SAVANNAH, Ga.- The field for the 2023 Black College World Series is set.
The eight team field is made up of schools that compete in Division II and the NAIA.
Savannah State University, who also participated in the inaugural Black College World Series in 2021, is among the Division II programs selected along with Albany State, Bluefield State and Edward Waters, who is the defending HBCU National Champions.
The NAIA bracket will be made up of programs at Talladega College, Rust College, Wiley College and Paine College.
SSU enters the tournament with a 33-12 record and a runner-up finish in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament.
The Tigers are led by All-SIAC players
Enrico Peele,
Joe Smith,
Jose Santiago and
Jared Showalter.
Peele has a 2.32 earned run average as a pitcher and a 12-1 win/loss record. The senior from Lehigh Acres, Florida has pitched 73.2 innings and struck out 66 batters. Smith, a outfielder, has a .410 batting average and has collected 66 hits of which 11 were doubles, six were triples and six were home runs. The senior from Brunswick, Georgia has scored 58 runs, has a .665 slugging percentage and has stolen 25 bases in 31 attempts. Santiago has a 3.18 ERA and a 6-3 record. The North Lauderdale, Florida resident has pitched 76.3 innings and struck out 53 batters. Showalter is also a pitcher and has a 10-2 record to go along with his 3.97 ERA. The senior from Huntingdon, Pennsylvania has struck out 69 batters in 68 innings.
Savannah State will play Bluefield State in the first round on May 10 at 4:00 p.m.CST
Bluefield State has a 24-23-1 record and enter the tournament riding a seven game win streak. The compete as a Division II Independent.
The Big Blue are led at the plate by Tahir Meulens (.405 batting average and .671 slugging percentage), Cole Cote (.368 average and 23 stolen bases in 27 attempts) and Jordan Varela-Payne (.347 average, 11 home runs, 10 doubles and a .653 slugging percentage).
On the mound, Bluefield State relies on Zach Powell,a junior right hander. Powell has a 7-5 record and has pitched 76.2 innings and recorded 77 strikeouts. Other key pitchers are Braeden Major, Riley Bost, Aiden Hedgepeth and Kerry Collins.
The Black College World Series is set to take place May 10-13 in Montgomery, Alabama, at Riverwalk Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Rays Double-A affiliate Montgomery Biscuits.
