MLB’s Urban Youth Academy to stage weekend tournament
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The Dodgers and Angels are in spring training, but there will be some good baseball played in Southern California during the coming weekend.
The Major League Baseball Urban Youth Academy will stage the second Urban Invitational Baseball tournament this weekend at the academy’s facility on the campus of El Camino College in Compton.
The first tournament featured Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Two of those will return this year: Bethune-Cookman University of Daytona Beach, Fla., and Southern University of Baton Rouge, La.
They’ll play the University of San Diego and San Diego State (which will be coached by Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn) in a round-robin format.
The academy will also play host to a college fair on Saturday. More than 16 colleges and universities are expected to participate and provide information on college preparation, undergraduate and graduate degree programs, financial aid and scholarships.
The schedule:
Friday: Southern University vs. USD, 2 p.m., Bethune-Cookman vs. SDSU, 6 p.m.
Saturday: USD vs. Bethune-Cookman, 2 p.m., SDSU vs. Southern University, 6 p.m.
Sunday: Southern University vs. Bethune-Cookman, 1 p.m. at MLB Urban Youth Academy; SDSU vs. USD 1 p.m. at the University of San Diego
Tickets to games at the MLB Urban Youth Academy will be available for purchase on game day for $5.00. Children 12 and younger and students with a valid ID will be admitted free.
Proceeds from ticket sales will go to the academy, which is a nonprofit corporation and provides year-round instruction in baseball and softball.
Gwynn will participate in a first-pitch ceremony on Friday. Hall of Famers Duke Snider and Frank Robinson will do the honors on Saturday. There also will be a Little League clinic and a battle of the marching bands.
The academy is located at 901 E. Artesia in Compton.
-- Helene Elliott