HBCUAC West Division Leader Baseball welcomes Dillard

MARSHALL, Texas – Riding the momentum of a dominant divisional sweep, the Wiley University baseball team returns to Coker Field this weekend for a pivotal three-game Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) series against Dillard University.

The action begins Saturday with a doubleheader starting at noon, followed by a single-game finale Sunday at noon.

The Wildcats (12-12, 6-3 HBCUAC) moved into a tie for first place in the West Division after a statement series against Philander Smith University. Wiley's offense exploded in the sweep, securing two of the three victories by double digits.

Leading the charge is Ivan Del Villar, the reigning HBCUAC Player of the Week. Del Villar put on a two-way clinic against Philander Smith, hitting .636 (7-for-11) with two home runs, seven runs, and nine RBIs. On the mound, he earned a victory in game two, allowing just two runs on four hits while striking out two.

Joining him in the weekly honors is John Barajas, who earned his second Newcomer of the Week award. Barajas hit .500 with a home run and five RBIs, while also moving to the mound to record the final three outs in the series opener.

The Wildcats' depth was on full display in the series finale, where Deekota Johnson tied a modern program record with six RBIs in a 3-for-4 performance. Pitchers Ethan Jones and Estevan Baca both improved to 3-0 on the season; Jones notched seven strikeouts over six innings, while Baca fanned three in four innings of work.

Dillard University enters the series after taking two of three games from Southern University at New Orleans. Under first-year head coach Melvin Marshall—the program's second leader in three seasons—the Bleu Devils feature a roster largely overhauled from previous postseason runs.

Despite the roster turnover, Dillard brings several potent bats to Marshall:

• Eddie Velazquez: Leading the team with a .500 batting average.

• Mike Lewis: Hitting .407 with 10 RBIs and a .741 slugging percentage.

• Noah Riley: Pacing the club with 12 RBIs while batting .388.

On the mound, the Bleu Devils rely on Trenton Rosebourgh (2.70 ERA in 16.1 innings) and strikeout leader Daryl Tillman, who has fanned 13 batters in 17.1 innings.

While Dillard took two of three from Wiley in New Orleans last season to claim a 6-5 overall series lead, the Wildcats held the upper hand overall in 2024. Wiley swept a three-game set at Airport Park and later eliminated the Bleu Devils from the HBCUAC Championship. This weekend marks Dillard's first-ever visit to Coker Field.