Just two days after being hired as the interim head baseball coach at Harris Stowe State for the remaining 2021 season, Pernell Roberts collected his first collegiate coaching victory at his alma mater, leading the Hornets to a doubleheader split against Williams Baptist University opening up American Midwest Conference (AMC) play in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. The Hornets lost game one 8-3 then took game-two by the score of 16-3 for Coach Roberts’ first career win.
Roberts was hired right at the start of conference play as the Hornets, 5-7 overall and 1-1 in the AMC, were scheduled to take on the Eagles in two doubleheaders over the weekend.
Pernell Roberts was named head coach on March 16. He inherits a team that has the potential to become a national contender. Harris Stowe State is currently ranked eighth in Black College Nines’ (BCN) HBCU Baseball Top 10 Small School Division poll.
The Hornets opened 2021 with lofty expectations looking to upset and move up in the AMC, one of the NAIAs top baseball conferences in the nation.
Several of Coach Roberts players were recognized nationally on Black College Nines’ HBCU Baseball Preseason All-Elite team. Matt Janocik, a 2021 1st team preseason All-Elite and 2020 Black College Nines’ Small School Division Player of the Year, and Davie Pound, a 2nd team member, lead a good hitting ball club.
Harris Stowe State promoted assistant coach Roberts to interim coach of the baseball program after serving under former coach CJ Bilbrey who was fired under cloudy conditions ten games into the 2021 season earlier this week. Prior to coming to HSSU, Roberts was the starting shortstop for the Hornets on back to back 30 win ball clubs in 2017 and 2018.
Roberts received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Harris Stowe State University in 2019 and worked as an assistant coach with the baseball program for two years.
Good job P pops would b proud