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COLUMBIA, South Carolina -- Benedict head baseball coach Selwyn Young was named the SIAC Coach of the Year after leading the Tigers to a 23-17 overall record and a 13-5 Eastern Division record. Young also helped bring home an Eastern Division championship, the program’s second eastern title since 2011 and the second in school history.
The award is the second coach of the year honor for Selwyn, who first earned the title in 2010. Young said he was proud and humbled to receive the award.
“It’s an honor because the coaches vote,” he said. “You don’t give yourself the award. They vote.”
The Tigers started off the season with a 1-8 record. Young said it was important to instill confidence into a team with 18 freshmen and sophomores on the roster.
ELLENSBURG, Washington SLYSPORTS LLC, headed by MLB veteran and current Benedict College head baseball coach Selwyn Young have purchased the franchise. Selwyn's brother, Delwyn, will be the hitting coach and Jim Hayes will manage the club.
-- The Ellensburg Bulls have announced new ownership for the 2015 season.
SLYSPORTS LLC will be the financial backing for the Ellensburg club this season. "You can put the Young Professional Baseball Family name on this club and a part of the league" said Selwyn in a recent communication with League Commissioner Mike Greene.
Mr. Young will also enlist the help of his family, including his sister Cynthia Young who worked in the front office for the Lancaster Jet hawks for many years.
Young hails from Los Angeles, California. He is a graduate of Belmont High School, where he was a three-sport varsity letterman. He was named "All City" shortstop his senior season as well as being an All-League defensive back in football. School honors included being named Belmont's "Athlete of the Year" in 1976. After high school, Young played for the 1977 Los Angeles City College Cubs at shortstop. A 30-game hitting streak that year helped him earn a full scholarship to Pepperdine University in Malibu. In 1980, he set the single season record for stolen base percentage at .952 with 20 out of 21 stolen bases. That team was inducted into Pepperdine's prestigious Hall of Fame in 1999. The 1979 Waves were the first Pepperdine team to win a berth in the NCAA College World Series.
Young played professional baseball 10 years beginning with the Oakland A's organization in 1981, where he was a part of three consecutive Minor League Championships. He also played with the Baltimore Orioles, the Mexican Major Leagues, and several independent leagues before hanging up his glove in 1995 while under a MLB contract with the Seattle Mariners. He was also a part-time scout for the Cincinnati Reds, and the Seattle Mariners.
To complete the family picture, the Skagit Valley Lumberjacks have agreed to trade Selwyn's son, Brandon Young, to Ellensburg for a player to be named later. Brandon played last year for the Trinidad Triggers and also played at Benedict College. Young said he hopes to bring in other former Benedict College baseball players to play for the Bulls.
The Ellensburg Bulls are a member of the Mount Rainier Professional Baseball League, an independent minor league with six teams located in Washington, Oregon and Montana. The league plays a 68-game schedule from May to August.
LAWRENCE, Kansas -- Second-inning woes were too much to overcome, as the Kansas baseball team dropped its final midweek-matchup at Hoglund Ballpark, 6-5, Wednesday night at the hands of the UAPB Golden Lions.
The Jayhawks are no strangers to late-inning rallies and the ninth inning against Arkansas-Pine Bluff (23-16, 16-6) looked to be just that, as senior left fielder Connor McKay drilled a solo home run to right center to bring the Jayhawks (19-26, 6-9) within one run. However, UAPB closer Andre Davis had different plans and closed the door in the ninth to end the hopes of a KU comeback, 6-5.
Kansas pounded out nine hits off four Golden Lion Pitchers, five off starter Ciji Ramos (2-1) through the first five innings. McKay (4-for-5) and senior right fielder Dakota Smith (3-for-4) paced the Jayhawks with a combined seven hits, while each driving in a run. McKay finished the day tying a career-high with three runs scored.
In its final midweek bout at home, KU decided build for the future and ran out a plethora of young guns on the mound. Freshman Brandon Johnson (0-2) got the start and gave up five runs in one inning of work, after failing to record an out in the second. Three other freshmen saw action with veterans, junior righty Sam Gilbert and sophomore closer Stephen Villines sprinkled in to give the Jayhawks a fighting chance.
McKay singled in the first inning for KU with one out to get its first runner on base. A Smith walk and a fly out by sophomore catcher Michael Tinsley moved the senior outfielder to third base with two outs. It was then a passed ball by UAPB catcher Gabe Munoz that allowed McKay to score from third and give Kansas the early lead, 1-0.
The Golden Lions came back in the top of the second and scored five runs off Johnson who was relieved by freshman Blake Weiman with no outs on the board. UAPB right fielder Vladamir Gomez started the slugfest, with a single up the middle to score two. Left fielder Jerimiah Figueroa followed suit, with a single through the left side to tack on another run and advance the lead, 3-1. Two other Golden Lions tallied RBIs in the inning to add to the damage, 5-1.
"We pitched four or five freshman tonight that are still developing, but they are getting better and making progress," head coach Ritch Price said. "However, there are days like today where they can take a step back."
Several freshmen were able to get on the mound and gain experience for the Jayhawks before Kansas went to its bullpen, eventually settling with junior righty Hayden Edwards to man the mound through two innings before Gilbert took over in the seventh and then turned it over to freshman Ryan Ralston and Villines to finish the game.
"These midweek games are great for getting our young guys experience and aiding in their development," Price said. "They have been doing really well other than one bad inning that ended up being the difference of the game. I thought we pitched well tonight."
The Kansas offense was stagnant through the next four innings until the Golden Lions pitcher, Ramos, found himself in a jam in the bottom of the sixth as the Jayhawks loaded the bases. Freshman shortstop Matt McLaughlin earned a free pass that scored Smith to cut the deficit, 5-2. UAPB turned to its bullpen for help, bringing junior righty Blake Estep to the mound.
The transition didn't seem to faze the Jayhawks who began to use their bats to battle back into the ballgame. Junior designated hitter Steve Goldstein hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to score Tinsley, who singled through the right side to get on base. Kansas collected three hits and two runs in the sixth to inch closer, 5-3.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff tacked on a run in the seventh to add to its lead, 6-3, but the Jayhawks came back in the bottom half to once again chip away. McKay doubled to right center to get on base as Smith followed suit with a double down the left field line, scoring McKay to cut the lead to two, 6-4. Tinsley drew a walk to get on base, while senior first baseman Blair Beck reached on a fielding error by the third baseman to load the bases. UAPB opted for a pitching change, bringing in senior right-hander Kevin Walsh to quiet the Kansas offense.
UAPB then brought out senior closer Andre Davis to finish off the Jayhawks, but McKay had other plans, drilling the long ball to right center to bring the game within one, 6-5. Trying to muster up a comeback, Smith stepped up to the plate with one out on the board, hoping to keep the momentum alive and singled up the middle. With both dugouts chattering in anticipation, Tinsley grounded into a fielder's choice. The pressure was then put on Beck to become the hero, but he was unable to execute and Kansas fell, 6-5.
The Jayhawks are back in action Friday, May 1, at Hoglund Ballpark as they host the Baylor Bears in a weekend conference series. The game is slated for 6 p.m. and will be available on ESPN3 and Jayhawk Radio Network.
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COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS
NEW ORLEANS — You've seen this before: Xavier University of Louisiana is No. 6 in the NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll.
It's the fifth consecutive poll that the Gold Rush (12-7) hold that ranking. It's nothing new for the XU men, who spent five consecutive polls at No. 9 in 2012 and five in a row at No. 24 in 2008.
Xavier isn't the only top-10 team that hasn't moved lately. Georgia Gwinnett, Embry-Riddle (Fla.) and Lindsey Wilson have ranked 1-2-5 in all seven polls this season.
The XU men are in the top 25 for the 66th consecutive time — that streak began April 4, 2007 — and in the top 10 for the 36th consecutive time.
The NAIA will unveil new rankings at 4 p.m. CDT Monday, then announce one hour later the 24 qualifiers for the NAIA National Championships at Mobile, Ala. Xavier has no remaining duals before the bracket announcement, and the Gold Rush likely will receive one of nine at-large bids. The national tournament will be played May 12-16. NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll First-place votes in parentheses -- records through April 26 RANK PREVIOUS SCHOOL W-L POINTS
1 1 Georgia Gwinnett (13) 12-2 343
2 2 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 18-3 329
3 3 Vanguard (Calif.) 25-1 320
4 4 Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) 19-5 313
5 5 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 19-1 299 6 6 Xavier (La.) 12-7 288
7 7 Northwestern Ohio 18-5 277
8 9 San Diego Christian (Calif.) 14-7 263
9 10 William Carey (Miss.) 13-6 257
10 11 Concordia (Calif.) 12-9 241
11 12 Coastal Georgia 11-7 229
12 13 Northwood (Fla.) 10-2 215
13 13 Westmont (Calif.) 10-14 204
14 8 Bethany (Kan.) 11-1 186
15 17 Dalton State (Ga.) 10-7 183
16 16 Graceland (Iowa) 12-3 174
17 25 McPherson (Kan.) 16-5 170
18 19 Campbellsville (Ky.) 15-5 165
19 15 Belhaven (Miss.) 16-4 155
20 18 Oklahoma Baptist 10-7 139
21 RV Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) 20-7 116
22 RV Reinhardt (Ga.) 11-3 99
23 20 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 4-10 94
24 23 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 12-6 84
25 23 SCAD Savannah (Ga.) 6-7 77
Others Receiving Votes: Davenport (Mich.) 52; Tennessee Wesleyan 51; Indiana Wesleyan 49; Aquinas (Mich.) 35; Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 34; Marian (Ind.) 17; Middle Georgia State 4; Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) 4; Biola (Calif.) 3; St. Thomas (Fla.) 3; Asbury (Ky.) 3.
Columbia, South Carolina -- Sophomore Jeremy Arrington recorded three hits and two RBIs to lead the Albany State Golden Rams to 2015 SIAC Baseball Championship with a 9-5 victory over Stillman College. With the win, ASU wins its first SIAC title since 2010.
The Golden Rams, who started the season with a 1-16 overall record, improve to 20-32 overall. Albany State receives an automatic bid to the 2015 NCAA Regional Playoffs, which will be held May 14-17. Opponents and sites will be determined on May 10.
Stillman, winners of the last four SIAC championships, ends its season at 14-21.
Albany State opened its scoring in the top of the second inning when Arrington's single scored Hector Carrasquillo, who smashed a double to get on base. Ryan Latner hit a single of his own to send Arrington to the plate, and the Golden Rams led 2-0. Stillman scored its first run in the bottom of the inning to cut its deficit to 2-1.
In the third inning, Arrington smashed a double to score Carrasquillo to increase the Golden Rams' edge to 3-1. Arrington then scored on a Tiger error, and ASU held a 4-1 advantage. Stillman answered in the bottom of the inning once again, scoring two runs to bring the score to 4-3.
Albany State got a little breathing room in the top of the fourth. Jonatan Galan nailed a single to left field, and Emmanuel Santos went home for the score. ASU led 5-3 until a Stillman run in the bottom of the sixth inning brought the score back within one at 5-4.
In the top of the seventh inning, Galan scored on an error by the Stillman catcher for a 6-4 lead. The Tigers answered in the same stanza with another run, and the score stood at 6-5.
The eighth inning featured the play of the game. Golden Rams had two outs, but Stillman had a runner at third ready to tie the game. The Tigers' Pablo De Armas belted a hit over the second base. Ryan Latner threw his body in front of the ball and flipped it to Terrance Worthy to get Albert Rafael out at second base.
That one play sparked Albany State for the final inning. After Worthy hit a double, Carrasquillo followed with a single to send him home. Two batters later, Sable Gilliard belted a two-run double to give his team a 9-5 advantage and provide insurance runs. The Golden Rams recorded three straight outs in the bottom of the stanza to secure the title.
Latner, Santos and Carrasquillo each had two hits for the Golden Rams. Gilliard added two RBIs. Cullen Coulter was the winning pitcher, and Sahir Fersobe was credited with the save.
ASU collected 12 hits with only one error.
Galan was named the Most Valuable Player for the tournament. Outfielder Reise McDaniel and pitcher DeMarkus Green were also named to the all-tournament team.
2015 SIAC Baseball All-Tournament Team
Tuskegee Danny Barnes
Claflin Reginald Rogers
Benedict David White Jr.
Miles Justin Bartley
Miles Justin Langdale
Stillman Hunter Hood
Stillman Paul Winterbottom
Albany State DeMarkus Green
Albany State Reise McDaniel
Albany State Jonatan Galan (Most Valuable Player)
COURTESY ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
CARMEN NELSON 5'-7"Senior Hometown: Jonesboro, Georgia
NEW ORLEANS — For the first time since March 3, Xavier University of Louisiana made a move in the NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll. The Gold Nuggets are No. 5 after climbing two places Tuesday.
The Gold Nuggets (15-9) passed Embry-Riddle (Fla.) and Brenau, both of whom lost to lower-ranked NAIA opponents since the previous poll. Xavier's only dual match since March 31 was a Sunday loss at West Florida, ranked eighth in NCAA Division II. The Nuggets closed March with four consecutive road victories against NAIA teams ranked 11-24.
Embry-Riddle remained sixth, and Brenau — a 5-4 neutral-site winner Feb. 23 against Xavier — fell from third to eighth. Xavier had spent the previous four polls at No. 7 after ranking third in the season's first two polls.
The XU women are in the top 25 for the 28th consecutive time and in the top 10 for the 22nd consecutive time.
The NAIA will unveil new rankings at 4 p.m. CDT Monday, then announce one hour later the 24 qualifiers for the NAIA National Championships at Mobile, Ala. Xavier has no remaining duals before the bracket announcement, and the Nuggets likely will receive one of nine at-large bids. The national tournament will be played May 12-16. NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll First-place votes in parentheses -- records through April 26 RANK PREVIOUS SCHOOL W-L POINTS
1 1 Georgia Gwinnett (11) 8-6 342
2 2 Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) (2) 19-4 333
3 4 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 15-7 317
4 5 SCAD Savannah (Ga.) 14-4 308 5 7 Xavier (La.) 15-9 301
6 6 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 13-5 283
7 18 William Carey (Miss.) 12-7 278
8 3 Brenau (Ga.) 12-5 266
9 8 Northwood (Fla.) 8-6 263
10 12 Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) 21-2 237
11 14 Concordia (Calif.) 12-11 223
12 10 Oklahoma Baptist 11-7 204
12 9 Arizona Christian 22-2 204
14 15 Northwestern Ohio 17-6 198
15 16 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 7-12 197
16 13 Evangel (Mo.) 10-3 196
17 19 Vanguard (Calif.) 8-16 147
18 20 Cumberland (Tenn.) 12-8 145
19 17 Graceland (Iowa) 8-3 142
20 11 Westmont (Calif.) 13-9 136
21 21 Davenport (Mich.) 16-10 113
22 RV LSU-Alexandria (La.) 10-2 107
23 22 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 16-7 106
24 24 Southeastern (Fla.) 12-5 94
25 23 Coastal Georgia 9-7 86
Others Receiving Votes: Indiana Wesleyan 67, Aquinas (Mich.) 35, St. Thomas (Fla.) 31, Missouri Valley 28, Campbellsville (Ky.) 24, SCAD Atlanta (Ga.) 18, McPherson (Kan.) 18, Marian (Ind.) 16, Reinhardt (Ga.) 3
NEW ORLEANS — Eight Xavier University of Louisiana student-athletes, including seniors Chinedu Echebelem (women's volleyball), Kwame Jackson (men's cross country) and Catherine Fakler (women's track and field), received most valuable player awards Monday evening during XU's 2014-15 athletics awards banquet at the University Center.
