G'Nite 4.07.2016 | Page 8

8 Sports

Thursday, April 7, 2016
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Tigers clinch lead in SWAC

BRANDON LAGARDE
GSU Sports Media
The Grambling State University Tigers dropped a 8-7 nail biter to the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions, losing the series 2-1 last weekend.
GSU blew past UAPB Friday night 7-1, and lost Saturday 12-4 at Torii Hunter Baseball, Softball and Little League Complex.
The Golden Lions got off to a strong lead early in the game.
In the second inning UAPB scored six runs on five hits and a Julian Jones home run to take a 6-1 lead.
GSU erased a 8-3 ninth inning deficit with a Nicholas Wheeler single and an Angel Peguero single that skimmed over the first baseman’ s glove.
Daniel Barnett walked and the plate was set for Larry Barraza. Barraza bruised a pitch to center field for a two run double. GSU trailed 8-5.
Darin Brown knocked a floater behind the third baseman for a two run single and stole second.
Leading 2-1 in the sixth inning, right fielder Diaym Hall crushed a pitch to a right center gap, scoring Mojica, and Hall tripled.
Later, center fielder Peguero drilled a line drive past the first baseman, and Wesley Drain scored. GSU added two more runs to close the game.
GSU took a two game conference lead after Friday night’ s 7-1 statement win. In the win, starting pitcher
Issac O’ Bear had a career best 10 strikeout performance. But the weekend series went to UAPB, 2-1.
Good hitting is often contiguous, and the Grambling State University Tigers caught the hitting bug early Tuesday( April 5), lighting up the scoreboard and cruising past Texas College 20-8 in a midweek non-conference matchup.
Things didn’ t go well for Texas, and everything was going the Tigers’ way, in the first inning.
GSU( 12-16, 8-4 SWAC) had its first three batters walked, second basemen Larry Barraza and first baseman Tray Bell popped up two consecutive sacrifice fly balls, and Wesley Drain and Angel Peguero scored.
In the second inning third baseman Daniel Barnett hit a hard two RBI double down third base line, and Drain and Peguero scored again.
Right fielder Nicholas Wheeler smacked a pitch to left field for a 330 foot home run scoring three runs. GSU led 8-1 after five innings.
Grambling State starting pitcher Caleb Nunez, 18, of Cincinnati, Ohio, picked up his first collegiate win.
“ We got off to a slow start, GSU coach James Cooper said.
“ We only had two hits going into the fifth inning. When
KEION HAYES / The Gramblinite Grambling State pitcher Caleb Nunez picked up his first collegiate win against non-conference opponent Texas College..
you have slow starts like that against better teams you end up on the wrong side of the winner’ s bracket at the end of the ball game.“ We picked it up I’ m excited that we got the win.” GSU, now ranked number
one in the western division, will travel to Baton Rouge Thursday( April 7) for a three game series against SWAC competitor Southern University Jaguars with games scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

G-Men ready for spring game

STAFF REPORT
The Grambling State University football team, led by third year head coach Broderick Fobbs, will host the annual Spring Black and Gold Game Saturday( April 9) at 1 p. m. in the Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium.
Also known as the G-Men, offensive and defensive players will go head to head on the field, showcasing their best athletic skills during the scrimmage game as they compete for positions and bragging rights.
The Black and Gold game will give alumni, students, faculty, staff, fans, spectators and the media an opportunity to see how Fobbs’ insistence on mental and physical preparation, teamwork, dedication and fundamentals of football has been instilled into the players while getting a sense of what to expect during the 2016-2017 football season.
“ We graduated quite a
number of guys in December and more are graduating next month,” said Fobbs,“ but we have a good group returning, a good crop of transfers and some really good signees. I can’ t wait to see what they can do on the field with some real football action.”
Returning this season and playing this Saturday are players to include defensive back Guy Stallworth and wide receiver, who have both shared the accomplishment of being chosen as an SBN Black College All-American. Fan favorite, running back and
Richwood High School product Martez Carter will also suit up on the field to join the offense in an attempt to get past defenders to include defensive linemen Donovan McCray and DeVaughn Madise.
Admission is free and the event is open to the public.
Courtesy photos( Above) Defensive backs coach Brian Ware illustrates a play with player Joe Williams.
( Left) Head coach Broderick Fobbs talks with his players after a day of practice.

Track and field team competes in Alabama

AKANE SIMPSON
Contributing writer
The Grambling State University Track and Field teamed competed in the SWAC Indoor Championship Track and Field Meet in Birmingham, Alabama during February 20-21.
Coach Bertram Lovell openly praises the school’ s team for their performance in both last year’ s SWAC Conference and this year’ s conference.
“ Last year we had a good season. We always have a good season so far, especially the men’ s team,” said Coach Lovell.
Lovell pointed out the women’ s team, in both the long distance and field events, were instrumental in the success at these championships.“ We’ ve got an all around performance in the distance and the field events have contributed
to the success in the championships,” said Coach Lovell.
He also notes the help of assistant coach, Ashley Curry, for the overall success in managing the field team to where the Lady Tigers are maintaining their titles of second place in SWAC Indoor Championships, the success as the Texas Southern University( TSU) Relays.
When asked about attending other championships, such as the Penn State Championships, Coach Lovell noted that he prefers to focus on the SWAC Championships than the Penn State Championships as both events are hosted at the same time. Coach Lovell realizes this and has decided to keep his athletes rested than wearing them out from concurrent events. Comparing last year’ s performance with this year he notes that,“... there is always room
for improvement.”
Coach Lovell noted he was actively searching for more members. But, he stresses that those whom he wish to recruit would need to be able to manage both their education and their commitment to the athletics department.
He also praises the team of 62 members for their hard work and notes that student athletes would help him manage the team in their spare time.
The two concerns that Coach Lovell has are the conditions of the track and the space required for the department to work. The state of the track field near Grambling Laboratory High School is in a need of repairs. The track has been in disrepair for years with conditions worsening with several members of the team being injured during training.
Injuries such as calf-splitting, sprain ankles and various bruises from falling can keep an athlete off the track ranging from several days to nearly a month for recovery.
With the coming budget cuts Coach Lovell has even
more concern over the future of the track as it is constantly degrading. His other concern is the space needed to store the various awards the track and field team has achieved throughout the years.
Lovell highlighted the
amount of trophies scattered around his office without having a proper case to display the accomplishments.
He wishes for more room for the athletics department so as to properly display the hard work of the department.