Bethune-Cookman Ends Howard's Run for MEAC Title

ORMOND BEACH, FL. – Bethune Cookman ended Howard’s run for the MEAC title in the semi-final game of the conference tournament. The Bison moved passed Florida A&M 7-0, and Coppin State 1-0 in 10 innings just a few hours prior to facing the defending champions. In all, HU played a total of 22 innings of softball on Friday.

Howard 7, Florida A&M 0 BoxScore
Howard defeated Florida A&, 7-0, in the in the double-elimination bracket of the tournament.

The Lady Bison posted nine hits each, including Marisa Coats' three run home run in the top of the fifth inning. Coats hit a fastball from Florida A&M's Lindsey out the park to left center, to put the game away. Rebecca Kirshner and Lorae Robinson also collected two hits apiece for the Lady Bison.

The Lady Rattlers never could organize a rally as they only mustered three hits off of Howard's Samantha Gatson (8-7).

Christina Robbs, Jennifer Lindsey and Erika Garcia registered hits for the Lady Rattlers in the loss. Whitney Robinson (15-11) took the loss for the Lady Rattlers, giving up three runs and three hits in three and one-third innings. Jennifer Lindsey came on in relief for two and two-thirds innings.

Gatson, went the distance for Howard. She gave up only three hits, while striking out six and walking one.


Videographer: HowardBands; Howard University Concert Band performed "Dakota Fanfare at the Historic Shiloh Baptist Church (May 2, 2011).

Howard 1, Coppin St. 0 – 10 innings BoxScore
Rebecca Kirshner singled in the winning run in the top of the 10th inning and Carly Martin outdueled Paige Arnold as Howard defeated Coppin State 1-0 in three extra frames.

The loss eliminated the Eagles from the tournament.

Arnold held the Bison without a run for nine innings before finally allowing a run in the 10th inning. The run scored by Howard snapped a 23-inning scoreless streak by Arnold.

Martin matched Arnold pitch for pitch as she held the Eagles to just four hits while striking out six batters. With one out, Lorae Robinson drew a walk to begin the Howard rally. She advanced to third base when Marisa Coats singled to right field. Kirshner then lofted a single to left that scored Robinson with the game's only run. The Eagles tried to rally in the bottom of the 10th inning, but came up short.

Tiffani Whaley singled with one out and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Erica Washington, but Martin induced a groundout to end the game.

The defending MEAC champion Bethune-Cookman Wildcats eliminated Howard Friday evening in the double-elimination bracket of the MEAC Softball Championship tournament.


Videographer: SirCookeMusic; Howard University Gospel Choir-- "Total Praise" (May 6, 2011)

Bethune Cookman 17, Howard 0 BoxScore

A 2-1 loss to Delaware State earlier in the day sent the Wildcats to the loser's bracket, but B-CU came back and blasted the Bison 17-0 after a three-hour lightning delay to earn a rematch with Delaware State Saturday at 1 p.m. B-CU needs to win that game and a second game at 3:30 p.m. to defend their conference championship title.

Against Howard, B-CU (31-24) scored 13 runs in the second inning as Aurelia Gamch drove in four runs and Kelsey Rodney added three. The Wildcats sent 17 batters to the plate in the inning.

Ashton Hinds drove in three runs while Allison Garcia threw a six-hit shutout for B-CU in the Howard win.

Courtesy MEAC Media Relations
Jamilah Corbitt, Assistant Director of Sports Information

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Edward Waters ends William Carey season

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - William Carey University’s 2011 season came to an end Friday as the Crusaders fell 7-4 to Edward Waters College in NAIA National Tournament Opening Round action at Sliwa Stadium in the Daytona Beach Bracket.

Earlier Friday, No. 4 seed Carey overcame a five-run deficit to take a 10-6 victory over third-seeded Campbellsville (Ky.). Taylor Martin (4-2) went the full nine innings, surrendering six runs on 11 hits, two walks and three strikeouts. Carey finishes the 2011 campaign at 31-27.

Against Edward Waters, after a scoreless first and second inning, play was halted in the top of the third inning for nearly an hour due to inclement weather. Once the delay was over it was Edward Waters that struck the critical blow. The Tigers scored one run in the fourth and two more on an inside the park home run in the fifth inning.

Crusaders fall in tournament opener

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – William Carey University stranded 17 runners and surrendered eight two-out runs as it fell to Edward Waters College 10-7 in the NAIA National Tournament opening round Thursday. The Crusaders (30-26) left the bases loaded in the fourth, fifth and ninth innings.

The Tigers (34-24) opened a 2-0 lead in the third inning, scoring on a squeeze play and with an RBI single from Neil Martino. Carey got one run back in the bottom of the third as Quin Stokes doubled to right field to score Jordan Prout.

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ASU stars shine at annual Alice Coachman meet

ALBANY, GA — Brittany Carter found herself all alone as she approached the starting line Saturday for the 800-meter run.  “I didn’t believe it,” said the Albany State sophomore, who waited and hoped for another runner to step onto the track. “I was the only one on paper (scheduled to run in the 800), but I thought somebody else was going to run.”

But there she stood — all by herself on ASU’s home track during the 19th annual Alice Coachman Track & Field Invitational. She was just one of several athletes who were on the cusp of qualifying for the Division II National Championships. And Saturday’s meet offered those runners a final chance to post qualifying times.

Carter needed a 2:14 to provisionally qualify in the 800, something that becomes tougher to do as a solo runner.  “Usually I have someone to run with and get my first lap time. Usually I practice for a 1:03 first lap, so I kind of knew how to run that by myself,” said Carter, who ran her first lap in 1:04. “The second lap I had a strategy to pick it up at the 300 mark and at the 150 try to finish strong.”

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This fall marks a century for JSU Football

You knew about Walter Payton. You knew about Jackie Slater and Harold Jackson and Willie Richardson and Jimmy Smith and Robert Brazile and W.C. Gorden. If you follow football at all, you knew about Jackson State's remarkable pedigree in the sport. But did you know about John R. Pinckett?

I didn't, not until Thursday when JSU kicked off its centennial celebration of playing college football with a public relations event at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.

One hundred years ago this fall, Pinckett gathered together a group of 22 students to form the first JSU football team. The Tigers - were they the Tigers then? - played one game that first season. We're not sure about the date or the site, but we do know the score. Then Jackson College lost 17-0 to Alabama State, then Lincoln Normal.

We're not sure how Lincoln Normal managed 17 points, but...

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Videographer: JSUTigers1877

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Pursuing QBs and criminals

Former Cavalier working on gridiron and DEA career

Winston Salem, N.C. - At 6-foot-3 and 320 pounds, Justin Kee is built to enforce justice on a football field.

In his freshman year at Winston-Salem State, Kee did some of that, and he’ll likely do much more of it through the next three falls. More importantly, he’s already working toward the same mission in the classroom.

Kee, a 2009 Lakeland graduate, earned an All-CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) Scholar-Athlete award for the 2010-11 school year as he’s maintained a 3.0-plus GPA throughout the year. Kee, a defensive lineman for the Rams, is a Justice Studies major with the goal of becoming a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent.

“That’s exactly what I’m aiming for. I like learning about the justice system a lot and I’ve started looking at the things I want to do if I go to work for the DEA,” Kee said.

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JCSU football scrambles for Sept. 3 game

Golden Bulls look to replace St. Paul's College

Charlotte, N.C. - Wanted: One opponent for Johnson C. Smith’s Sept. 3 football season opener. Apply immediately.

The Golden Bulls are in negotiations with multiple schools to fill a hole opened by St. Paul’s decision earlier this month to shut down its athletics program. Neither JCSU Athletics Director Steve Joyner nor head coach Steve Aycock would identify the schools contacted, but suggested a deal could be struck by next week to remain on a 10-game schedule.

“Nothing is concrete yet,” Aycock said.  JCSU has contacted three non-CIAA schools about Sept. 3, including at least one Division I program, Joyner and Aycock said. The others are Division II teams. Schools in the South Atlantic, West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic conferences are in immediate proximity to Smith.

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Mississippi Valley Devils add Murray State to 2011 Football Schedule

The Mississippi Valley State University Department of Athletics announced recently that the Delta Devils have added another game to its 2011 slate. The addition of Murray State will give the Delta Devils 11 contests for the upcoming season and six home games for the program.

“We worked hard to find another contest for 2011 and we contacted a number of programs. In the end, an agreement with Murray State worked out well for both schools,” said interim athletics director Donald Sims.

The Racers went 6-5 last season, opening the season losing their first three games before closing out the season winning their last three contests. A member of the Ohio Valley Conference, this will be the first meeting between the Racers and the Delta Devils.

September

3 Alabama State Itta Bena, Miss. Rice-Totten Stadium 5p

10 Murray State Itta Bena, Miss. Rice-Totten Stadium 4p

17 @ Alcorn State Alcorn State, Miss. Jack Spinks Stadium TBA

24 @ Prairie View A&M Prairie View, Texas Blackshear Stadium TBA

October

1 Southern Itta Bena, Miss. Rice-Totten Stadium 2p

8 @ Alabama A&M Huntsville, Ala. Louis Crews Stadium 1p

15 Jackson State Itta Bena, Miss. Rice-Totten Stadium 2p

22 @ Grambling State Grambling, La. Robinson Stadium 2p

29 Texas Southern Itta Bena, Miss. Rice-Totten Stadium 2p

(Homecoming 2011)

November

3 (Thu.) @ South Alabama Mobile, Ala. Ladd-Peebles Stadium TBA

12 Arkansas-Pine Bluff Itta Bena, Miss. Rice-Totten Stadium 1p

19 OPEN

December

10 SWAC Championship 2011 Birmingham, Ala. Legion Field 1p

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