OSU Beavers’ Late Rally Subdues Grambling State Tigers

CORVALLIS, Oregon – Kyle Nobach’s two-run double in the eighth inning snapped a 7-7 tie and sent the Oregon State baseball team to a 10-7 win over Grambling State Friday night at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field.

Nobach laced a 1-2 pitch from reliever Creighton Hoover into right field to score two after the Beavers had loaded the bases. Earlier, Billy King, pinch hitting for Joe Gillette, was hit by a pitch, also with the bases loaded, to tie the game at seven apiece.

Jeff Hendrix added a bloop single that scored another run and Mitch Hickey got out of a bases loaded jam in the ninth to send the Beavers (6-3 overall) to the victory. Hickey improved to 3-0 on the year while Hoover dropped to 0-2.

Andrew Moore took a perfect game into the seventh inning in his third start of the season. He did, however, not figure in the decision.

Moore’s perfect outing ended with two down in the seventh when the Tigers reached base three times on a single, double and error. Grambling State (2-6) scored two runs on the double but that was all the Tigers managed against Moore, who came out to a standing ovation in the eighth after a season-best 10 strikeouts.

The Beavers went up 5-0 through five innings thanks to Moore’s outing and a solo home run by Gabe Clark.

Clark hit a solo home run in the fifth, a 1-1 pitch he deposited into the parking lot in left field. It was his second run driven in of the game as he reached on a bases-loaded hit by pitch in the third.

Oregon State opened the game’s scoring on a triple by Gillette in the second. The Beavers opened the game up with a three-run fourth that saw Clark’s hit by pitch and a two-run single by Logan Ice.

Grambling State, however, tied the game in the eighth when Larry Barraza hit a grand slam. The Tigers took the lead on a bases-loaded walk.

Ice, Hendrix and Trever Morrison both had two hits to pace the Beavers; for Morrison, it extended his hit streak to five games. Hendrix also extended his hit streak to seven games.

Oregon State and Grambling State conclude their series Saturday with a doubleheader that begins at 1:05 p.m. PT. Fans in the Corvallis/Albany region should note that the game will air on KLOO 1340-AM as Oregon State women’s basketball will be on KEJO 1240-AM.

Fans should take their seats early Saturday as the Beavers’ will honor the 2014 Pac-12 Conference Championship team before the game.

For more information on the Oregon State baseball team, follow the club’s official Twitter account at Twitter.com/Beaver_Baseball, by Facebook at Facebook.com/OregonStateBaseball or on Instagram at Instagram.com/BeaverBaseball.

BOX SCORE


SATURDAY GAME DAY

Oregon State (6-3) vs. Grambling State (2-6)
Rasmussen/Eckert vs. TBA/TBA
February 28, 2015 • Corvallis, Ore. • Goss Stadium • 1:05 p.m. PT

The Game
Oregon State and Grambling State wrap up their three-game series by playing two on Saturday. First pitch of the doubleheader at Goss Stadium is slated for 1:05 p.m. PT.

Radio
The game will air live on the Beaver Sports Network, osubeavers.com and the TuneIn application. All games air on the Beaver Sports Network with pre-game 30 minutes before first pitch. Affiliates include KICE 940-AM (Bend, Ore.), KEJO 1240-AM (Corvallis), KKNX 840-AM (Eugene), KLZS 1450-AM (Eugene),  KCFM 1250-AM (Florence), KCFM 104.1-FM (Florence), KAKT 104.7-FM (Grants Pass - Weekends), KLAD 960-AM (Klamath Falls), KCFM 103.1-FM (Mapleton), KTMT-AM 580 and 96.1 (Medford - Weekends), Fox Sports Radio 620-AM (Portland), KSKR 1490-AM (Roseburg) and KBZY 1490-AM (Salem - Weekends, Weekday Day Games).

Television
The game will not be televised.

Live Video
A free live stream of the series can be found by visiting osubeavers.com. The link is available on the baseball schedule page.

Online
Live stats for the game can be accessed by clicking on the live stats link located on the baseball schedule page on osubeavers.com.

Social Media
Stay informed with all of Oregon State’s official accounts. See below for everything related to Oregon State Baseball.

• Twitter - @Beaver_Baseball
• Facebook - @OregonStateBaseball
• Instagram - @BeaverBaseball
• Pinterest - @BeaverAthletics
• YouTube - @OSUBeaversAthletics
• Snapchat - @BeaversPac12
• Tumblr - @BeaverAthletics

Last Game
Kyle Nobach doubled home two in the eighth to break a tie and help send the Beavers to a 10-7 win over Grambling State in the opener Friday night. Jeff Hendrix, Logan Ice and Trever Morrison all had two hits in the win. Andrew Moore did not get the decision after allowing just three hits and three runs in 7 1/3 innings. He struck out 10.

Related Links

Game 2 Live Stats

BeaverTickets.com

Live Stream

Live Audio

Game 1 Live Stats

2015 Schedule

Oregon State Game Notes

COURTESY OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS COMMUNICATION

Earl Lloyd, who died at age 86, made leap from CIAA to NBA

Editor’s note: This story on CIAA legend Earl Lloyd, who died Thursday at age 86, was originally published on March 2, 2007.

FAIRFIELD, Tennessee – Earl Lloyd can’t come up with the number of CIAA basketball tournaments he has attended. There are too many for him to keep track of.

Instead, he remembers the cities.

“Richmond, Norfolk, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Raleigh, “ Lloyd says. “Now Charlotte.”

Lloyd is perhaps best known as the first African American to play in an NBA game. But this week he is content to be one of the thousands of CIAA fans in town for the tournament at Bobcats Arena.

But he is also one of the scores of former players who faithfully make the annual trip to the event, to reconnect with old teammates, foes and coaches in hotel lobbies and restaurants. They walk together to the games in a glistening uptown arena that’s nothing like what they played in almost 60 years ago.

Lloyd, 78, now lives comfortably with his wife Charlie in a sun-drenched home in a resort called Fairfield Glade, a retirement community that sits atop Tennessee’s Cumberland Gap.



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WSSU rolls into CIAA championship game

CHARLOTTE — Winston-Salem State wasn’t going to be denied a chance to play for the CIAA title.

The Rams, behind the inspired play of Javan Wells, Marquez Jones, Donta Harper and WyKevin Bazemore, beat Fayetteville State 88-70 on Friday night in the CIAA Tournament semifinals. The win sets up a rematch of last year’s CIAA championship game with Livingstone. The Blue Bears advanced with an 83-65 win over Bowie State and will have a chance to defend their title.

The Rams had two scoring spurts in the first half Friday, led by as many as 20, and then turned up their defensive pressure in the second half to ease past the Broncos for the third time this season. The Rams had beaten the Broncos twice in the regular season.

Wells led the Rams (18-9) with 19 points; Jones was right behind him with 17 points. Harper added 13 points and Bazemore was all over the court with 13 points and 16 rebounds to go along with four assists.



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Livingstone Advances to CIAA Championship Game By Knocking Off Bowie State, 83-65

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- The defending CIAA champion Livingstone knocked off CIAA Northern Division Champion Bowie State 83-66 in the semifinals of the 2015 CIAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena on Friday evening.

Livingstone jumped on Bowie State early, opening up a 10-5 lead capped by an Eric Mayo layup at the 16:28 mark. That basket forced BSU to call a timeout to slow the Blue Bear momentum.

The Blue Bears continued to build the lead, going up 17-7 after Ty Newman knocked down a free throw with 12:58 left. After a Bowie State miss, Livingstone's Daryl Traynham hit a long jumper to make it 19-7.

Bowie State cut the Livingstone lead to 21-11 after Julian Livingston scored on a tip-in while being fouled. Livingston's free throw was good to make it 21-12 at the 11:14 mark.

The Livingstone lead ballooned to 29-14 when Traynham converted a fast break layup while getting fouled. Traynham's free throw dropped, staking the Blue Bears to their largest lead. Bowie State responded with a three point play of their own when Justin Beck got a twisting layup to go. Beck's free throw trimmed the Blue Bear lead to 29-17 with 9:21 left. Beck added another free throw to further cut into the lead, making it 29-18.

Livingstone's Eric Dubose added a three pointer, pushing the lead back to 14 points at 32-18. Bowie State's Andre Jackson followed up with a tip-in, but Livingstone's Cristian Henry got a layup to go making it 34-20. Bowie State's Cameron Knox, the CIAA Player of the Year, then knocked down a three pointer, cutting the lead to 34-23 at the 7:07 mark.

After a Ty Newman long three pointer and a Juwan Cole layup, Livingstone found itself on top 40-23 with 5:15 to go. The Blue Bears extended their lead to 42-23 after Dubose made two free throws.

Bowie State would go on a 15-8 run to close the half, but Livingstone's Dwight Adams just beat the halftime buzzer with a tip in to spark the Blue Bears to the 50-38 halftime lead.

Livingstone shot 47.4% in the first half compared to BSU's 37.9%. Livingstone forced 14 BSU turnovers, translating into 13 points. The Blue Bears also pounded the ball inside, scoring 33 points in the paint, compared to BSU's 14 inside points.

In the second half, the Bulldogs slowly chipped away at the Livingstone lead, cutting it to 54-48 with 15:15 remaining on a pair of Justin Beck free throws. Livingstone would respond by jumping back up by nine points (57-48) after a Hakeem Jackson dunk at the 14:33 mark. The Blue Bear lead would swell to 13 points after a Darresse Johnson tip in that made it 61-48 with 11:18 left.

Bowie State would then embark on a 9-0 run over a span of nearly three minutes sparked by a Cameron Knox three pointer from the corner. Knox was fouled on the play, but the resulting free throw was no good. Following a Livingstone miss, BSU would miss a three pointer, giving Livingstone the ball. The Blue Bears' Robert Flint would make a three pointer of his own, making it 64-58 at the 7:08 mark.

Livingstone was able to get to the free throw line after a BSU turnover, their 18th of the game. Livingstone's Daryl Traynham would hit the first shot. After missing the second shot, Traynham boarded his own miss and laid it in, extending the Livingstone lead to 67-58 with 6:56 to play.
Bowie State was able to connect on a pair of free throws to draw within 67-60 with 5:38 on the clock. Ty Newman then connected on a tip in for Livingstone, providing the 69-60 lead. BSU then committed their 19th turnover of the evening, giving the Blue Bears the opportunity to extend their lead.

On the ensuing possession, Hakeem Jackson found his way to the foul line. Jackson drilled two free throws, putting Livingstone up 71-60.

The Blue Bears got another basket from Jackson on a hook shot as the shot clock expired to make it 73-60. Bowie State quickly sped down the floor and Julian Livingston nailed a three pointer from the top of the circle to make it 73-63 with 2:53 remaining.

Bowie State could get no closer than 11 points the rest of the way and Livingstone would go on to hit 10 free throws over the last 2:30 of the game to seal the 83-65 win.

The Blue Bears would place four players in double figures, led by Ty Newman's 18 points. Other players scoring in double figures for the Blue Bears include Daryl Traynham (15), Eric Mayo (12) and Eric Dubose (10). Bowie State's Justin Beck finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds while teammates Cameron Knox and Ahmaad Wilson finished with 17 and 10 points, respectively.
Livingstone's defense forced BSU to shot only 32.2 % for the game (19-59). The Blue Bears also forced 21 BSU turnovers and turned those miscues into 22 points.

The loss drops Bowie State to 22-8 overall. Livingstone improves to 17-9 overall and advances to their third-straight CIAA Championship Game on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. where they will take on the Winston-Salem State/Fayetteville State winner.

Livingstone Head Coach James Stinson:

I think the guys came out with a vision and played hard from the beginning. I think we were able to score inside a little bit more than we're used to. We also did well with not turning over the ball as much.

We knew Bowie would make a run with Cameron Knox (CIAA Player of the Year)

On 19 point lead
Our guys never wavered. I thought they would panic, but we were able to extend the lead. We were able to use our depth and we stayed consistent and were able to hit free throws toward the end.

On 3rd Straight Championship Game Appearance
For the community of Salisbury and Livingstone College, our alumni and fans, we wanted to build our program into a winner and that was our goal. The expectations from our community and fans are to win another one.

I feel like these experiences will translate our players into great men in the future.

Livingstone's Ty Newman
We shared the ball and I feel that we are peaking at the right time (during this tournament).

Bowie State Head Coach Darrell Brooks (with Cameron Knox, Justin Beck)
Livingstone did a great job tonight and beat us in every facet of the game. I was very proud of our guys because they played hard to get back into it. I don't expect this to be our last game and we look forward to moving on to the NCAA tournament
Early on, they got the ball inside, and I think our carelessness with the basketball led to some easy looks inside for them.

On 19 point comeback in the 2nd half.
We talked at halftime and how we needed to do a better job of protecting the basketball and to keep them off the glass. We also didn't want to allow a lot of second shots. Tonight, their size and physicality wore us out.

I didn't think we ran out of energy. We missed some free throws and made some turnovers. Early in the game we were not attacking the zone and were settling for three's. We got more into an attack mode in the second half.

We will go back home and rest for a few days then we will start our preparation for the NCAA Tournament.

On NCAA Bid & Preparations
We have to get back to taking care of the basketball. We're going to get back to working on what we can control, and that is taking care of the ball.
Our first goal this year was to win as many non-conference games as we can, then the (Northern) division, then the (CIAA) tournament.

We are going to lick our wounds, go back and be the best Bowie State team that we can be.
We feel like and we really believe that we have earned an NCAA bid. We're going to get over tonight, and start preparing for whomever. It doesn't matter who we play, we are just going to go get better and see what happens (as to their potential opponent will be).

BOX SCORE

COURTESY CIAA MEDIA RELATIONS

Lincoln edges out victory, faces tough Virginia State

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Playing for the CIAA women's title means a chance at school history for Lincoln (Pa.).

The Lions, who returned to the league in 2010, turned back Livingstone 57-55 on Friday in the semifinals at Time Warner Cable Arena to earn a berth opposite Virginia State, which knocked off Shaw 69-47. Lincoln and Virginia State shared the North Division championship and split the regular season series.

"It means the world to us right now," said Lions center Mieana Gaines. "Three or four years ago, nobody even believed in Lincoln. Right now, we're just living in the moment."

Lincoln (21-7, North No. 1 seed) needed a couple of clutch plays by guard Amani Clark in the final seconds to put Livingstone away. Clark hit a layup with 20.7 seconds left and a steal on the Blue Bears' final possession to preserve the win.

Livingstone (26-2), which was the South's third seed after self-reporting an ineligible player, trailed by as many as 10 points early, but scratched its way to a 55-55 draw on Precious Roberts' basket with under a minute to play.

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Morgan State Bears Hire Mike Fanoga As Defensive Coordinator

COURTESY MSU ATHLETICS

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- The Morgan State Bears announced today that they have named Mike Fanoga as their defensive coordinator.

Fanoga assumes the role of defensive coordinator entering his 28th season of coaching the collegiate level, having spent the previous season at Virginia Union as the defensive coordinator. The Panther completed the season ranked No. 1 in rush defense (93.6), No. 2 in scoring defense (18.8) and No. 2 in total yards allowed (290.9).

Fanoga will take over a Bears defensive unit that ranked 6th overall in total yards allowed per game (356.7) in 2014, including No. 7 in scoring defense (26.5) and a No. 10 ranking in rushing yards allowed per game (203.2).

"We are very excited to have Mike Fanoga as our defensive coordinator," said Lee Hull, entering his second season as MSU's head coach. "He brings vast experience from different levels – FBS, FCS and Division II.

"We look for him to improve our defense," said Hull. "We need to get back to the top of the MEAC and I think he is the right guy to lead us in this direction."

Prior to Virginia Union, Fanoga worked as defensive line coach and linebacker coach at Division II member Benedict College (2012-13), followed by a stop at Lane College in 2011.

Fanoga spent three seasons on Dave Christensen's staff at Wyoming where he coached the Cowboys outside linebackers from 2009-2011. He coached linebacker Weston Johnson, who went on to sign a free-agent contract with the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL. Johnson recorded 106 tackles his senior season, and led the team in tackles for losses (13.0) and interceptions (three).

At New Mexico State, Fanoga was the associate head coach and defensive line coach for four seasons from 2005-08. He helped coach an Aggie defense that ranked No. 1 in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and No. 3 in the nation in pass defense in 2008, allowing only 159.4 yards per game. New Mexico State also ranked No. 5 in the WAC in total defense, giving up 379.6 yards per game. The NMSU defense gave up an average of only 20.7 first downs per game -- third best in the conference.

He coached under head coach Hal Mumme at New Mexico State. Fanoga has a long coaching relationship with Mumme, also coaching with him at the University of Kentucky, Valdosta State (Ga.) and Iowa Wesleyan.

While at Kentucky, Fanoga was part of a coaching staff that helped guide the Wildcats to back-to-back bowl appearances in 1998 and `99. Kentucky played in the Outback Bowl following the 1998 season and the Music City Bowl at the conclusion of the 1999 campaign.

Between Fanoga's coaching stops at Kentucky (1997-1999) and New Mexico State (2005-08), he coached the defensive line for five seasons at Western Kentucky (2000-04). Over that five-year span, the Hilltoppers earned their way into the NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs each of those five seasons, and captured the 2002 National Championship with a 12-3 record. WKU defeated McNeese State, 34-14, in the I-AA National Championship game. In 2002, the Hilltopper defenders ranked No. 11 in the nation in scoring defense (allowing only 16.4 points per game to opponents), were No. 23 in total defense (279.2 yards per game) and were No. 27 in rushing defense (118.9 yards per game).

At Valdosta State from 1994-96, Fanoga served as the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator. His stay with the Blazers was highlighted by a 1996 season that saw Valdosta State reach the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Playoffs after posting a 10-2 record and capturing the Gulf South Conference Championship. In 1994, the Blazers posted an 11-2 mark and were ranked as high as No. 6 in the nation, led by a defensive unit that ranked No. 2 in the country in scoring defense.

He coached the defensive line and special teams at Iowa Wesleyan from 1990-93. His 1991 Iowa Wesleyan squad earned a berth in the NAIA Division I Playoffs, and finished the season ranked No. 7 in the country in the final NAIA rankings.

Prior to that, he was an assistant coach at Livingston University in Livingston, Ala., from 1989-90.

In addition to almost 30 years of college coaching experience, on two different occasions Fanoga participated in the National Football League (NFL) Fellowship program. He served fellowships with the Miami Dolphins in 1998 and Philadelphia Eagles in 2002. The program provides college coaches the opportunity to work with NFL organizations during the offseason to gain insight into the operations of NFL teams and NFL coaching staffs.

Fanoga, a native of American Samoa, is a former linebacker who initially played at Snow Community College in Ephraim, Utah from 1983 to 1984 before transferring to UTEP, where he earned varsity letters in 1985 and 1986 and earned a bachelor's degree in social work. He began his college-coaching career at UTEP from 1987-88.

Fanoga and his wife, Soana, have one daughter, Sydney.

Bear Note:
MSU's additional coaching move includes the promotion of offensive line coach Dwayne Foster to assistant head coach.

COURTESY MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Mid-Major Report: Moton has made N.C. Central an annual contender

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- There’s a team out in Durham that has won its last 28 conference games (31 if you count the conference tournament) and is led by one of the most engaging coaches in college basketball. That team is not Duke. It’s North Carolina Central.

Don’t get me wrong; the Blue Devils are really good, and the ACC is a bit of a step up from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, but that doesn’t make what LeVelle Moton is building any less of an accomplishment. Now in his sixth season at the helm, Moton has the Eagles (21-6, 13-0 MEAC) poised as a regular contender in the conference. This year will be the team's third straight 20-win season.



When you consider that the Eagles were an independent navigating the journey from Division II to D-I and won just seven games in Moton’s first year, it makes the achievement even greater. Moton, a former Eagles player himself, was inducted into the North Carolina Central Hall of Fame in 2004 and had a standout career at Enloe High School in Raleigh. The team made its first NCAA tournament appearance, a 93-75 loss to Iowa State, last season and has its sights set on getting back there again in 2015.

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