The 2025 season has begun, and Black College Nines covers the entire weekend with recaps as we continue reporting on HBCU baseball. This week’s recap focuses on the season opening weekend.
Clark Atlanta University (CAU) kicked off their 2025 season with a perfect performance against Virginia State University, winning both games of Saturday’s doubleheader. The Panthers secured victories with scores of 3-1 in the first game and 11-0 in the second. In the final game of the three-game series, CAU triumphed with a 9-3 win. Starting pitcher Stacy Johnson threw four innings, giving up two runs. In relief, Andrew Cyphers pitched 2.1 innings without allowing any runs or hits and struck out four batters.
No. 2 Edward Waters University began its season at the HBCU Battle of Divisions Baseball Invitational on Friday night in New Orleans, LA. The EWU Tigers opened the season with a 9-7 victory over Southern University at New Orleans. However, they lost 6-5 to Dillard University on Saturday, despite out-hitting them 11 to 5, with JC Medina and Dave Mitchum each recording three hits for the Tigers. On Sunday, Edward Waters (2-1) secured a decisive 15-6 win over Rust College in the HBCU Battle of Divisions.
No. 7 Albany State University lost its opening doubleheader against Eckerd College, with final scores of 5-3 and 12-7. However, the Rams bounced back to secure a 7-6 victory in the series finale. In that game, Albany State outfielder Matt Delay had an impressive performance, going 5-for-5 at the plate, which included a double and two runs batted in.
LeMoyne-Owen College (2-0) defeated Arkansas Baptist College at Tobey Field, winning both games of the season-opening doubleheader. They took game one 13-3 and completed the series with a 15-3 victory in Memphis, TN.
The Tuskegee University baseball team kicked off its season with a home opener against Stillman College, winning both games of the opening-day doubleheader by a score of 7-4 in each contest on Saturday. In the first game, with Tuskegee clinging to a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, Evan Jones hit a two-run home run to center field, sealing the victory. The Tuskegee Golden Lions (2-1) lost the series finale on Sunday, by the score of 9-2.
Claflin University (3-0) kicked off the 2025 season with a successful weekend at the HBCU Battle of Division Invitational in New Orleans, LA. The Panthers secured three victories, starting with an 8-5 win against Dillard University on Friday. On Saturday, they achieved a commanding 11-0 shutout over Rust College, followed by a 2-0 victory against Southern University at New Orleans on Sunday. Claflin’s strong defensive performance played a crucial role in their first wins of the season.
For the first time since 2016, the Lincoln University (MO) baseball team took the field on Saturday, February 1, 2025, playing a doubleheader against Christian Brothers University. In the opening game, the Buccaneers defeated the Blue Tigers with a score of 13-4. The second game was closely contested, and Lincoln nearly pulled off a victory, but a run in the bottom of the ninth allowed Christian Brothers to win 3-2. Lincoln concluded its first series of the 2025 season on Sunday, February 2, with Christian Brothers claiming another victory, this time with a score of 14-4.
Huston-Tillotson University and Bethany College (Kan.) played a four-game series over the weekend. In Saturday’s doubleheader, HT lost the first game 10-2. However, in the second game, Huston-Tillotson outperformed the Swedes, winning 3-2. On Sunday, HT faced Bethany again, losing the third game 10-8 but managing to secure a 5-4 victory in the final game of the series.
Texas College was swept by No. 3 Wiley University to begin their 2025 season. They lost Saturday’s doubleheader, with game one ending 9-1 and game two in a shutout at 13-0. On Sunday, Texas College fought back, scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, but ultimately fell short, losing 5-3.
No. 1 Talladega College participated in a two-day series against Campbellsville University (Ky.). In their season opener, Talladega lost game one with a score of 8-1. However, they made a strong comeback in game two, winning 10-2 on Saturday. On Sunday, in the first game of the doubleheader, Campbellsville scored a run in the top of the seventh inning while the game was tied 3-3, ultimately securing a 4-3 victory. In the final game of the series, Talladega fell to Campbellsville, by the score of 13-7.
No. 4 Savannah State University began its 2025 campaign by splitting a doubleheader against the University of Fort Lauderdale on Sunday afternoon, resulting in a 6-5 loss in game one. The Tigers scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning, but Fort Lauderdale quickly tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the second inning. Savannah State then added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth, securing a 3-2 victory in game two. Tigers’ starter Brevin Smith earned the win (1-0) after pitching 5.0 innings, during which he allowed 6 hits, 2 runs (both earned), and struck out 7 batters. In relief, Kijani Clarington pitched 4.0 scoreless innings, not allowing any runs, hits, or earned runs while striking out 4. The three-game series will conclude on February 3 at Tiger Field.
Morehouse College (2-1) began the 2025 season at the HBCU Battle of Division Invitational in New Orleans, LA. The Maroon Tigers started with a hard-fought 16-12 slugfest victory over Southern University at New Orleans on Friday. On Saturday, they won against Rust College with a score of 10-4 but fell to Dillard University 11-4 on Sunday afternoon.
No. 5 Miles College kicked off the 2025 season at the HBCU Battle of Division Invitational in New Orleans, LA, winning its first two games by just one run. The Golden Bears started strong with a 12-11 victory over Rust College. On Saturday, Miles (3-0) secured a close 10-9 win against Southern University at New Orleans. The HBCU Invitational concluded with a decisive 5-1 victory over Dillard University Sunday evening.
No. 10 Dillard University hosted the HBCU Battle of Division Invitational in New Orleans, LA, to kick off the 2025 season. They started with a loss, falling to Claflin University 8-5 on Friday. However, Dillard bounced back with a close 6-5 victory against Edward Waters University and then achieved a commanding 11-4 win over Morehouse College on Saturday. The Invitational ended for Dillard with a 5-1 loss to Miles College on Sunday.
Opening Weekend Notes:
No. 7 Bluefield State University was swept in a weekend four-games series by The University of Virginia’s College at Wise 7-3, 23-1, 15-1, and 10-6.
Rust College lost all four games to start the season in the HBCU Battle of Division Invitational in New Orleans, LA. losing Friday to Miles College 12-11, in Saturday’s doubleheader to Morehouse University 10-4 and a shutout by Claflin University 11-0, and on Sunday Rust lost 15-6 to Edward Waters University.
Paine College lost a hard-fought 9-8 decision to Trinity Baptist Friday afternoon in the season-opening game before falling 8-0 in the nightcap.
Kentucky State University lost its season-opening doubleheader to Shorter University in Rome, Georgia by scores of 24-0 and 3-0.