Black College World Series 2023: Friday Scores, Winners and Bracket Results

Tonight will decide which schools battle for the 2023 Black College World Series Championship.

The two teams that emerge victorious from the NAIA and NCAA Division II finals Friday will face off in the title game Saturday at 6 pm ET.

Here's a rundown of Friday's results.

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Edward Waters 9, Bluefield State 6

Through seven innings, Bluefield State proved to be the biggest threat Edward Waters has faced in this tournament so far. The defending champions stared down a three-run deficit with only three frames left to go.

In the bottom of the seventh, an RBI single by Hunter Schoening got Edward Waters within two. A three-run home run off the bat of Caden Hutchinson, who closed out the school's 2022 championship on the mound last year, completed the comeback.

Edward Waters added two more runs in the eighth to eliminate Bluefield State with a 9-6 win. The Jacksonville, Florida, university advanced to face Albany State in the NCAA D-II final later Friday.

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Rust College 12, Paine College 6

After three scoreless innings Friday, Rust racked up five runs on an error, a bunt and a triple in the bottom of the fourth. Paine answered with five runs in the top of the next frame.

The score was not deadlocked for long. Rust added two runs in the bottom of the fifth, then five more in the seventh and eighth innings. Paine hit a homer in the seventh but was unable to make up the deficit.

Jalin Thomas led the Mississippi university with three RBI, while Stone Teague drew a game-high four walks. Pitcher Olin Evans earned the win with three strikeouts, two hits and one run in 4.2 innings.

With Paine eliminated, Rust will now head to the NAIA finals for a rematch against Florida Memorial. In their Round 1 matchup on Thursday, Rust lost, 7-4.

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Albany State 8, Edward Waters 3

The Black College World Series will have a new champion in 2023.

Edward Waters, which claimed the HBCU title last season, fell into an early seven-run deficit in an 8-3 elimination loss Albany State.

Starting pitcher Sebastian Velez struggled, and Albany State plated seven runners on seven hits in the top of the first.

Edward Waters earned one run back in the third and added two more in the ninth. Zane Ross led the victors with five hits, while Landon Kiefer allowed five hits and one run while striking out six in seven innings on the mound.

Albany State, winners of the NCAA DII bracket, will face the winner of Florida Memorial vs. Rust College in the championship game Saturday.

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Florida Memorial 13, Rust College 3

There has perhaps been no hotter team in the entire Black College World Series than Florida Memorial as it has dominated every single game that it's played. In back-to-back nights the Lions have beaten their opponents by ten runs and Rust College, a conference opponent, was their latest victim.

A six-run fourth inning gave Florida Memorial an early 9-0 advantage and effectively put the game out of reach for Rust College, who struggled to find offense all night long against Lions' starter Max Charnin.

Charnin pitched seven innings and only gave up two earned runs in the win.

Offensively, center fielder Jalen Young carried the load going 5-of-5 at the plate with three runs scored and three RBI.

Florida Memorial will continue their incredible run to the championship game against Albany State.