Game One: Albany State (now 32-14 overall) looked its role as the probable favorite in the eight-team 2022 Tyson Foods Black College Baseball World Series with a 12-2 triumph over Kentucky State (22-23 this season) Wednesday.
The contest ended after seven innings as the 10-run rule took effect.
Righthander Tyler Bullock (4-2) worked a complete game for the winners while striking out three, walking a pair, and allowing just six hits with one earned run.
KSU was plagued by five errors but got a pair of safeties and its lone RBI from Antonio Chambers.
Albany State was paced at the plate by TJ Thomas II with three hits while Tucker Jordan drove in three runs with a pair of singles off losing hurler Brady Bibbs (5-2).
Game Two: Florida Memorial (24-21) got a critical, two-run home in the fourth inning from shortstop Alex Gomez and held on to down Talladega College (18-, 8) 5-4 in Game 2 of the 2022 Tyson Foods Black College Baseball World Series at Riverwalk Stadium Wednesday.
Talladega actually outhit the Lions 11-9 but left 11 runners stranded as relief ace Isais Espiritusantos gained his second save in 18 relief appearances by stranding the potential tying run at third base in the ninth inning for three consecutive outs. Starter Max Chanin advanced to 6-4 with five innings worked, three hits and two strikeouts. Rohandry Javier belted four hits in four official trips and scored three of the Lions five runs.
Tornadoes starter Ricardo Blackman fell to 2-4 after working the first 6-plus innings. Leadoff man Rafael Diaz of Talladega drove in two runs and registered three hits in the setback.
Game Three: Miles (Ala.), located in the hometown of the immortal Willie Mays – Fairfield, Ala. – probably gave the Say Hey Kid something to smile about with an 8-3 win Bluefield State (Va.) in Game 3 of the 2022 Tyson Foods Black College Baseball World Series at Riverwalk Stadium Wednesday.
Miles (24-21 overall) pitchers held streaking Bluefield (22-26) batsmen to seven hits while building a 7-2 advantage in the sixth inning and putting the clamps on BSU batsmen the final three innings.
Four players paced the Golden Bears attack with two hits apiece while LF Clifton Orr belted a solo homer – his sixth of the season. Kolton Easterwood (8-4) posted his team-high eighth pitching win while working 5 1/3 innings and scattering six hits.
BSU ace Jordan Livingston (5-3) absorbed the loss.
Game Four: Edward Waters topped Rust (Miss.) 9-6 in the fourth and final game of the day Wednesday 2022 Tyson Foods Black College Baseball World Series at Riverwalk Stadium – home of the Class AA Southern League Montgomery Biscuits.
Rust, now 16-14-1 and looking for its first win in three contests over two years at the Series, entered the ninth trailing 9-2 and rallied for four runs to close the final gap.
Edward Waters (25-24) broke a 2-2 tie by scoring the next seven runs after the fourth inning. Righty Joseph Eischen (4-0) remained undefeated with a complete game after some control issues in the top of the ninth with 100-plus pitches on the evening.
Both teams scored runs on heady baserunning in the early going while advancing on some errant throws and missed cutoffs to keep the game knotted early.
EWU tackles fellow unbeaten Florida Memorial in the NAIA bracket Thursday at 12:30 p.m. (CDT) while Rust and Talladega clash in a do-or-die 8 p.m. matchup Thursday.
Tyson Foods Black College Baseball World Series – Montgomery, Ala. – May 11, 2022, Results:
Albany State 12, Kentucky State 2
Florida Memorial 5, Talladega College 4
Miles 8, Bluefield State 3
Edward Waters 9, Rust 6
Editor’s Note… story submitted by guest contributor “Bo” Carter, Executive Director of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association