Category: VSU

Championship Day is Upon Us!

WILSON, N.C. – John Melvin (LA) got a walk-off double to defeat Apprentice 11-10 Friday and earn its way into Saturday’s NSAC Baseball Championship game.

The top-seeded Millers gave up seven runs in the second inning and appeared doomed to enter the losers bracket but methodically clawed its way back into the game, sealing it in the seventh.

Lighthouse Christian, John Melvin (FL) and Mid-Atlantic Christian were eliminated on Friday. Virginia State and Apprentice will meet Saturday morning at 10:30 Eastern for the chance to advance to the title game against JMU.

Livestream for all games is available at wilsontobs.com.

Day One in the Books at NSAC Championship

WILSON, N.C. – The first day of action at Fleming Stadium was marked by solid play and several big innings.

GAME ONE: #3 Apprentice 8, #6 Lighthouse Christian 6

GAME TWO: #5 Virginia State 11, #4 John Melvin (FL) 6

GAME THREE: #3 Apprentice 7, #2 Mid-Atlantic Christian 5

GAME FOUR: #1 John Melvin (LA) 12, #5 Virginia State 5

Play resumes Friday morning at 9:30 am Eastern time at Fleming Stadium in Wilson. All six teams are still in contention in the double-elimination tournament. You can watch each game via livestream at wilsontobs.com.

Graphic by WildCard Entertainment

Jones, Leblanc, Snell Lead 2025 All-Conference Selections

New South Athletic Conference baseball coaches have selected Gavin Leblanc (JMU-LA) as the 2025 Pitcher of the Year and Tobin Jones (JMCC-FL) and Travis Snell (MACU) as Co-Players of the Year.

Leblanc, a senior lefty, made 11 starts for the Millers with a 5-2 Record, threw for 63.1 Innings, giving up only 46 hits and 27 walks, with 85 strikeouts for a 2.84 ERA and .203 BAA.

Jones and Snell tied in the voting for Offensive POY.

Jones, a 6’3″ sophomore outfielder, had a batting average of .375 in 72 ABs, a slugging percentage of .819 for an OPS of 1.284, with 27 hits, 9 homers, and 24 RBIs.

Senior outfielder Snell also put up impressive numbers for the Mustangs, batting .447 with 129 PA’s, a slugging percentage .660, with 5 HRs and 28 RBIs.

“Congratulations to our players of the year as well as all of the outstanding student-athletes that make up the 2025 NSAC All-Conference Team,” said commissioner Mike Davis. “They have made this one of the most exciting campaigns yet in NSAC baseball, with more fireworks to come in Wilson.”

2025 All-Conference First Team

  • Zander Mizelle, P, Apprentice
  • Charley Higginbotham, P, Apprentice
  • Kevin Rodriguez, P, Atlantis
  • Dakota Jacobsen, P, MACU
  • Jeremiah Cabrera, P, MACU
  • Tobin Jones, OF, JMCC (FL)
  • Trevor Durr, C, JMU
  • Jaden Guthrie, 2B, Virginia State
  • Nate Yeary, OF, Apprentice
  • L. Valentin, Lighthouse
  • Jeremy Harmon, C, Apprentice
  • Travis Snell, OF, MACU
  • Thomas Ealey, OF, Virginia State
  • Braeden Morgan, 2B, JMU (LA)
  • Eduardo Perez, C, Atlantis
  • Justin Suarez, 2B, Atlantis
  • Landen Miller, C/DH, MACU
  • Gavin Leblanc, P, JMU (LA)

All-Conference Second Team

  • Dalon Arrington, P, MACU
  • Garrett Walker, P, JMU (LA)
  • Caleb Ougel, P, JMU (LA)
  • Cole Crocker, P, JMCC (FL)
  • Logan Fleming, P, JMCC (FL)
  • Eduardo Roque, P, Atlantis
  • Jesus Gonzalez, P, Atlantis
  • Kevin Rodriguez, P, Atlantis
  • G. Deroche, Lighthouse
  • H. Molina, Lighthouse
  • L. Villasana, Lighthouse
  • H. Ojeda, Lighthouse
  • Noah Watkins, OF, JMU (LA)
  • Sammy Maddox, 1B, JMU (LA)
  • Connor Pleasant, SS, JMU (LA)
  • Nick Redman, P, Apprentice
  • Josiah Collado, C/OF, MACU
  • Rafael (RJ) Cabrera, IF, MACU
  • Victor Johnson, OF, Virginia State
  • Jacquan Tucker, 1B, Virginia State
  • TJ McGowan, 3B, Virginia State
  • Marcos Medina, INF, Atlantis
  • Nathaniel Gomez, CF, Atlantis
  • Gianni Rodriguez 3B/DH, Atlantis
  • Hunter Johnson, IF, Apprentice
  • Camden Richardson, P, Apprentice
  • Jett Winslow, IF, Apprentice

Image courtesy Carla Walker/SportsPicsByCarla; WildCard Entertainment

Baseball All-Academic Team Recognized

The New South Athletic Conference is proud to honor the baseball players from its member institutions who have made academics a priority. “These young men are to be commended for their commitment to academic excellence as well as athletics,” said commissioner Mike Davis. “It is my privilege to congratulate them on a job well done.”

Each student-athlete must carry a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0-point scale to be recognized as an All-Academic Team Member.

The Apprentice School

  • Jaeden Anderson
  • Justin Bradshaw
  • Tommy Distler
  • Jeremy Harmon
  • Aiden Henry
  • Hunter Johnson
  • Isaac McCallister
  • Chase Mytrysak
  • Matt Phoebus
  • Bryce Post
  • Caleb Russwell
  • Jake Sanchez-Tiller
  • Camden Weston

Atlantis University

  • Alejandro Uribe
  • Jonathan Vassllo
  • Justin Suarez
  • Travis Knowles
  • Joshua Polanco
  • Matthew Lopez
  • Ozzyel Gabbarro 
  • Marcos Medina 
  • Eduardo Roque 
  • Alex Socarras
  • Jesus Ramos
  • Francisco Bracho
  • Walter Mamarella 
  • Jonathan Mustlier 
  • Diyer Schafer
  • Daniel Zayas 
  • Christian Olazabal

John Melvin Christian College (FL)

  • Zane Alford
  • Kyle Brealond
  • James (Tripp) Cameron
  • Braden Clark
  • Landon Cooper
  • Landon Glaesmann
  • Tate Glover
  • Reagan Grace
  • Daniel Hernandez
  • Raymond Missett
  • Dane Mallon
  • Preston Barnett
  • Cole Patrick
  • Logan Flemming
  • Brayden Plouffe
  • Logan Snowden
  • Cole Crocker
  • Isaiah Redfearn
  • Lane Kasper
  • Connor Rosenberg
  • Austin Holstein
  • Tobin Jones
  • Donovan Hawkins
  • Garrison Head
  • Jimmy Reynolds
  • Jordan Taylor
  • Zachary Barrientos
  • Kaden Fritter
  • Andrew Bailey
  • Timothy Lambert
  • Price Bowen
  • Avery Newton
  • Steele Marshall
  • Grant Belote
  • Brodie Dalton

John Melvin University (LA)

  • Andrew Ashby
  • Gavin Gary
  • Trevor Durr
  • Connor Pleasant
  • Willy Flynn
  • Gavin LeBlanc
  • Noah Watkins
  • Peyton Ford
  • Sammy Maddox
  • Sam Crowe
  • Garrett Walker
  • Josh Guidroz
  • Troy Morel
  • Gavin Walker
  • Taylor Walters
  • Bryce Oquinn 
  • Caleb Ougel
  • Jonah Callais
  • Lane Kratzer
  • Luke Primeaux
  • Braeden Morgan
  • Cabet Blanchard
  • JT Teuton
  • Cooper Chase
  • Zayne Earl
  • Tyler Knippers
  • Eli Musgraves
  • Josh Jones
  • Kohen LeJeune
  • Noah Berg
  • Brian Ellender
  • Jackson Day
  • Connor Molaison
  • Colt LeJeune
  • Trey Lagrange
  • Raylee Thomas

Lighthouse Christian College

  • Luis “Valentin” Diaz
  • James Andrew Davis 
  • Juan Pablo Finol 
  • Yhulman Ryhan Ortiz 
  • Trevor Jeremiah Medlin 
  • Dilan Veras 
  • Jose Alejandro Sanchez 
  • Quinton Renfroe 
  • Jean Carlos Quezada Sosa 
  • Gavin Neade 
  • Joshua Landis 
  • Trent Austin Knighten 
  • Robert-Isaac Gates 
  • Solomon Gant 
  • Carlos Brown 
  • Clayton “Clay” Allen 

Mid-Atlantic Christian University

  • Dalon Arrington
  • Titus Bleckley
  • RJ Cabrera
  • Josiah Collado
  • Aidan Guise
  • Dakota Inman
  • Landon Miller
  • Travis Snell
  • Tristan Stinson

Virginia State University

  • Preston Branzelle 
  • Alex Dayle
  • Thomas Ealey
  • Jayden Guthrie
  • Andrew Jackson
  • Norman Jackson 
  • David Johnson
  • Charles Jones
  • Gene Ligon
  • Josh Mahon
  • TJ McGowan
  • Marquis Smith 
  • Jaquan Tucker
  •  Julius Turner

Photo by Harati Project on Unsplash

Millers Top Seed for NSAC Championship

WILSON, N.C. – With the conclusion of conference play on Thursday, John Melvin University (LA) clinched the number one seed for next week’s New South Athletic Conference baseball tournament.

The NSAC coaches elected to use a weighted formula for this year’s seeding due to unbalanced schedules, granting a 60 percent weight to NSAC games and 40 percent to non-conference contests, but the calculated result aligned with the conference standings anyway. With only a handful of non-conference games still to be played, no team can overtake another.

Tournament play gets underway Thursday, May 1 at Fleming Stadium in Wilson, North Carolina.

SEEDINGS:

  1. John Melvin (LA)
  2. Mid-Atlantic Christian
  3. Apprentice
  4. John Melvin (FL)
  5. Virginia State
  6. Lighthouse Christian

Trojans Play Spoiler in Pair of Wins over Builders

HAMPTON, Va. – Virginia State took a doubleheader sweep of Apprentice Thursday afternoon winning both games 4-3. The pair of NSAC wins was just enough to knock the Builders from second to third in the seedings for next week’s conference tournament in Wilson, North Carolina.

GAME 1: VSU 4 APP 3

Both teams would get a hit in the first but wouldn’t score. In the top of the second inning Norman Jackson hit a one-out double that landed just fair, but he was left stranded.

The opening batter got on to start the third for the Builders via an error, then advanced to third after back-to-back groundouts. Preston Branzelle then got out of the inning after striking out the last batter.

TJ McGowan started the fourth with a single up the middle. A one-out double by Victor Johnson allowed McGowan to round the bases to score the first run of the game. Jackson then hit a single up the middle to bring home Johnson.

Hector Rivera continued the strong inning, hitting his first collegiate home run just inside the left field foul pole making it 3-0 Trojans.

The Builders managed to answer with runners on the corners with one out in their half of the fourth. Apprentice would use a two-out single to get on the board.

Marquis Smith started the fifth with a single then advanced to second after a Thomas Ealey sacrifice bunt, but would be left on third.

Apprentice used a two-out rally in the sixth to score another run making it 3-2 going into the seventh inning.

Back-to-back one-out singles in the top of the seventh got a runner in scoring position for VSU. McGowan hit a single up the middle to add an insurance run for Virginia State.

The Builders opened their half of the seventh with a walk, then a failed pickoff attempt allowed the runner to advance to third. That runner would come around to score after a groundout.

Branzelle tossed a complete game to pick up his fourth win of the season.

GAME 2: VSU 4 APP 3

McGowan managed to get to second after a single, then a failed pickoff attempt, but was left stranded. Gavin Stevens pitched a 1-2-3 inning on only six pitches to open the game.

After a double play to start the bottom of the second, the Builders put a runner on second, but Stevens was able to get the third out.

With two outs in the third Ealey worked a walk, then Jaden Guthrie hit the Trojans’ second homerun on the day into the left field stands making it 2-0.

The Trojans used small ball in the fourth after Jaquan Tucker hit a leadoff single, then was bunted over to second. Jackson then hit a single up the middle to score Tucker and advanced to second on the throw. After a Rivera single, Joshua Mahan laid down a sac bunt to score Jackson but was thrown out trying to go for second.

The Builders managed to load the bases in their half of the fourth with no outs. A sac fly followed by a failed pickoff attempt allowed all three runners to score making it 4-3.

Neither team got a baserunner in scoring position in the fifth or sixth inning.

In the seventh Jaron Ward was hit by a pitch then advanced to second after a wild pitch with one out.

Stevens faced the bottom of the Builders’ lineup in the seventh inning and got the first out via a strikeout. A HBP then a single to left put two runners on for Apprentice. The next batter grounded out to move the winning and tying runs into scoring position. Smith then caught the final out to win game two 4-3.

Stevens picked up his fourth win of the season.

VSU has clinched fifth in the conference tournament.

Story courtesy Virginia State Athletics; image courtesy Chris Wagaman/Waugtography

MACU Wins Twin Bill to Sweep Series at VSU

ETTRICK, Va. – Mid-Atlantic Christian took both ends of Saturday’s doubleheader to sweep the NSAC series with Virginia State 5-4 in game one and 5-3 in game two.

GAME 1: MACU 5, VSU 4

Preston Branzelle kept the Mustangs off the board in the top of the first. In the bottom half Thomas Ealey hit a one out single then stole second. TJ McGowan and Victor Johnson hit back-to-back singles to drive in the Trojans first run. Norman Jackson then hit a sac fly to bring in McGowan.

MACU scored three in the second. VSU answered in the third after loading the bases with zero outs. Hector Rivera hit a sac fly to score McGowan.

The Mustangs added two more runs in the fourth in the Trojans half Thomas Chandler started with a double then advanced to third. McGowan the hit a two out single to score Chandler.

In the bottom of the fifth Rivera and Erik Romero managed to get into scoring position with one out but were left stranded and that would be the last scoring chance for either team in game one.

GAME 2: MACU 5, VSU 4

Neither team in the first, with Charles Jones pitching a 1-2-3 inning.

In the second, a leadoff walk and a single put runners on the corners with no one out. Back-to-back flyballs allowed one run to score.

In the bottom half Johnson started off with a double then came around to score after the next two batters advanced him to third and home.

In the fourth MACU had back-to-back one-out walks, then a double down the right field line allowed both of those runs to score. The Mustangs added two more runs in the fifth.

The Trojans’ Caden Willis-Sagers walked to open the bottom half of the fifth, followed by a Marquis Smith single. Ealey then advanced both runners after bunting them over. Jaden Guthrie then hit a long single that hit off the top of the wall to score both runners, but that ended the scoring.

Mid-Atlantic Christian improves to 22-18 (10-6 NSAC) while VSU drops to 9-23 (5-10 NSAC).

Story courtesy Virginia State Athletics. Image courtesy Chris Waugaman/Waugtography

Tournament Seedings Taking Shape with One Week to Go

WILSON, N.C. – With just a little over one week left in the 2025 NSAC baseball regular season, we’re seeing the seedings fall into place.

Prior to the season, league coaches voted to base the seedings on a weighted formula granting a 60 percent weight to conference games and 40 percent to non-conference matchups. Yet as of today, that calculation has made no difference: the results are the same. However, with a few series left and several positions in contention, that could change in the home stretch.

TeamNSAC Pct.Overall Pct.Weighted Pct.
1. John Melvin (LA).867.511.725
2. Apprentice.714.647.687
3. Atlantis.667.618.647
4. Mid-Atlantic Chr..571.526.553
5. John Melvin (FL).400.368.387
6. Virginia State.385.310.355
7. Lighthouse Chr..227.194.214

The tournament gets underway at Fleming Stadium in Wilson, North Carolina at 9:30 am on Thursday May 1.

Photo by Wade Austin Ellis on Unsplash

MACU Takes Extra Innings to Slip Past VSU

ETTRICK, Va. – Jack Valachovic singled in RJ Cabrera for the winning run in the 12th inning as Mid-Atlantic took down Virginia State 8-6 Friday afternoon in NSAC action.

The Mustangs, ranked third in the latest USCAA baseball poll, scored in the first inning then sat the Trojans down in order in the bottom half. In the second VSU started with Jaquan Tucker getting Hit by Pitch, then Erik Romero hit a one out double. Hector Rivera then hit a single to bring in Tucker. MACU started the third with back-to-back singles to get runners on the corners. The next batter then hit an RBI groundout. In the bottom half, Thomas Ealey hit a one out single then advanced to second. TJ McGowan then doubled to tie the game at 2.

MACU added another run in the fourth before VSU answered with Victor Johnson starting with a single in the bottom half. Romero followed with a single of his own ,and Rivera hit the third straight single to load the bases. David Johnson then pinch hit and hit a single to bring in two runs. Ealey hit a triple to get Rivera home. The Mustangs continued to answer putting up three runs in the fifth to lead 6-5. Both pitching staffs would shut down the offenses until the bottom of the ninth. Rivera started with a double, Norman Jackson then hit a pinch-hit single which brought in the tying run. In the bottom of the tenth, the Trojans had an opportunity to win the game after getting a runner to second with two outs, but he was left stranded. MACU then took advantage in the 12th inning putting up two runs, first Cabrera and then Darris Boswell. In the bottom half, Romero hit a double but was left stranded there.

With the loss VSU drops to 9-21 overall and will be back in action tomorrow Saturday April 19 against Mid-Atlantic Christian for an NSAC doubleheader and Senior Day. Senior Day is scheduled for 12:30 and first pitch at 1 p.m.

Story courtesy Virginia State Athletics

Dominant Pitching Performances Help Trojans Sweep Makos

ETTRICK, Va. – Virginia State used two dominant pitching performances to sweep Lighthouse Christian 6-3 in game one and 4-1 in game two of a Wednesday NSAC doubleheader.

GAME 1 VSU 6 LCC 3

Lighthouse managed to score three runs in the first while keeping the Trojans off the board for the first two innings.

In the third TJ McGowan was Hit by Pitch then Victor Johnson singled to the shortstop. Norman Jackson then singled to right field which allowed McGowan to score.

Then in the fourth inning the Trojans loaded the bases with no outs, Jaden Guthrie then singled and McGowan was HBP. Johnson hit a double down the right field line, Norman Jackson hit into a fielder’s choice allowing five runs to come across to score in the inning.

Charles Jones settled down after the first inning, only allowing one hit in the final six innings. He finished with four strikeouts and earned his first win of the season.

GAME 2 VSU 4 LCC 1

DeCarlos Nora III got the start on the mound in game two. He used a double play to get out of the inning.

In the bottom half Thomas Ealey started with a single, followed by a Guthrie double to third. McGowan the hit an RBI ground out then Johnson hit a single to left.

Then in the fourth inning Johnson started the inning with a homer to left field. Erik Romero then got on via an error, stole second and Hector Rivera doubled to bring him home

Nora III took a no hitter into the fifth inning, and with two outs in the fifth, the Makos got their first hit.

Then in the sixth LCC managed to score a run, then Nora only allowed one hit and used a double play to win his first career game.

Virginia State now improves to 9-20 overall and will be back in action Friday April 18 against Mid-Atlantic Christian for a nine-inning game at 3 p.m.

Story courtesy Virginia State Athletics; image courtesy Chris Waugaman/Waugtography