Game Notes
NEW ORLEANS - The Alcorn State University baseball program begins its 2018 season this weekend with three non-conference games against SWAC opponents at the Andre Dawson Classic, formerly known as the MLB Urban Invitational.
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The three-day event was renamed in honor of the 21-year major leaguer, who was inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame in 2010. The Classic will highlight six baseball programs at Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs), the most teams in the event's 11-year history. HBCUs joining Alcorn this weekend include Alabama State, Grambling, Southern, Prairie View A&M and Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Additionally, the University of New Orleans and the University of Illinois at Chicago will be competing.
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The Braves' season-opener is a noon contest with UAPB at UNO's Maestri Field. The team then meets PVAMU Saturday at 3 p.m., again at UNO, then closes out the Classic Sunday against Grambling in a 3 p.m. game at the New Orleans Major League Baseball Youth Academy.
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"We return 7-of-8 position players and an experienced pitching staff," said head coach
Bretton Richardson. "If we can stay healthy, we should compete for the SWAC Championship. I'm looking forward to watching this team compete this season!"
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Alcorn was picked to finish third in the SWAC Eastern Division in the Preseason Poll, with senior
Wallace Rios Jimenez earning First Team honors and junior pitcher
Carlos Lopez receiving Second Team honors. The Braves went 12-33 overall and 7-17 in conference play last season to finish fourth in the East. The team is returning 16 fielders and eight pitchers, to include two of their top three hurlers from a year ago.
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The team's home opener is a 6 p.m. game versus Tougaloo College on March 7. The Braves will open SWAC play with a three-game road series at Alabama State March 2-4. This year's Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Tournament is scheduled for May 16-20 at Wesley Barrow Stadium in New Orleans.
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