The 2024 season has arrived. Black College Nines (BCN) will preview and cover the entire weekend action with updates each week during the season reporting on HBCU baseball. This week’s recap of the season opening weekend…
Stillman College swept a doubleheader beating Southern University of New Orleans (SUNO), 6-1 and 14-7, in the 2024 season opener at Wesley-Barrow Stadium. Samuel Fleming drove in five runs in the win.
Xavier University of Louisiana opened the 2024 season with a three-game sweep of Tougaloo College taking a doubleheader to start the season Friday winning 10-7 and 7-1, then a 18-11 win in Saturday’s finale to sweep the series. The Gold Rush got three RBIs apiece from Deionte Norris and Robert Robinson and two from Zion Morris.
No. 1 Florida Memorial was able to salvage a win over longtime foe No. 6 Edward Waters after losing Friday season opener 15-14 in an error filled game. The Lions were on the verge of being swept in the three-game series Saturday after a 9-5 loss to EWU in the second game of the season the first game of the scheduled doubleheader. In the series finale, after trailing 3-0, FMU scored seven runs to take a 7-3 lead in the fourth inning. EWU, in the bottom of the fourth plated three runs to cut into the Lions lead down 7-6. Florida Memorial would add two insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning to complete its first win of the season and avoid being swept.
Paine College traveled to Jacksonville, FL., and split a doubleheader with Trinity Baptist losing the first game 5-4 on a walk-off hit in the final inning of the frame. In game two, Paine out hit the Eagles scoring a 9-1 victory. Paine had a pair of three-run innings (fourth, seventh) to put the game away. Paine’s Emmanuel Martinez pitched five remarkable innings of one-run ball to earn the win.
In the battle of two preseason ranked HBCU baseball teams in Black College Nines (BCN) Top 10 Poll, No. 5 Savannah State swept the three-game series over Bluefield State in both teams’ 2024 season opening games. This was the first meeting for both programs since they last played each other last year in the Black College World Series. Savannah State won the season opener 17-3, then won game one of the scheduled doubleheader 5-2, and swept the series finale in the second game 9-8 in extra innings to start their season 3-0.
Kentucky State swept Morehouse to open their 2024 season. The Thorobreds swept Saturday’s doubleheader by the scores of 18-2 in game one, and 11-7 in game two. In the series finale, KSU pitcher Solomon Reed threw 5-innigs of shutout ball striking out nines Morehouse batters in a series sweeping 17-0 win.
Dillard University dropped its home opener to Jarvis Christian by a final score of 5-1. Jarvis Christian had a strong offensive performance, scoring 5 runs on 8 hits in the game one doubleheader Sunday. Dillard won its first games of the season in a thrilling 4-3 contest over Jarvis. Dillard’s Kejuan Burnett threw a complete game going 7 innings allowing four hits and three runs. Infielder Jalen Ayers was 1-for-3 at the plate with a two-run home run in the fifth inning.
No. 6 Edward Waters University opened its season hosting preseason No. 1 Florida Memorial University Friday night in Jacksonville, FL. The EWU Tigers season opener concluded with a 15-14 walk-off extra inning win in an error filled game by both teams. The Tigers kept their winning ways going taking game one of the scheduled doubleheader Saturday by the score of 9-5, before FMU won the series finale 9-6. Edward Waters (2-1) upset the top ranked preseason No.1 Florida Memorial (1-2).
Virginia State University visited Clark Atlanta University over the weekend sweeping the three-game series winning Saturday’s doubleheader 12-2 and 7-2, sweeping CAU in the series finale in Atlanta, GA., Sunday 12-2.
The Huston-Tillotson University Baseball program opened the season with a doubleheader sweep over Bethany College Sunday claiming game one 18-8 and game two by the score of 11-8 to go (2-0) early in the season.