May 4, 2025 – Dickey-Stephens Park, Little Rock, Ark. – 1:00 PM CDT
By A.D. Drew | Black College Nines Contributor
Title Clash Set in Little Rock: Talladega, SUNO Face Off for HBCUAC Crown
After a weather-challenged week of upsets, blowouts, and high drama, the 2025 HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Baseball Championship comes down to the final showdown between two resilient programs: the regular season juggernaut Talladega College Tornadoes and the upstart underdog Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) Knights.
First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 PM CDT at Dickey-Stephens Park. Should SUNO win the first game, a winner-take-all “if necessary” contest will follow 45 minutes later to determine the tournament champion.
How Did We Get Here?
The road to Sunday has been shaped by elite pitching, explosive bats, and weather-induced rest days.
Talladega (41-12), the top seed, opened with a 9-0 shutout of Wilberforce on Tuesday behind a dominant outing from Nomar Caraballo and relentless baserunning. The Tornadoes then overwhelmed Dillard 17-1 on Thursday, drawing 14 walks and getting four RBIs from Isaac Guzman. On Saturday, they withstood a furious late rally from SUNO to edge the Knights 9-7, powered by a six-run fifth inning and a quality start from Samuel Guadamuz.
SUNO (24-24) took the long road from the loser’s bracket after falling to Talladega. Their resilience was on full display in Saturday night’s 27-0 mercy-rule demolition of Stillman, just hours after Stillman survived a 13-inning battle with Wiley. In that semifinal, the Knights exploded for 23 hits, including four from Kerrigan Edmondson and six RBIs by Dylan Jimenez. Earlier in the tournament, SUNO topped Wiley 9-3 on Friday behind a complete game from Enrique Herazo Jr. and edged Stillman 8-5 in the opener on Tuesday.
Both teams benefited from a weather-related off day during the week—SUNO rested Thursday, while Talladega had Friday off.
Top Tournament Performers
SUNO Knights
- Kerrigan Edmondson (LF): .611 AVG, 11 H, 3 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 9 R
- Dylan Jimenez (1B): 8 H, 8 RBIs, 1.000 FLD%
- Brandon Watson (2B): Reached base in every game, 4 RBIs, 6 R
- Enrique Herazo Jr. (SS/P): CG win vs. Wiley; consistent defense
- Christopher Nunez (P): No hits vs. Stillman (7.0 IP, 7 BB, 3 K)
Talladega Tornadoes
- Isaac Guzman (DH/RF): 6 RBIs, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 SB
- Victor Rivera (2B): Reached base in 8 of 10 plate appearances vs. Dillard and SUNO
- Darlin Fernandez (CF): 3 SB, 4 RBIs, clutch doubles
- Jonathan Williams (3B): 3 RBIs, strong defense
- Samuel Guadamuz (P): 7 IP, 0 ER vs. SUNO
Championship Keys to Victory
The Tornadoes dominated the season series, sweeping the Knights by a combined score of 49-10, in April. Talladega won the match-up in the tournament, although not in as dominating fashion, 9-7, on Friday.
Talladega:
- Control the basepaths: The Tornadoes have swiped over a dozen bags this week and must keep pressure on SUNO’s defense.
- Pitching depth: Guadamuz, Duque, and Adames have each delivered in high-stakes moments. They must neutralize SUNO’s red-hot lineup early.
- Limit errors: Their three errors vs. SUNO nearly cost them the first meeting.
SUNO:
- Keep the bats blazing: SUNO has outscored opponents 51-15 since falling into the loser’s bracket.
- Pitching stamina: Herazo and Nunez have carried the load, but if two games are needed, bullpen depth will be tested.
- Force a second game: They must jump on Talladega early to gain momentum for a potential rematch later today.
What’s at Stake
Both teams have earned a berth in the NAIA Baseball Tournament. Talladega is hoping that a victory, along with their regular season performance, will earn the Tornadoes an opportunity to host the opening rounds of the NAIA Tournament.
Expect fireworks in Little Rock.
A.D. Drew currently serves as the Director of Athletic Marketing at Morehouse College. Previously Drew has served as an independent consultant in athletic communications, having worked events such as The Celebration Bowl, MEAC-SWAC Challenge, Black College World Series, SWAC Championship Game, multiple SIAC championship events, and Gulf South Conference events, in addition to regular season sports and events at every NCAA and NAIA level. Drew has also completed athletic communications consulting work for institutions on NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA levels. Drew was previously the SIAC contributor to D2Football.com.
Drew does work for the Black College Sports Network, where he has worked as a producer, director, and on-air talent. Drew has provided either play-by-play or color analysis for the Orange-Blossom Classic, the Black College World Series, the GCAC (now HBCUAC) basketball tournament, SIAC Baseball, Softball, and Men’s Volleyball Championships, and regular season games for football, flag football, volleyball, basketball, baseball, and softball. Drew regularly hosts a podcast, the BCSN SportsWrap with Bryan and A.D., most Sundays on the BCSN.
Drew currently is a board member of the HBCU-Pro Sports Media Association. Drew is a member of the College Sports Communicators. In the past, Drew has served as the Director of Administration for the Black College World Series (2022) and as the Director of Athletic Communications at Thomas University.