Spring Sports Championships

DSU completed a four-game tournament sweep to capture the 2008 MEAC title and the league's automatic berth to the NCAA tournament.

"This is such a thrill for the team and the university," said Delaware State's Jeff Savage, who was named Most Outstanding Tournament Coach.

In the title clinching contest, Ruark allowed just two sixth inning singles. She struck out eight and walked three. Ruark was the winning pitcher in all four tournament wins to improve to 15-10 on the season.

The title game was scoreless until the fourth inning when Holloman delivered her big blow. Andrea Waters singled to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a one-out single by Sha Tabor. Two batters later, Holloman blasted a shot over the fence in right center to give the Hornets a 3-0 lead.

Holloman was named the Most Outstanding Performer of the tournament. She was 4-for-12 with six RBI in four games.

Ruark joined Holloman on the All-Tournament Team. She struck out 19 batters, while allowing just six runs and 16 hits in 26 tournament innings (2.07 ERA).

MEAC baseball tourney set
The defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) champion Bethune-Cookman Wildcats earned the top seed in the 2008 MEAC Baseball Championship. The tournament began Thursday, May 15 and runs thru Sunday 18 at the Marty L. Miller Baseball Field on the campus of Norfolk State.

The Wildcats dominated conference play en route to the 2008 MEAC regular season title with a 17-1 conference record, 33-20 overall. Winners of 11 MEAC baseball crowns, Bethune-Cookman will compete for their third consecutive title.

North Carolina A&T tallied a 11-6 conference mark, 27-27 overall to secure the second seed. Florida A&M and Delaware State finished the regular season tied at 11-7 in conference play. The Rattlers of FAMU secured the number three seed while the Delaware State Hornets claimed the four seed following the conference tie-breaker.

Norfolk State finished fifth and the Hawks of Maryland Eastern Shore finished in the sixth and final position for the second straight year. Coppin State (0-18) was eliminated from tournament play based on their conference finish.

Only the top six teams qualify to compete for the MEAC tournament title. The winner will earn an automatic berth to the NCAA Division I Baseball Regional scheduled for May 30- June 2.

SWAC baseball gets under way
Jackson State (35-20, 18-5) from the East Division and Southern (18-6, 26-16) from the West are the top seeds as the SWAC Championship Baseball Tournament got under way Wednesday, May 14 thru Sunday, May 18 at Southern University's Lee Hines Stadium.

Only the top four teams in each division earned their way to the tournament. Alabama A&M of the East and Arkansas-Pine Bluff of the West were eliminated from tournament play.

Defending SWAC champion Prairie View (21-24, 14-10) enters the tournament as the West's third seed just ahead of Texas Southern (12-32, 7-17). Grambling State (21-25, 15-9) is seeded second in the West.

Alcorn State (28-14, 15-9), Mississippi Valley State (17-23, 13-10) and Alabama State (13-20, 8-14) are seeded 2-4 in the East.

© 2008 Azeez Communications, Inc.

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