PITTSBURGH — A trio of Clay-Chalkville graduates came up big, lifting Stilman College to a 16-11 win over Wiley College in the inaugural HBCU Classic at PNC Park Monday, October 10.
Sophomore infielder Kobe Lewis had 4 RBI, Josh Ervin led the Tigers with three hits, and Bronson Sneed chipped in with a pair of hits, an RBI, and two amazing plays at shortstop in the NAIA exhibition baseball game hosted by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Stillman jumped on top early with a two-run bottom of the first inning. Bobby Woodard led off with a single and scored on a wild pitch. Moments later, Bilal Whittle scored on a sacrifice fly by Lewis, the first of his four RBI.
Lewis added a two-run single in the bottom of the second inning and later singled in a run. Ervin notched a single to tie the game, 9-9. In the sixth inning, Ervin delivered again, beating out an infield single that scored two on a hit-and-run. A freshman, Ervin started and played the entire game behind the plate at catcher while driving in the eventual winning runs.
Freshman Sneed finished the game 2-3 at the plate, including a single to center field in the seventh inning, pushing Joshua Wilson, a product of Gardendale High School, across the plate for an RBI.
Ervin led all Stillman hitters with a 3-for-6 night at the plate, while Lewis, Sneed, and Hines each had two hits. Woodard hit 1-for-1 with a pair of walks and three runs scored. Griff Minor, Josh Wilson, and Tre’en Dorsett each had a hit.
Stillman allowed only three hits but allowed 18 walks. The Tigers struck out nine, including three by Dorsett in the top of the ninth.
In addition to the game, Stillman College baseball players had the opportunity to meet with students at Perry High School to discuss college opportunities and learn more about Stillman.
“We were really excited about having an opportunity to play here, what it does for our program and what it does for our school in terms of getting us more visibility in this part of the country,” said Terrance Whittle, Still man head baseball coach and director of athletics. “It was great to be here with the revelry that the park has and the excitement the park gives off the players and the fans. One of the best parts about it was the foul ball chasing. I think everyone got a kick out of that and hearing the applause when a kid got the ball. That made the atmosphere any better.”
Stillman College will begin its NAIA regular season in February 2023.