Ervin pass and eluded several tacklers en route to the end zone, gave the defense the lead for good late in the second quarter. The defense built a double-digit lead in the third quarter by forcing four consecutive three-and-outs from the offense and held on late. The offense pulled within 39-31 with two first downs on its final drive of the game, but time ran out before the offense could find the end zone.

Walker's touchdown was the only one in Saturday's scrimmage. The offense started strong with a 15-play scoring drive to open the game. It appeared the offense found the end zone when Gerard Johnson scampered in from 19 yards out, but the touchdown was negated by a holding penalty. The offense settled for a 32-yard field goal by Cameron Marouf.



But aside from points for first downs, Marouf's field goal was the only scoring for the offense. The defense forced three turnovers: Walker's interception, a fumble recovery by linebacker Jay Anderson and another fumble recovery on a muffed punt. The defense also had a fourth-down stop, as the middle of the defense stuffed Shakeem Copeland on a 4th-and-1 run in the first half to earn more points for the defense in the modified scoring system.

Ervin completed 14-of-28 passes for 127 yards to lead the NSU offense. Johnson rushed for 39 yards and Copeland ran for 33.

"We still have a way to go, but I'm really pleased with the effort from our guys this spring," Scott said. "I was also excited about the (fan) turnout today. I think the community sees that we are building something special here and they want to be a part of it. We can't wait for the season."

Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS COMMUNICATIONS

NSU Spartans' Win Streak Hits 11 with 21-3, 8-0 Sweep of Coppin State

HANOVER, Maryland -- The Norfolk State baseball team extended its own school Division I-era record winning streak to 11 games on Saturday with two more convincing wins, sweeping a doubleheader from Coppin State 21-3 and 8-0 at Joe Cannon Stadium.

Outfielder Syeed Mahdi had four hits and four RBI in Saturday's doubleheader sweep, while first baseman Ryan Kilmon homered in game two and also knocked in four runs on the day. Troy Applin added his first career homer in the opener, while the Spartans (17-10, 14-3 MEAC North) got two more solid outings from left handed pitchers Matt Outman (6-1) and Devin Hemmerich (3-2). Hemmerich threw a two-hit shutout, the first of his career, in the nightcap.

The Spartans scored early and often in the opener en route to tying their season high in runs scored in a game that was shortened to seven innings by the 10-run rule. NSU plated four runs in the top of the first, highlighted by Mahdi's two-run double.

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

CSU (3-28-2, 2-15) answered with two runs on four hits off out Outman in the bottom of the first. RBI singles by Bryant Miranda a
nd Jack Kraft cut the Eagles' deficit in half.

But NSU scored 17 runs in the third through seventh innings to blow the game open. Catcher Omar Hotusing hit two RBI singles, one in the third and one in the fourth. Ismael Herrera doubled in two runs in the fourth and Alex Mauricio also knocked in a run with a double in NSU's four-run fourth.

Mahdi tacked on an RBI double and Kilmon delivered a two-run double in the fifth.

The Spartans substitutes did plenty of damage in the last two innings. Mikey Bruno (three RBI) and Kyle Vaas (two RBI) combined to drive in five runs with a pair of sixth-inning doubles. The crowning blow came in the top of the seventh and final inning. Troy Applin, who has seen most of his playing time as a reliever in his three-year NSU career before working as a backup infielder as of late, launched a two-run, opposite-field homer in his first career at-bat to cap the scoring for NSU in the seventh.

Outman won his fifth straight start. He allowed six hits and three runs with four strikeouts in five innings. Jonathan Mauricio and Matt Boone each pitched a scoreless inning to finish off game one.

Mahdi drove in a career high four runs in the opener and doubled twice. Kilmon also had two doubles and two RBI as the Spartans registered a season-high eight two-baggers in the game. Six Spartans had two hits and seven had at least two RBI in the opener.

Mahdi added two more hits and scored twice in the nightcap, while Kilmon blasted his first homer as a Spartan. They gave more than enough support to Hemmerich, who came within shouting distance of a no-hitter. Hemmerich surrendered just a pair of infield singles, both to Kraft, over a seven-inning, complete-game shutout.

The Spartans plated three runs in the second off CSU starter Anderson Burgess. Tony Leite singled in a run, and Robbie Hiser singled in both Herrera and Kilmon for a 3-0 Spartans' lead.

Kilmon's two-run homer highlighted NSU's four-run third inning. His blast to right field scored Mahdi, who singled earlier in the inning. Denathan Dukes also had an RBI single in the frame.

Hemmerich cruised in his third complete game of the season. Kraft hit slow rollers to second base in the second and seventh innings and beat out both for a pair of infield hits off Hemmerich. The Eagles hit just three balls out of the infield against Hemmerich, who walked one, struck out eight and induced seven ground-ball outs.

Mahdi and Herrera each had two hits in the nightcap. Mahdi was the only Spartan with four hits on the day, but Kilmon, Hiser and Herrera had three hits apiece. Herrera added four RBI on Saturday.

The teams cap their three-game set with a noon game on Sunday.

Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS COMMUNICATIONS 

N.C. A&T Aggies Throw It Around During Annual Spring Game

GREENSBORO, North Carolina – It what was perhaps the best attended Blue-Gold Spring Football Game in recent memory, the assembled Aggie fans at Aggie Stadium got to see a treat for free admission.

A&T’s top cornerback Tony McRae and A&T’s top receiver Denzel Keyes did battle for much of the afternoon and it was a display of the best against the best. McRae ended the afternoon with four pass breakups while Keyes made seven catches for 84 yards and a touchdown.

“He’s pretty good isn’t he?” said head coach Rod Broadway about Keyes. Broadway will be entering his fifth season as the Aggies head man when the 2015 season starts. He is 28-17 at A&T with the 2015 MEAC co-championship added to his accolades.

“That’s what (Denzel) did for us last year,” he continued. “He is going to grow and develop. Hopefully, he’ll have a great fall for us.”

McRae, who also doubles as the Aggies kickoff return specialist, is coming off a season where he was a first-team all-conference corner and second-team return specialist. Saturday was good preparation for McRae because he will likely be matched up against the opponent’s best receiver on Saturdays in 2015.



“I have a lot of confidence in our defense,” said McRae. “We lost a lot of hitters from last year’s defense, but we have a quicker defense this year. Last year we played eight guys who were inexperience. This year we will be playing with experienced players.”

As the nature of spring games go, the Aggies were playing with a lot of inexperience on Saturday outside of Keyes and McRae. The Aggies spring game featured the Aggies offense against the Aggies defense for their entire afternoon. The Aggies offense scored five touchdowns while the Aggies defense made 10 stops including four three-and-outs.

A&T’s defense also produced two turnovers including a 30-yard fumble return for a touchdown by rising fifth-year linebacker Denzel Jones. The Aggies ‘D’ also had nine sacks with rising junior Angelo Keyes and rising sophomore Kenneth Melton getting two sacks apiece. Rising sophomore Marcus Albert led the Aggies with seven tackles while Jones finished with six.

On the offensive side, rising redshirt freshman quarterback Lamar Raynard took the majority of the 115 snaps for the Aggies. He finished 22-for-36 for 230 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for a 10-yard touchdown. In addition to hooking up with Keyes several times, he was very good at throwing the ball to players coming out of the backfield. MEAC co-offensive player of the year and running back Tarik Cohen caught three passes for 44 yards including a 1-yard TD pass from Raynard.

Cohen’s backup on Saturday, converted cornerback Amos Williams, caught five passes for 52 yards and a touchdown. He also ran in for another score. Oluwafemi Bamiro who started his career as a quarterback before moving to tight end and back to quarterback, served as the No. 2 QB on Saturday. Bamiro was 13-for-26 for 160 yards and two touchdowns.

“We would have liked to have gone 150 plays but because of a lack of depth we weren’t able to do that,” said Broadway, who led the Aggies to a 9-3 record overall and 6-2 mark in the MEAC in 2014. “But we need as many reps as we can especially with these young guys. Of course we held some of our real good players out. Tarik only played one series, so I don’t think that was a good picture of what we’re going to be like this fall.”

But that battle between McRae and Keyes was worth the time to come to Aggie Stadium on Saturday regardless.

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Ed Hardin: A&T puts football talent on display in spring game

GREENSBORO, North Carolina — Football in April.

The sun was shining again at A&T as Rod Broadway walked the sidelines Saturday and surveyed a season. He liked what he saw.

Broadway has been looking forward to this upcoming season. Even as the Aggies football program dragged itself out of the storm and into fresh air in the last couple of years, all was not well. But come fall, Broadway will have seen the sweat equity finally pay the dividends he promised.

“I think this is going to be a good team,” he said.

Fall is a long way off, and a ...

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