The eight-team field for the 2023 Black College World Series has been announced.
In its third year, the annual postseason tournament brings together HBCU teams – four from NCAA Division II and four from the NAIA — to determine a national champion from “small school” HBCU baseball programs.
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.
NCAA Division II bracket
Albany State
Albany State has put together a 30-8 record on the season but has run roughshod through the SIAC, sitting atop the conference at 27-2. The Golden Rams bats have given SIAC pitching staffs fits, leading the conference in batting average (.334), on-base percentage (.478), runs scored (363), RBI (334), walks (240), and total bases ( 520). The Golden Rams’ pitching staff has been the class of the SIAC, topping the league in seven statistical categories, including ERA (3.34), opposing batting average (.223), strikeouts ( 239), and wins (28).
Savannah State University
The Tigers entered the season as the No.2 ranked small HBCUl team in the country. Coach Carlton Hardy’s team has put together a 21-10 season and sits third in the SIAC at 18-7.
Bluefield State University
The HBCU World Series is familiar territory for the Big Blue, as they are making their third appearance in the tournament, including winning it all in 2021. Bluefield State has topped 20 wins for the second consecutive season, winning 24 games.
Edward Waters
The reigning HBCU national champions are back to defend their crown. Like Bluefield State, the Tigers have appeared in every tournament since 2021, winning the title from the other side of the bracket in their last year as an NAIA member.
Miles College
Coach Ty Roberts and Golden Bears baseball team sit at 20-22 overall and 17-12 in the SIAC. Miles has been a streaky team, alternating winning and losing streaks multiple times during the season. The Golden Bears most recently lost five in a row, including a sweep at the hands of Albany State, but then swept LeMoyne-Owen this past weekend.
NAIA bracket
Talladega College
Coach Marco Dominguez’s Tornadoes baseball team is 24-16-1 and sits in a three-way tie for second in the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) at 14-6. Talladega has won against every team in the top half of the SSAC and defeated Division II Tuskegee University twice this season.
Rust College
The season’s mantra for the Rust College Bearcats should be perseverance. At one point in the season, The Bearcats started the season 3-12 and were in the throes of a 9-game losing streak. But the Bearcats rebounded, going 18-9 over their remaining contests to finish the season with an overall record of 21-21 and atop the GCAC with a 14-4 record.
Wiley College
The Wildcats were named to the Black College World Series for the first time this season. Wiley went 21-18 overall, their best record in the past five seasons, and finished third in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference with a 14-6 mark.
Paine College
The Lions are first-time participants in the Black College World Series. Paine finished their season just above .500 at 14-13. Sophomore outfielder Jerry Beato is a tough out as he leads the Lions with a .409 batting average and is one of three players in the Lions lineup with a batting average above .338.
West Virginia State was named to the field but opted out as the Yellow Jackets look to compete in the Mountain East Conference Tournament.
Should Albany State or Savannah State win the SIAC Tournament, Miles, as an alternate, will fill in for them. Per NCAA guidelines, baseball programs can only compete in one season postseason event.
