Black College Nines once again offers another edition of Historically Black College and University (HBCU) baseball season Who’s Hot In HBCU Baseball for week four.
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. There was a ton of action on the field such as come from behind victories in dramatic fashion, pitching gems and programs receiving national rankings. We present this past week’s noise makers during the 2017 season.
HBCU Large School Division
North Carolina A&T University – The Aggies swept Mount St-Mary’s in the three game series winning game one 14-7, game two, 4-2 and the series finale 3-1 to conclude the sweep. Both starts in game two and three for N.C. A&T went 8 1/3 innings pitched.
Pitcher – Josh Bottenfield (Redshirt Junior RHP) Went 8.1 IP, 7 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned run allowed, no walks, 6 Ks 81/3 verse Mount St. Marys
Pitcher – Kaeson Wilson (Senior RHP) In series final, 8.0 IP, 4 hits, 1 run allowed, 0 earned runs, 1 walk, 3 Ks faced 32 Mount St. Mary’s batters
Bethune Cookman University – Had some impressive victories going 4-1 during week including series wins against Tennessee Tech.
Position Player – Danny Rodriguez (Sophomore 1B) Led the Wildcats in batting for the week, .450 batting average, 3 doubles, 2 home runs, 8 runs driven in. In mid-week game against Stetson, 5 for 5 at the plate. In the second game of the three game series against Tennessee Tech, Rodriguez two run homer led Bethune to victory.
University Maryland Eastern Shores – has not won a game (0-9) this young season but they have some outstanding players on the field during a recent weekend loss.
Position Player – Dallas Culotta (Redshirt Junior DH) Led the Hawks hitting against North Carolina Greensboro, .500 batting average, 8 at bats, 4 hits, 1 double and 1 run batted in. Also had an .478 on-base percentage and .667 slugging percentage.
Pitcher – Wesley Martin (Freshman) In Game one against North Carolina Greensboro. 6 IP, 3 hits, 1 run allowed, 1 earned run, 2 Ks. Left the game with a 3-1 lead before the bullpen allowed 10 runs in the eighth inning to win the game 11-3
Florida A&M University – Noted for some of their remarkable walk-off come from behind victories this 2017 season including Sunday’s 9 run ninth-inning game tying 12-12 score which went into extras before a 13-12 walk-off win against East Tennessee State.
Position Player – Brian Davis (Junior C/IB) Helped the Rattlers go 4-1 on the week. In the five games he played, .471 batting average, 17 at bats, 6 runs scored, 8 hits, 2 doubles, 1 home run and 6 walks. Davis multi-runs batted in, 3 RBI double against Mercer and a 3 run homer to help beat East Tennessee State in game one, 7-3
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Had another good weekend for the MEAC. North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central University both pulled out the brooms sweeping their opponents 3-0 while both Bethune Cookman University and Florida A&M University won their series 2-1.
Two conference rivals (Bethune Cookman University and Florida A&M University) receiving votes in The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) NCAA Division I Poll
Small School Division
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The (CIAA) nearly had its second no-hitter for the 2017 season. St. Augustine’s Rickey Rice one-hit Salem International in a 4-1 victory over Salem International Saturday. He struck out a season-high 11 batters, 2 batters walked in 7 IPs
Voorhees College – Swept a doubleheader against NCAA Division II Clark Atlanta winning both games at home, game one 9-3, and taking game two 7-4.
Position Player – Darrius England (Freshman INF) was 4 for 7, 1 triple, 1 double, and 4 runs batted in both games against Clark Atlanta
Pitcher – Angel Guerrero (Junior RHP) Game one winning pitcher, 7 IP, 6Ks, 2 hits, 1 walked batter, 3 runs unearned. Noteworthy – In Angel last two starts he has gone 1-1 and he has thrown 17 innings with 3 walks, 16 strikeouts, allowed just 3 hits
Harris-Stowe State University – Best start in programs history. This weekend the Hornets swept Hannibal LaGrange in a three game series taking game one 13-3. Won both games of the scheduled doubleheader 10-6 and 8-5. HSSU started American Midwest Conference (AMC) with three victories, 15-4 overall, 3-0 in conference play thus far in 2017. Pitching is propelling Hornet baseball.
Pitcher – Stephen Wells (Sophomore) In game one 13-3 win, went 6 innings and allowed 3 runs on 11 hits. Pitched out of several men on base no out jams
Pitcher – Steven Kemp (Sophomore RHP) The 6′-5″ had his first complete game winning game one of the doubleheader 10-6. He would throw 7 IPs, 2 Ks, 2 earned runs allowed 6 runs
Pitcher – Jordan Dreibelbis (Junior RHP) Threw 6 innings, 2 earned runs with 5 Ks in the 8-5 series clincher
Saint Augustines’s University
Position Player – Michael Keels (Redshirt Senior INF) Batted .409 in six games this past week. 3 for 4, 1 double and two runs scored in Game 1 against Salem International this past weekend. Mid-week game against nationally ranked powerhouse Mount Olive Keels went 3 for 5, 1 double, 4 stolen bases. Keels also recorded 16 putouts with no errors in center field for the week
Pitcher – Rickey Rice (Redshirt Senior RHP) Fired a one-hitter in a 4-1 victory over Salem International Saturday. He struck out a season-high 11 batters, 2 batters walked 7 IPs, had a no-hitter through five innings
Jarvis Christian College – Opened Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) play beating conference foe LSU-Alexandria 9-1.
Pitcher – Joseph Lyall (Junior RHP) 7.0 IP, 2 hits allowed, 0 runs, 0 earned runs, 2 walks, 7 Ks in a 9-1 win over LSU- Alexandria