VSU narrowly loses to Salem

Virginia State University’s bid for a second straight New South Athletic Conference (NSAC) baseball title came up short May 7 at Whaley Colbert Field in Ettrick.

The Trojans lost 7-6 to Salem (W.Va.) in the final game.

VSU won the same tournament a year ago in Elizabeth City, N.C.

Coach Merrill Morgan’s squad finished 21-29, but boasted having the NSAC Player of the Year with Tahraun Hammond and AllConference player Ricky Jones.

On the season, Hammond hit .323 while posting a 3-3 pitching record. Jones, a senior transfer from the University of Richmond, hit .333 with 11 doubles, three triples, two homers and 30 runs batted in.

From Hopewell High, Jones was outstanding in the tournament, going 6-for-14 at the plate with four runs scored and five RBIs. VSU joined the NSAC last season because of a lack of baseball participation in the CIAA. Other NSAC teams are Salem, Apprentice School of Newport News and Mid-Atlantic Christian of Elizabeth City.

CIAA universities that have baseball teams are Claflin, Lincoln and VSU.

prelims.

Smith was named Co-Most Outstanding performer, along with VCU’s Emmanuel Waller (from Lynchburg), who won the 400 intermediate hurdles.

The season is just warming up. The NCAA East Preliminaries are May 24-27 in Jacksonville, Fla., and the NCAA national meet is June 7-10 in Austin, Texas.

Smith’s credentials include:

• 2023 A-10 indoor champion, 60-meter hurdles

• 2022 A-10 outdoor champion at 110-meter hurdles

• 2022 A-10 indoor champion, 60-meter hurdles

The NCAA record for 110-meter hurdles is 12.98 by Florida’s Grant Holloway in 2019. The world mark of 12.8 was set by American Aries Merritt in 2012.

Barlow is XFL’s Coach of the Year

Coach Reggie Barlow’s first season coaching the XFL D.C. Defenders couldn’t have gone much better.

The Defenders won the regular-season title with a 9-1 record and Barlow, also the team’s general manager, was named XFL Coach of the Year.

Coach Barlow, 51, served as Virginia State University’s head football coach from 2016 to 2021, posting a 34-16 overall mark, and a 25-10 CIAA record.

His Trojans won the 2017 CIAA title and advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs. Before coming to Ettrick, Barlow went 49-42 as the head coach at his alma mater, Alabama State University.

As a wide receiver and kick returner, Coach Barlow played in the NFL with Jacksonville, Tampa Bay and Oakland from 1996 to 2003. He was part of Tampa’s 2003 Super Bowl championship win.