Black College Nines once again offers another edition of its Historically Black College and University (HBCU) baseball season Who’s Hot In HBCU Baseball for week five.
We continue looking at the players, teams, pitchers, home runs, walk-offs, which conference had a good week and the players who stood out in their weekend series as we present this past week’s elite performers.
HBCU Large School Division
University of Maryland Eastern Shore – The Hawks got their first win of the season over Iona in a four game series after losing game one 17-5, UMES came back to win game two by the score of 6-1, won the third game 4-3, then lost a hard fought pitchers dual 2-0 splitting the four games series. In both wins, live bats and pitching prevailed.
Position Player – Jamison Trower (Junior 1B) Led Maryland Eastern Shore during the four games series .500 batting average, 14 at bats, 2 runs, with 7 hits, 4 runs batted in and 1 double raising his batting average from .310 to .372 with the 7 for 14 week. Had half of his teams runs batted in in Hawks first victory in 2017
Pitcher – Wesley Martin (Freshmen Pitcher) Earned the Hawks’ first win of the season with a commanding 6-1 seven inning performance against Iona. Martin went 7.0 IP, 7 hits, 1 run, 1 earned run, 1 batter walk, recorded 1 strikeout with a 1.29 earned run average
Florida A&M University – Had another good weekend win against conference and State of Florida rivals, Bethune Cookman University, winning the series two games to one.
Position Players – Aubrey McCarty (Junior OF) Hits two homeruns against Bethune in game two. A solo shot in the 6th inning then connected for another homerun in the top of the 11th inning breaking a 3-3 tie for the series win. During the weekend series .385 batting average, 5 runs, 5 hits, 2 homeruns, 3 runs batted in.
Position Player – Willis McDaniel (Sophomore OF) Had an enormous opening series display of hitting in FAMUs 11-6 game one win, went 4 for 5 with .800 batting average, 4 hits, 5 at bats, 1 double, 1 triple, 3 runs batted in. McDaniel a homerun shy of hitting for the cycle finished the game with 9 total bases. For the series, .417 average and 5 hits
Pitcher – Ryan Anderson (Junior RHP) In the first game of the doubleheader, in game two 4-3 win, Anderson recorded 7.0 IP, 7 hits, 3 runs allowed, 1 earned run, 6 strikouts and a 1.29 earned run average
Savannah State University – Brought out the brooms with impressive three-game series sweep of Mount Saint Mary’s this past weekend.
Position Player – Jalen Atterbury (Sophomore 2B) . 500 batting average, 14 at bats, 7 hits, 3 doubles, 5 runs batted in and 4 stolen bases during sweep.
Pitcher – Trevor McKenna (Junior LHP) Allowed 2 hits, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts, 7.0 IP in game one 9-1 win
Small School Division
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – This past weekend was a good weekend for the SIAC, with Clark Atlanta University going 2-0, Benedict College, Claflin University and Paine College going 3-1. Tuskegee University 2-1. Florida A&M University and North Carolina A&T going 3-0, and Savannah State University going 3-1.
The SIAC combined record for the week of 15-12.
Saint Augustine’s University – The Falcons beat College of Saint Rose 7-5 in the Division II Baseball Challenge at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.
Position Player – Amilcar Yanez (Sophomore P/DH) Yanez batted .438 in four games this past week. 7 hits, 16 at bats with 7 runs batted in, 2 doubles, 1 home run and four runs scored. His best game was against highly-regarded St. Thomas Aquinas on Friday March 10 when he went 2 for 4 with a double, 3 RBIs and one run scored