Sports Shorts for April 28

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—The Southwestern Athletic Conference has fined Jackson State University and Southern University $10,000 each for its men’s track teams’ involvement in an altercation during the 2009 SWAC Indoor Track and Field Championships. The men’s track teams at each university are hereby publicly reprimanded.
“The intolerable and regrettable altercation during our Indoor Track and Field Championships was one that the conference office takes very seriously,” SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp said. “We expect our student athletes, coaches and everyone involved in our athletic programs to conduct themselves in a first-class manner on and off the fields of competition.”
In addition, all medals earned prior to the teams’ disqualification have been returned. As stated on the final day of competition, all finishers and scores by both teams were deleted, and all other finishers from other competing teams moved up in the standings.
“Incidents of this nature and magnitude cut at the very core of collegiate athletics – sportsmanship,” Sharp said. “We will not accept this at any of our athletic competitions. We will continue to demand excellence from our student athletes in their academic and athletic endeavors and implore them to strive for greatness in competition with respect of their opponent.”
Both teams are eligible to compete in next week’s 2009 SWAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
SU baseball takes two from TSU
Southern took two of three games from Southwestern Athletic Conference foe Texas Southern winning 9-8 Sunday and 4-1 in game one on Saturday. SU dropped the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader 7-1.
On Sunday, SU (24-13, 16-5 SWAC) scored the go ahead run as Juan Mujica dropped a fly ball between the third base gap. SU also won despite giving up 18 hits and committing nine errors.
SU wasn’t so lucky in game two, Saturday. Although TSU scattered three runs over the first six innings, narrowly holding on to a 3-0 lead, the Tigers erupted to score four in the seventh.
Gregory Whitfield and Edmond Morton were the only Jaguars with hits, and SU committed two errors.
SU broke game one open with three runs in the fifth. Romey Bracey, David Worthington, Whitfield and Jesse Olivar had the teams six hits. Morton had a game high three RBIs.
Valley downs SU in SWAC softball final
HATTIESBURG, Miss.—Mississippi Valley State breezed by Southern 16- 5 in five innings to capture its sixth straight Southwestern Athletic Conference Softball Championship.
After a scoreless first inning, the Devilettes exploded in the second with eight runs off eight hits. Both Ta’Niya Wallace and Tiana Parks tripled in the inning while Angelia Jones ripped a homer, her second of the tournament.
Valley put up two more runs in the third, highlighted by Ashley Hobbs’ single and Rashundra Brass double to stretch the leads to 10-0.
In the fourth, the Devilettes rattled off three more hits while scoring five runs, extending the lead to 15-0.
SU answered in the bottom of the fourth as Aruba Nicholas and Chastoni Jones hit singles bringing, home runners. Kesha Tauriac also scored an unearned run in the inning.
MVSU added another run in the fifth sinking SU into a 13 run hole.
Despite scoring two runs in the inning, the Jaguars’ final two batters, Tauriac and Nicholas, struck out to end the game.
Rashundra Brass led the Devilettes with three hits and four RBI’s. Angelia Jones, who recorded two home runs in the tournament, was voted the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
SU MEN’S GOLF FINISHES FIFTH IN SWAC TOURNAMENT
Alexandria—Southern’s golf team finished fifth in the 2009 Southwestern Athletic Conference golf tournament. Jackson State’s golf team erased an 11 shot deficit in the final round to win the championship at Links on the Bayou Golf Course.
Senior Edgar Evans led the team after three days of competition shooting a 77, 82 and a 79 for a 238 total.
Carliss Armmer was the only Jaguar to be named to the 2009 All-Conference Second team.