Talladega College and Wiley University will square-off this weekend (March 14-15) in a three-game battle of division leaders in the HBCU Athletic Conference. Talladega is a historically strong team with an 18-6 overall record and a 12-0 conference record in the HBCUAC, while Wiley is emerging with a 16-8 overall record and an 8-1 conference record.
Talladega has made five NAIA National Opening Round appearances, including three consecutive years (2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024), and has participated in the Black College World Series twice (2022 and 2024). The Tornadoes received votes in the latest NAIA Top 25 Coaches Poll as of March 5th.
Wiley has appeared in the postseason five times, with NAIA Opening Round appearances in 1976, 1983, and 2007. They were Red River Athletic Conference South Division Champions in 2010 and Southwestern Athletic Conference Champions five times (the last in 1958) and participated in two consecutive Black College World Series (2023-2024).
Both programs are led by experienced head coaches.
Marcos Dominguez, entering his ninth year as head baseball coach at Talladega, has established a tradition of excellence both on and off the field. His coaching career began as a student assistant at Talladega College, and he has since led his team to numerous successes, including winning the 2024 Black College World Series NAIA Championship. He was named the 2024 Black College Nine Coach of the Year.
Kendrick Biggs, now in his eighth season as head coach of Wiley University, has guided the team through significant achievements. Biggs notched his 100th career coaching victory on February 27, 2024, and led Wiley to its first Black College World Series in 2023. Under his leadership, Wiley achieved its highest win total since 2014 and secured its first postseason victory since 2011.
Offensively, both Talladega and Wiley return their entire rosters from last season. Talladega’s key players include Miguel Oropeza, Black College Nines’ HBCU All-Elite Player of the Year, and BCN Pitcher of the Year Samuel Guadamuz. Wiley boasts a strong batting lineup, ranking No. 14 nationally in batting average. Key players include Ivan Del Villar and Ryan Ready.
On the mound, Talladega’s pitching staff is led by junior right-hander Samuel Guadamuz. Wiley’s pitching highlights include last season’s Black College Nines’ Freshman of the Year, Keyon Guillory. Both teams are prepared for a competitive series.
Talladega has won 16 of its last 18 games, including a recent sweep of Tougaloo College. Wiley is currently on a five-game winning streak after sweeping Rust College and defeating LSU Alexandria.
Both teams are currently ranked in the HBCU Baseball Black College Nines Top 10 Poll, with Talladega College at No. 1 and Wiley University at No. 6 as of March 5th. This weekend’s series promises to be a pivotal moment in the HBCUAC conference race.
Offensively:
Both Talladega and Wiley have retained their entire rosters from the previous season.
Talladega’s team is led by Black College Nines’ HBCU All-Elite Player of the Year Miguel Oropeza and BCN Pitcher of the Year Samuel Guadamuz. Oropeza boasts a batting average of .508 with 3 doubles, 4 home runs, and 15 runs batted in. Other notable players include Jahir Cruz (.348 average, 1 home run, 16 RBIs), Isaac Guzman (.349 average, 2 home runs, 16 RBIs), Diego Duque (.366 average, 14 RBIs), Birgilio Santana (.333 average, 2 home runs, 12 RBIs), Armando Jackson (.255 average, 2 home runs, 17 RBIs), Jonathan Williams (.288 average, 12 RBIs, 20 stolen bases), and Victor Rivera (.239 average, 13 RBIs).
Wiley University is recognized as one of the top hitting teams in the NAIA, ranking No. 14 nationally in batting average at .347. Ivan Del Villar stands out with 33 runs batted in, ranking No. 11 nationally. For the second time in school history, two Wiley players, including Ryan Ready, have achieved 24-plus RBIs early in the season. Key players for Wiley include Del Villar (.407 average, 7 home runs, 33 RBIs), Ryan Ready (.318 average, 2 home runs, 24 RBIs), Smauri Abram (.400 average, 3 home runs, 17 RBIs), Armand Daigre (.421 average, 1 home run, 12 RBIs), Eddie Garza (.391 average, 1 home run, 10 RBIs), and Jhan Carlos Javier (2 home runs, 15 RBIs).
Pitching:
Talladega’s pitching is spearheaded by junior right-hander Samuel Guadamuz (5-1) with a 4.50 ERA and 27 strikeouts. Additional key pitchers include junior Emilio Duque (4-1, 2.86 ERA, 21 strikeouts), Christian Delgado (3-0, 5.14 ERA, 18 strikeouts), and junior starter/reliever Helson Fernandez (1-0, 18 strikeouts). Coach Dominguez can utilize committee pitchers like LHP Sandro Adames (1-0, 1.93 ERA), LHP Nomar Caraballo (1-0, 1.29 ERA), and Daniel Jose (2-1).
On Wiley’s side, last season’s 2024 Black College Nine Freshman of the Year, ace Keyon Guillory (4-3, 3.13 ERA, 50 strikeouts), leads the staff. Other significant pitchers include Nick Rodriguez (4-1, 5.77 ERA, 37 strikeouts) and Isaac Burciaga (3-1, 3.86 ERA, 35 strikeouts). Coach Biggs also has Juan Pena (2-0), Jalen Porter (2-2), and Ethan Jones (1-1) who have an ERA of 4.85.
Talladega enters the contest having won 16 of its last 18 games, including a 13-game winning streak from February 14 to March 1. Last season, the Tornadoes claimed 3-of-4 victories, including the GCAC Championship game, while Wiley faces the challenge of overcoming Talladega’s strong hitters.
Last Time Out:
Talladega secured three consecutive wins, sweeping Tougaloo College (10-2, 22-4, 14-2). Wiley also swept Rust College (W 21-8, W7-2, W8-5) and defeated LSU Alexandria (W5-4, W7-6) and is currently on a five-game winning streak. However, Wiley had two winnable games during the season that were lost due to errors.
Scouting Talladega:
After reaching the National Opening Round last season, Talladega has started the 2025 campaign with an 18-6 record. They maintain a .312/.445/.444 slash line backed by 191 RBIs. The team’s pitching has a 4.73 ERA over 175.0 innings and a .960 fielding percentage.
Scouting Wiley:
Wiley ranks 14th in the NAIA in batting average at .347, with a .450 on base percentage and .555 slugging percentage, totaling 22 home runs and 198 RBIs. Their pitching staff has a 5.48 ERA over 177.1 innings.
National Ranking:
Both Talladega and Wiley finished last season ranked in the HBCU Baseball Black College Nines final 2024 Top 10 Poll and are currently ranked in the latest BCN 2025 Top 10 Poll as of March 5. Talladega is ranked No. 1, and Wiley is ranked No. 6.
Wiley University anticipates a good home test, expecting 500-plus fans at Friday’s game.