Claflin Baseball Captures SIAC Title

OZARK, Alabama — With two runners on base and two outs, Reginald Rogers singled through the left side to score Jeturi Brown in the bottom of 10^th inning as the Claflin University baseball team defeated Stillman College, 8-7, to capture the 2016 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Title.  The Panthers won four straight games in the tournament in route to capturing the school's first-ever SIAC baseball title.
 
With the championship, Claflin (23-28) receives the SIAC automatic berth into the 2016 NCAA Division II Baseball Regionals scheduled for May 19-23.  Pairings for the tournament will be announced via the NCAA.com website on Sunday, May 15 at 10 p.m.
 

Jeturi Brown, Dillion Parker and Lyndale Morley were all named to the All-Tournament Team.  Morley earned Most Outstanding Player honors while head coach James Randall was named the Outstanding Coach.

 
"The guys really played inspiring baseball all weekend," head coach James Randall said.  "We played every game like champions.  We hit the ball well and caught all the balls that we needed too."
 
The championship is the first in an 11 year career for Randall, who spent three years as head coach at Grambling prior to coming to Claflin eight years ago. 
 
"It's a relief to finally get the first championship of my career," said Randall.
 
Jabari Brown scored four runs while Jeturi Brown had three hits and the game winning run in the contest.  Rogers, Bivens, Hilton and Thompson all scored two runs apiece in the win.
 
Dillion Thompson, who was named to the All-Tournament Team, was credited to with the win.
 
Stillman was led by Hank Parker who had two runs with two hits and four RBI's in the game.  John Hutto was credited with the loss.
 
Claflin jumped out to 2-0 lead at the end of two.  Parker hit a grand slam for Stillman in the top of the third to give the Tigers the 4-2 advantage.
 
The Panthers added one run in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to one, 4-3.
 
After neither team crossed the plate in the fourth, the Tigers offense picked up once again.  Stillman scored three runs off three hits to push its lead to four, 7-3, but Claflin remained poised.
 
Jabari Brown led off the fifth inning with a walk followed Rogers single that advanced Brown to third.  With no outs,Rashad Bivens hit into a double play that scored Brown for the Panthers fourth run.
 
The Panthers continued to chip away at the Tigers lead.  Elliott Melton reached base on an error by the Tigers shortstop to start the seventh inning.  Brown singled through the right side to advance Melton to third and consequently advanced to second with Melton scoring on a failed pickoff attempt by the Tigers pitcher.  With no outs, Rashad Hilton singled to left field and Jalen Thompson had a RBI single through the left side to score Brown to cut the lead to one, 7-6.  With bases load and one out, Johnny Stevenson singled up the middle to bring home Hilton to tie the game at 7-7.
 
Neither team scored over the final two innings of regulations, sending the game in to extra innings.
 
The Panthers defense was solid in the top of the 10^th, forcing Stillman into a three up-three down inning en route to the championship.

BOX SCORE

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Morgan State Bears Spring Game Recap: Khalil Trotman tosses 3 TDs, Defense posts win

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Quarterback Khalil Trotman tossed three touchdown passes, including a pair of deep bombs to wide receiver Thomas Martin to highlight the Morgan State football team's 95-play Blue-Orange Spring Game on Saturday (April 30) before a spring-game crowd in Hughes Stadium. Despite brilliant flashes by the offense, it was the defense who pulled away with a 67-50 win.

Trotman hit 11-of-24 passes for 269 yards and 3 scores, including 76-yard TD on the game's third play to wide receiver Thomas Martin,  while Chris Clack Jr. was 9-of-22 for 73 yards. Trotman's other scoring tosses were 66 and a 1-yarder to Jerrod Reed.

In addition to touchdowns and PATs, points were also awarded on offense for explosive plays, while the defenders gained points for sacks, tackles for loss, three and outs, and turnovers.

Interim head coach Fred Farrier was pleased about the overall performance of his team.

"For the most part I thought we were competitive and did some really good things," said Farrier. "You get a chance to see guys compete on offense and defense. I think Thomas Martin had a good day. I thought Khalil Trotman had a good day throwing the ball, especially early. And in these games you're going to try and avoid injury, so we're going to keep our fingers crossed for Orlando Johnson who tweaked his knee there late in the practice. Outside of that I thought guys ran around and were competing and it was really good day." 

Martin led the receivers with 234 yards on five catches, while Maurice Lewis (23 yards), Ladarious Spearman (14 yards) and Reed (5 yards) each had a pair of receptions overall.

"I felt good," said Martin, who returns after missing last season. "My goal was to come out and just focus. We're a young offense and we've come a long way this spring."

Martin also noted the play of the quarterbacks.

"I felt like our quarterbacks did great job and they've come a long way. They came in and a lot of people were doubting them, but those boys worked hard and after awhile we rallied around them. They played great."

Tailback Orlando Johnson rushed for 47 yards on 13 carries, including a long of 23 yards before leaving the field early in the third quarter with an injury. Marcolm Banks ran for 26 yards on eight tries.

Safety Carl Garnes seemed to be everywhere and led the defense with 6 tackles and also intercepted a pass by Trotman and raced down the sideline to score points for the defense. Linebackers Brandon Griffen and Damare Whitaker each added 6 stops, while D-linemen Isaiah Mclin (2 sacks) and DeMarkus Bullock (2 TFL) combined for five of the defense's 12 tackles for loss. 

"I felt that the team did very well today," said Garnes. "We tackled, we ran to the ball and we all got 11 heads on the ball on every play. We did what we had to do most of the time, I just feel like we can get better too."

The game, which concluded MSU's 15 days of spring practice, included portions of a regular practice in addition to situational scrimmage plays.  Placekicker Chris Moller was a perfect 3-for-3 in point after attempts.

"Overall we just have to play faster and play tougher and play smart," added Farrier. "Football is a game about blocking and tackling. It is really a physical sport and I want to play a more physical brand of football, but we have to also play smart and understand football situations. I think if we can just get better at understanding what's coming in certain situations and scenarios, that'll give us a chance to be successful." 

Morgan State opens its 2016 season with a home-opener against Holy Cross on Sept. 3 before traveling to take on Marshall on Sept. 10. The Bears  2016 schedule features five home games in Hughes Stadium, including a meeting with Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) co-champion Bethune-Cookman on Nov. 5 in Baltimore.

Fans can keep up-to-date with all MSU Athletics via twitter at Twitter.com/MorganStBears. You can also become a fan of the Bears on Facebook at Facebook.com/MorganStateBears.

2016 FOOTBALL TICKETS CAN BE YOURS! 
Contact the Sports Marketing Department for season tickets, premium seating, group rates and general admission ticket information:  443.885.3344.

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Golfer Erin Kopinak Signs With Alcorn State

ERIN KOPINAK

TILBURY ONTARIO, Canada
– As Erin Kopinak's scores plummeted last summer, her ambitions soared.

She sensed after shooting 89 for an early-season tournament win that golf could take her places.

"It kind of opened my eyes and I thought maybe I do have the potential to do something with it and make it far," said the 18-year-old from Wheatley.

Kopinak will be going all the way to Lorman, Miss., after signing with Alcorn State University.

The Tilbury District High School student never expected an NCAA Division I scholarship after joining a recruiting service last year. Division III maybe, but not Division I.

"Even last year, if you'd asked me if I thought I'd get a scholarship, full-ride to Mississippi, I'd have said you were crazy. You have the wrong girl," she said after a signing ceremony Tuesday. "It's all happened so quick."

Kopinak captured the Southland Insurance Junior Tour's overall championship last year. It was her third year on the tour and by far her best.

She won six of nine tour stops, lowering her best score at several courses by double-digits. Her scoring average was 89.44.

"A couple years ago I was shooting 120 and I was hitting the ball for fun," she said. "Now I'm shooting 88 and having as much fun. Probably more fun because I'm not taking eight strokes on a hole."

Alcorn State Braves head coach Andrew MacBean heard about Kopinak from her swing coach, Don Harrison. She spoke with other colleges but felt at home during her visit to Lorman.

"After my evaluation, I would classify Erin as the total package," MacBean wrote in an e-mail. "She is bright, hungry, coachable and has the playing background we look for here at ASU.

"She also comes from a great family. After having Erin and her parents, Karri and John, visit campus, it's easy to see why Erin is a quality person."

Kopinak plays out of Tilbury Golf Club and Talbot Trail Golf Club.

She began when she was eight, but she only got competitive three years ago. That's also when she began working with Harrison.

She knew how to hit, but not much else, when they met. She had to learn how to prepare for a round and study a course.

"My coach, Don, he really decided to push me," she said about last year. "I didn't think I was gaining as much knowledge as I was. Then I got out on the course and put a tee down. I didn't think it would work as much as he said it would. But everything was clicking. I didn't expect to be playing that well."

There's still plenty of room for improvement, Harrison said, and Mississippi is a great venue for that to happen.

"She has all the learning potential to be an even better player this summer," he said. "Then she'll be in a position where she can golf 11, 12 months a year. … You automatically can become better because you're hitting balls all the time."

Harrison wants to add four or five shots to her bag before she leaves for school, where she'll major in biology. She'll also try to defend her Southland tour championship this summer.

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JSU's Porter reaches UDFA agreement with Chicago Bears

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Robert Porter, a former Jackson State defensive back, became the second Tigers player in the span of 24 hours to reach an undrafted free agent agreement with an NFL team.

Porter, who was second-team All-SWAC last season, tweeted out that he’s headed to the Chicago Bears. Porter played corner at JSU the past two seasons and was the Tigers’ most consistent defensive back in 2015.

He finished with one interception, but defended 12 passes and recorded 38 tackles. Porter is a Detroit, Michigan native and joined the Tigers from Northland Community and Technical College in Minnesota.

Porter did well at Jackson State's pro day, which was highlighted by his 22 reps on the bench press.

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NSU's King signs with Dallas Cowboys

NORFOLK, Virginia – Norfolk State University All-American linebacker Deon King signed a free agent contract with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys following this weekend's NFL Draft.

The Cowboys were one of several NFL teams to host King on pre-draft visits. The three-time All-MEAC linebacker had the opportunity to visit team headquarters and meet with Dallas front office personnel and coaches last month. King will report to the team for rookie training camp later this month.

"I'm excited to get a chance to play for the Cowboys," King said. "But I'm still hungry to prove myself and make the 53-man roster."

King is the third Spartan player in the last two years to sign as a free agent with an NFL team. Last spring, safety Keenan Lambert (Seahawks) and linebacker Lynden Trail (Texans) inked deals with teams immediately following the draft. After being cut by Seattle, Lambert went on to play in five games with the Oakland Raiders last season before being released. Trail finished the 2015 NFL season on the Washington Redskins' practice squad and remains under contract with the team.

As a senior in 2015, King led all of Division I (FCS and FBS) with 163 total tackles after moving from outside to inside linebacker. King also tallied 11 tackles for loss, three sacks, one interception and one forced fumble.

A slew of accolades came King's way following his senior season. He became NSU's first-ever winner of the Buck Buchanan Award, given annually to the top FCS defensive player in the country. He also became the Spartans' first-ever consensus FCS first-team All-American, earning honors from STATS, the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), The Associated Press (AP) and the Walter Camp Foundation. King was also selected as the 2015-16 Norfolk State Male Athlete of the Year.

Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
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B-CU hit seven home runs in Sunday rout of North Carolina A&T

GREENSBORO, North Carolina – Bethune-Cookman hit seven home runs on Sunday afternoon, powering themselves to a series sweep of North Carolina A&T by a 23-2 decision in the series finale in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) baseball action at War Memorial Stadium. For the Wildcats, the win moves their streak to a season-best seven in a row.

Bethune-Cookman (23-22, 15-6 MEAC) produced a variety of season-high performances on Sunday. It was a season-high for runs (23), hits (21) and home runs (7).

The Wildcats began the game with four runs in the opening inning and never looked back.

Freshman first baseman Danny Rodriguez drove in the game’s opening run, plating sophomore third baseman Jameel Edney with a sacrifice fly to right field. Moments later, senior right fielder Nathan Bond tallied his third home run of the year, lifting a three-run scoring shot to right field that also scored Clay Middleton and Demetrius Sims.

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WSSU's Michael Bloomfield signs with Oakland Raiders

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Defensive end Michael Bloomfield of Winston-Salem State was not drafted by an NFL team but he’ll get his chance with the Oakland Raiders.

Bloomfield said he’s been signed to a contract with the Raiders as an undrafted free agent and he’ll fly to California this week for a three-day minicamp.

If Bloomfield, who is 6-2 and 250 pounds, does enough at the minicamp he could stick around and compete at another rookie camp later this summer.

Bloomfield, a fifth-year senior, had his best season for the Rams and made several Division II All-America lists.

He helped the Rams to a 6-5 record which included the CIAA championship game, a 17-14 win over Bowie State. Bloomfield had his best game of his career with four sacks and a forced fumble. He was also in on six tackles.

Bloomfield is the lone player on the Rams who was part of all three of their CIAA titles over the last five seasons.

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