Who’s Hot In HBCU Baseball returns for the 2021 season. This is our weekend edition where four HBCU baseball programs saw plenty of action. With the season officially open, there was plenty of action featuring home runs, outstanding defensive plays, lights-out pitching, extra base hits and a pitching gem in a losing effort.
Black College Nines once again offers the 2021 edition of HBCU baseball season’s Who’s Hot In HBCU Baseball. We continue to look at the players who stood out in their weekend series. With so much action on the field, we present this past weekend noise makers…
Claflin University
Claflin opened the 2021 season splitting a Peach Belt Conference (PBC) doubleheader with the University of North Georgia. The Panthers lost game one 14-0, then picked up its first win of the season with a 16-13 slugfest victory in the second game of the doubleheader. The win gave the program its first-ever victory in PBC competition. Claflin pounded seven Nighthawk pitchers for 14 hits including a home run and six doubles.
Keyon Smith (DH), at the plate, in his 5 at bats, produced 3 hits, 1 double, 1 home run, scored 2 runs and recorded 7 runs batted in. Smith just missed hitting for the cycle by a triple
Gerardric Dobbs (INF), collected 2 hits in 4 at bats with 1 double and 3 runs driven home.
Florida Memorial University
Opened its 2021 season with a doubleheader 15-2 road decision against host Edward Waters in Jacksonville, Florida , in game one then won game two in a thrilling pitching duel 2-1. The Lions put on a hitting display as two players recorded 4 runs batted in and 2 home runs. Florida Memorial hit three round trippers in the series. In the second game, FMU on the mound allowed just three hits, two walks, one earned run, recording seven strikeouts. For the Lions (2-0) aggressiveness on the base paths, accounted for four of five stolen bases during the series. Florida Memorial scored 17 runs during the doubleheader and only allowed three-runs to cross the plate. Starting pitching provided a solid performances en route to the rivalry win.
Rafael Fernandez (RHP), the game two starter was lights out on the mound in the 2-1 win. In seven innings, Fernandez allowed one run on three hits, one earned run striking out seven Tiger batters.
Edward Waters College
The weekend pitted the Edward Waters baseball team in a battle with archrival Florida Memorial in the latest edition of the intrastate rivalry. The Tigers where looking to get in the win column with its home opener. Things did not go as planned for EWC. The Lions took the first two games of their doubleheader, 15-2 in Game 1 and 2-1 in Game 2. The story of the doubleheader was the pitching gem from starter Julio Flores in a losing effort.
Julio Flores (RHP), in seven full innings, allowed five hits, two earned runs, and notched seven strikeouts.