By Eric Olson
In a sport committed to increasing its number of Black players, Southern University’s upset of LSU this week was a victory for all HBCU baseball programs.
The level of play and coaching at historically Black colleges and universities has risen in recent years but wins over Power Five programs, let alone a defending national champion, have been rare. Southern’s 12-7 victory Monday at Alex Box Stadium — 20 minutes south of its campus in Baton Rouge, Louisiana — was only the sixth since 2020 by an HBCU against an opponent from Division I’s top level.
“It helps HBCUs because kids across the board will see a Southern and think if they can beat an LSU, maybe I can be on that roster as a student-athlete and try to elevate that program,” said Michael Coker, who has written about HBCU baseball for 25 years and runs the website Black College Nines. “That’s the significance of an HBCU knocking off a (top) team — they tend to get a few more really good players who would have not even considered an HBCU.”
One of those good players who migrated to Southern is Tyeler Hawkins. He spent four years at Louisville and got limited playing time after being ranked the No. 2 outfielder in Kentucky by Perfect Game and making all-state three times during his prep career in Lexington.
Southern coach Chris Crenshaw went into the transfer portal last summer to land Hawkins, a graduate student who said an HBCU seemed like a good place to “ball out.” Hawkins did just that against LSU, going 3 for 6 with a home run and three RBIs.
“That was probably the greatest moment I’ve ever had on a baseball field, genuinely, and I’m glad I had it with these dudes,” Hawkins said. “I’m genuinely happy here. I’m blessed. We are blessed.”
The Jaguars (12-13) went into Monday’s game with seven wins in their last eight games. The Tigers (20-10) had lost five of six and were swept at No. 1 Arkansas over the weekend.
“It already was in the air,” Hawkins said, referring to the conditions for an upset.
Kameron Byrd, Jalon Mack and KJ White had two hits apiece and Ryan Ollison doubled and drove in three runs. The Jaguars produced eight runs with two outs.
Nick Luckett, Antoine Harris and Jerry Burkett II held LSU to four hits and combined for 11 strikeouts. They also walked 11, but LSU was just 1 for 14 with runners in scoring position.