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FAMU baseball Fab Five playing in first-ever HBCU Swingman Classic: Here's what to know.
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- FAMU baseball Fab Five playing in first-ever HBCU Swingman Classic: Here's what to know.
Winning brings exposure.
So, the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Baseball Champions are getting their just due.
A quintet of Florida A&M Rattlers will play in the inaugural HBCU Swingman Classic on Friday, July 7 at 10:42 p.m. Eastern Time ― Jalen Niles , Hunter Viets Janmikell Bastardo , Ty Hanchey , and Ty Jackson .
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The game will take place at the Seattle Mariners ' T-Mobile Stadium as part of Major League Baseball's (MLB) All-Star Week.
Niles, shortstop, was valuable defensively for FAMU a season ago. The Tampa native had 82 putouts, 17 double plays, and a .949 fielding percentage. Additionally, Niles had 45 hits and a homerun for FAMU. He will return to the Rattlers as a redshirt junior next season.
"It really means a lot to do it not only for me, but for my family," Niles said during FAMU's HBCU Swingman Classic press conference. "I'm glad we have a bunch of guys going there because we put in the work and hopefully it leads to some guys getting a chance to play at the next level.
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"I want to put on for HBCU's."
Viets, pitcher, served as a main arm for FAMU in the last two seasons after transferring from Division II Auburn at Montgomery. Viets had a 3.45 ERA and struck out 81 batters in 16 games. The Pensacola native led the Rattlers to an 8-2 record as a starter and was named to the All-SWAC Second Team in his two years with FAMU.
"There's no other feeling like it," Viets said. "I'm glad there's tons of guys that can put on and show that HBCU baseball holds a lot of talent. Now a bunch of us gets to go to Seattle and keep doing big things for FAMU and HBCU's as a whole.
"A bunch of teammates to share this glory with is awesome."
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Bastardo, outfielder, played his first season with FAMU last season after transferring from fellow SWAC school Alabama A&M. The Fort Myers native had a .333 batting average with 54 RBI, and 13 homeruns during the 2022-2023 season. Bastardo, an All-SWAC Second Team selection, will return to the Rattlers next season as a graduate student.
Hanchey, catcher, performed well in his final college baseball season where he had a .352 batting average, 76 hits, and 11 homeruns. The Virginia Beach native became the first-ever Rattler to be named to a NCAA Regional All-Tournament for his performance in Gainesville, where FAMU fell by three runs apiece to the eventual Men's College World Series runner-ups Florida and No. 10 ranked UConn .
Jackson, outfielder, was a late addition to compete in Friday's all-star game. Jackson made the jump from junior college East Georgia to NCAA Division I by joining FAMU. And it was a seamless transition. The Jacksonville native led the Rattlers in batting average (.373), runs (65), and was tied with teammate Hanchey at 76 hits. Jackson, an All-SWAC Second Team selection, will return to FAMU as a senior next season.
Here's what to know about MLB All-Star Weekend's Inaugural HBCU Swingman Classic
Florida A&M baseball outfielder Ty Jackson runs onto the field as the Rattlers warm up for the NCAA Tournament Gainesville Regional against Florida at Condron Family Ballpark in Gainesville, Florida, Friday, June 2, 2023
The HBCU Swingman Classic participants were selected by an 11-man committee that included FAMU baseball great, Baseball Hall of Famer Andre Dawson and former Southern head coach, College Baseball Hall of Famer Roger Cador .
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13-time all-star and Baseball Hall of Famer, Ken Griffey Jr. , whose son, Tevin, attends FAMU , spearheaded and was integral into the Swingman Classic's inception alongside the MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation .
"It gives an opportunity for these guys to be seen ― plus, they want to continue their baseball career like everybody else," Griffey told the MLB Network's Harold Reynolds. "This is an opportunity for these guys to be out there on a big stage, to have some fun with some guys who played the game at a high level and learn some things."
Former MLB managers Jerry Manuel and Bo Porter will manage the teams.
The HBCU Swingman Classic will be serve as the first pitch of five days of festivities for the 2023 MLB All-Star Weekend in Seattle.
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The game will be broadcasted from T-Mobile Stadium via the MLB Network.
Tickets are also available via Ticketmaster for $10.
Gerald Thomas, III covers Florida A&M University Athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at gdthomas@gannett.com or on Twitter @3peatgee .
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU Baseball: Five Rattlers playing in inaugural HBCU Swingman Classic
