A.D. Drew | Black College Nines Contributor
Sunday, May 25 | Rickwood Field – Birmingham, Ala.
Andrey Martinez’s Walk-Off Winner
Every kid who has played baseball has imagined hitting the walk-off homerun (a la Joe Carter, circa 1993) to win the World Series. The SWAC baseball tournament may not be the World Series, but for HBCU baseball fans, it’s a close second. In an instant classic at historic Rickwood Field, Bethune-Cookman clinched the 2025 SWAC Baseball Tournament championship with a dramatic walk-off three-run home run by Andrey Martinez, as BCU trailed Florida A&M 9-8 in the bottom of the ninth, to defeat FAMU 11-9. The win marks the Wildcats’ first SWAC title since and caps a dominant run in the tournament where they won all four games.
The top-seeded Wildcats (37-21) entered the game riding a five-game win streak, including post-season play, and having won seven of the last nine matchups against the Rattlers, including five consecutive, since falling to them in the 2023 championship. Florida A&M (33-25), the No. 2 seed, battled back from an early deficit and briefly seized control in the middle innings, but Bethune-Cookman’s relentless offense proved too much in the end.
Scoring Summary by Inning
2nd inning – Bethune-Cookman 3, Florida A&M 0
- Jeter Polledo led off with a double and scored on Daniel Figueroa’s sacrifice fly.
- Sergio Rivera stole home as Darryl Lee swiped second.
- Lee then scored on an RBI single by Andrey Martinez.
6th inning – Tied 3-3
- William Brown and Broedy Poppell led off with singles.
- Justen Crews drove in Brown with a single to center.
- Colton Ryals drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in Poppell.
- Matthew Perez added a sac fly to tie the game.
7th inning – Florida A&M 7, Bethune-Cookman 3
- William Brown launched a two-run homer.
- After an error, Justen Crews followed with a two-run blast of his own.
Bottom 7th – Florida A&M 7, Bethune-Cookman 6
- Polledo singled home two runs after a fielding error.
- Rivera added an RBI double to cut the deficit to one.
8th inning – Florida A&M 9, Bethune-Cookman 6
- Jay Campbell delivered a clutch two-run double to left, scoring Josue Figueroa and Brown.
Bottom 8th – Florida A&M 9, Bethune-Cookman 8
- Jorge Rodriguez smashed a two-run homer to pull the Wildcats within one.
Bottom of the 9th – Bethune-Cookman 11, Florida A&M 9
Down 9-8 entering their final at-bat, Bethune-Cookman showed the same late-inning resilience that defined their tournament run.
Jeter Polledo opened the frame with a sharp single to left field, his fourth hit of the game. Jayme Villafañe came in to pinch run but was erased on a bunt fielder’s choice by Sergio Rivera. With one out, Daniel Figueroa hit a ground ball to short that was mishandled, putting runners at first and second.
After a flyout by Darryl Lee moved the Wildcats within one out of defeat, Andrey Martinez stepped to the plate. On a 2-0 count, Martinez crushed a high fastball deep to center field. The ball soared over the 400 foot mark on the fence for a three-run, walk-off home run, instantly turning a one-run deficit into an 11-9 championship victory.
Martinez was mobbed at home plate as the Wildcats stormed the field to celebrate their dramatic SWAC title win.
Moving Forward
Bethune-Cookman now awaits its postseason fate as the automatic qualifier from the SWAC. The 2025 NCAA Division I Baseball Selection Show will air Monday, May 26 at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The Wildcats, with momentum and talent on their side, hope to make a statement on the national stage.
All-Tournament Team
Tournament MVP: Daniel Figueroa, Bethune Cookman
Daniel Figueroa delivered an outstanding performance during the 2025 SWAC Baseball Tournament, earning him the Most Valuable Player honors. Over the course of four games, he achieved a .556 batting average, going 5-for-9 with a double, six RBIs, and two walks.
All-SWAC Tournament Team
Juan Cruz – Alabama State
Kameron Douglas – Alabama State
Cameron Hill – Grambling State
Trey Bridges – Grambling State
William Brown – Florida A&M
Colton Ryals – Florida A&M
Cody Williams – Florida A&M
Justin Crews – Florida A&M
Jeter Polledo – Bethune-Cookman
Sergio Rivera – Bethune-Cookman
Edwin Sanchez – Bethune Cookman
Daniel Figueroa – Bethune-Cookman
In addition to writing for Black College Nines, A.D. Drew currently serves as the Director of Athletic Marketing at Morehouse College. Drew is also the current media coordinator for the MEAC/SWAC Challenge and the Celebration Bowl. 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 at 6PM ET on the BCSN.
Drew also coordinates pressbox operations for Minority Prospects. 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.