Weekend upsets of a two nationally ranked teams and one receiving votes highlight another edition of Black College Nines’ Who’s Hot in HBCU baseball.
Florida Memorial University
The Lions upset the nations No. 7 St. Thomas University rank in the NAIA Top 25 Coaches Poll defeating the Bearcats in the opening game of the weekend series 13-6. Florida Memorial split Saturdays doubleheader losing the second game 17-5 then a late inning come from behind rally winning 4-3 in the 11th inning to win the series. In the opening series Isaias Espiritusantos came into the game in relief in the fourth inning and gave up one hit and a career-high 10 strikeouts.
Edward Waters University
The Tigers swept HBCU Baseball top-ranked Savannah State University winning its second straight weekend series against a ranked HBCU baseball program. EWU, receiving votes in the latest Black College Nines poll, could climb into the top 10 after taking the opening series game in an extra inning 6-5 win; then a commanding game two 12-2 win and sweeping SSU 7-6 in the series finale. Edward Waters starter Joseph Eischen recorded eight strikeouts in 6.2 innings of work clinching the sweep.
West Virginia State University
The Yellow Jackets won three of its four games against Mountain East Conference divisional foe Glenville State University. WVSU split the opening series doubleheader losing game one by the score of 6-2 then taking the second game 4-3, and then swept Saturday’s doubleheader 13-1 and 9-5 to claim the series. Glenville State receiving votes in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Associations (NCBWA) South Region Top 10. Chase Norris threw a complete game issuing five hits, one unearned run and recorded eight strikeouts in West Virginia State’s game one Saturday’s win.