Welcome to the season opening first installment of Who’s Hot In HBCU Baseball as Black College Nines (BCN) highlights this past weekend’s 2020 season opening action and start our season long coverage of Who’s Hot In HBCU Baseball.
Week One…
Wiley College
The Wiley Wildcats baseball team opened it’s 2020 season with a doubleheader sweep on opening day in a 9-7 game one victory and come from behind in a 11-10 win in game two against Arlington Baptist University over the weekend. The scheduled four-game series saw a Wiley 13-3 victory in Game 1 and a 9-5 victory in the series finale handing the Cats the series sweep.
Wiley pitchers Austin Rotramel and Carlos Torres combined to throw a no-hitter to lead the Wildcats to a 13-3 victory in the third game of the four game set. Rotramel in the seven inning affair threw 5.0 innings striking out 8 batters, while Torres in 2.0 innings of relief picked up the save.
Luis Santiago, in the four-games, totaled 15 at bats, collected eight hits, scored three runs including a double and a triple for a .533 batting average and added ten runs batted in.
Manuel Torres, scored five runs on six hits with a .545 batting average in the four-game series.
Timmie Russell hit for a .375 batting average, scoring four runs, six hits while he drove home seven runs.
Noah Whitted, in the series clincher, in his first start of the season, pitched six scoreless innings. He struck out eight batters and only walked two.
Texas College
Texas College opened the 2020 season with a doubleheader sweep of Friends University by the score of 8-5 and 15-2. The Steers received quality starts from both winning pitchers Michael Traylor and Kedrick Edwards.
Michael Traylor pitching performance recorded 6 innings only allowing 6 hits, inducing Friends hitters to 75% ground ball outs during the game.
In a losing effort against the nations 17th ranked Texas Wesleyan team preseason NAIA Top 25 Coaches poll, the Steers lost both doubleheaders 6-5 and 3-2 as they only carried five pitchers for the scheduled four games due to a pending clearance from the NAIA for the process of eligibility for 11 pitchers.