MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Paine (Ga.) (15-13 and No. 3 seed in the NAIA bracket) topped Wiley (21-21 and No. 2 seed in the NAIA bracket) 9-5 in Game 4 of the Black College Baseball World Series presented by Tyson Foods at Riverwalk Park – home of the Class AA Montgomery Biscuits – Wednesday in a day filled with three upsets.
Paine, the Augusta, Ga.-located college in the middle of the U.S. golf world and an independent member of the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association, pushed ahead 4-0 in the fourth inning after Wiley walked the bases loaded. The big blow was a two-run single by Denny Daza who went on to drive in four runs for the evening.
Wiley, based in Marshall, Texas, and a member of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, battled back from an eventual 6-0 deficit and threatened with a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth but fell four runs short. WC was paced by a trio of hitters with two hits apiece and actually outhit Paine 12-10.
Paine starter Hunter Justice (6-6) gutted out a complete game as he has won almost half his team’s 15 games in a rain-interrupted campaign. He allowed all singles and struck out 12 while walking just two in the nine-inning stint.
WC righty Jalen Porter (4-5) took the loss after walking three batters in the four-run fourth and allowing six free passes over three-plus innings.
Paine joined Albany State, Florida Memorial and Bluefield State in winner’s bracket tests Thursday.
The four-day tournament consists of double-elimination competition among NCAA Division II and NAIA teams in separate brackets for three days and a championship contest between bracket winners Saturday at 5 p.m. (CDT). The title game will be preceded by a special Black College Baseball World Series Presented by Tyson Foods Home Run Derby at 2 p.m. (CDT).
Wednesday games (all times CDT): Gm. 1 – Albany State 3, Edward Waters 2; Gm. 2 – Florida Memorial 7, Rust (Miss.) 4; Gm. G3 – Bluefield State 13, Savannah State 9; Gm. 4 – Paine 9, Wiley 5.
Thursday Schedule – Game 5 – 9 a.m.: Edward Waters vs. Savannah State; Game 6 – 12:30 p.m. – Rust vs. Wiley; Game 7 – 4 p.m. – Albany State vs. Bluefield State; Game 8 – 7:30 p.m. – Florida Memorial vs Paine.
Friday’s Schedule – Game 9 – 9 a.m.: Winner of Game 5 vs Loser of Game 7; Game 10 – 12:30 p.m. – Winner of Game 6 vs Loser of Game 8; Game 11 – 4 p.m. – Winner of Game 7 vs Winner of Game 9; Game 12 – 7:30 p.m. – Winner of Game 8 vs Winner of Game 10.
Saturday Championship: 5 p.m. – bracket winners.