Inside TSU 2015 | Page 45

Inside OneTSU MAGAZINE 10 Year Anniversary of TSU’s Historic Championship Win The Texas Southern Tigers Baseball team captured its first Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Tournament title 10 years ago and upset the defending College World Series Champions that same year. The Tigers went from a 1-16 start to winning a championship after barely qualifying for the 2004 SWAC tournament with a 15-13 conference record. Once in, the Tigers fought their way to the finals to face Mississippi Valley State. TSU won that game 18-1 and secured their first conference tournament title and bid to the NCAA Division I Regional Tournament (Baton Rouge Super Regional in Houston). “I never imagined it,” TSU senior Calvin Fugett said in 2004. “But things happen. It means so much. Your senior year, going out with a bang like that -- words can’t describe it.” Words can hardly describe what happened next for the Tigers. TSU faced the defending National Champion Rice Owls in the first round of the NCAA Super Regional Tournament at Rice’s Reckling Park. No one gave the 4th seeded TSU Tigers a chance against 1st seeded and #6 ranked Rice…until they witnessed what happened in the 8th inning. Herman Coachman came to bat with two men on base and hit a homerun that forever marked the NCAA Regional Tournament record books. His three-run homer gave TSU the lead and eventually a 4-3 victory over Rice. A number 4 seeded team has not defeated a number 1 seeded opponent in a NCAA Division I Regional Tournament since. The head coach was the late Candy Robinson who stepped down in 2008 after 19 seasons with the Tigers. TSU HONORS IN 2004: SWAC All-Tournament Team - Calvin Fugett 1B, Mario Deleon 2B, Outstanding Hitter & Tournament MVP, Herman Coachmen 3B, Marcelo Garcia SS, Issac Daniels P & Outstanding Pitcher, Candy Robinson Coach of the Year All-SWAC Second Team - Corey Alexander (LF), Calvin Fugett (1B) and Mario Deleon (2B) 2004 TSU BASEBALL ROSTER 7 Cory Alexander 8 Julio Alverez 23 Brandon Barrett 31 Donald Bluin 24 Damon Burns 14 Carlos Cahee 40 Dominic Capehart 19 Herman Coachman Former Golfer Put Skills to the Test 38 Kevin Conway 9 Issac Daniels Former Texas Southern golfer Devaughn Robinson put his skills to the test by competing against some of the best amateur golfers in the world. Robinson competed in the U.S Amateur Public Links Championship tournament July 14-19 at Sand Creek Station Golf Course in Newton, Kansas. “To say that I’m ecstatic about attending this year’s U.S. Pub Links Championship would be an understatement,” said Robinson. “It’s one of the tournaments that I’ve only dreamed about playing in s