Feb. 11, 2007

Final Stats

Daytona Beach, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman College opened up the game with four runs in the second inning and held on long enough to secure a three-game sweep of Mercer University on Sunday afternoon with a 5-3 non-conference win in a contest held at Daytona Beach Community College Stadium in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Coming into the day with a chance to pull off the unthinkable by many, Bethune-Cookman improved to 4-2 for the first time since 2002 when they started off 6-2. Not only that, but the Wildcats completed a three-game sweep over an Atlantic Sun Conference opponent for the first time in school history. The `Cats also won a series over an A-Sun opponent for the first time since defeating Florida Atlantic (2-1) back in 2002.

"Mercer is a very, very good team, and we were fortunate enough to get three good wins away from them this weekend," exclaimed B-CC head coach Mervyl Melendez. "Last year, they beat us in three good games up in Georgia, and they finished the year with a good record. This year, they started off by sweeping Miami and were able to get three very good wins for our program over a good team with a great coaching staff."

Mercer (2-3) jumped on the board first in the opening frame when Matt Crawford walked and then advanced to second base on a balk from B-CC starting pitcher Hiram Burgos. Tyler McCarty's single to right field plated Crawford on the next play, but he was cut down at second base trying to stretch the play into a double.

Mercer picked up their first lead of the weekend and led 1-0 after one and a half innings in the book.

In the second frame, B-CC put together a monstrous inning as they scored four runs in the home half of the frame.

Sophomore catcher Alejandro Jimenez singled to third, and then was drove in from a single to right field by freshman Justin Hoyte. Jimenez stole second earlier in the inning. That knotted the score at 1-1.

B-CC went out in front when José Almonte's single to center field scored Hoyte. Third baseman Luis Gonzalez singled to right field two batters later to plate Almonte for a 3-1 advantage in favor of Bethune-Cookman. The last run of the inning was put on when right fielder Angel Mercado laced a rocket single to right field that scored José Ortiz-Rivera from second base.

The Bears of Mercer scored runs in the third and fourth innings to bring the lead down to 4-3.

John Dortch led things off in the third inning with a solo homerun to left centerfield. Billy Shaughnessy singled in the fourth frame to drive in Mike Armstrong for the 4-3 B-CC lead.

B-CC got just the one run needed for security in the sixth inning as Ortiz-Rivera grounded out to short, but Hoyte came across to score for the 5-3 final.

The biggest thing for B-CC on the day was the work of the bullpen, which has been solid all season long to date.

"Our bullpen did a really good job for us today, but then again they have done that so far this year in each game for us," expressed Melendez. "Felix [Machado] and Phil [Enright] did great jobs of working out of jams on the mound and keeping runs off the board. They have just been phenomenal in game three's so far."

Both Phil Enright and Felix Machado went a combined four and a third innings on the mound and shut down the Mercer bats throughout ... spreading out just two hits in their action.

That set-up ace closer Francisco Gomez for his second save of the year.

Machado collected the win for the Wildcats, while Mercer's Justin Boyette was tagged with his first decision of the year in a losing effort. Machado collected a 1-0 start to his campaign out of the bullpen.

Mike Armstrong led the Bears at the plate with two hits in four at bats, including one run scored. Steven Karwatt collected two hits in four trips to the plate himself.

At the plate, Ortiz-Rivera collected two hits, including his third double of the year, in three trips with one RBI and one run scored. Almonte also registered two hits, one run and one RBI on the day.

"I was very impressed with our performance against Jacksonville last weekend, and I am even more astonished this weekend," exclaimed Melendez. "I'll say it again, this was a very good team we beat this weekend, and I think we are going to get better and better each time out on the diamond if we stay hungry and healthy."

The series sweep was the first non-conference series sweep of an opponent for the Wildcats since knocking off Canisius in 2003 in Daytona Beach. Bethune-Cookman College will now prepare for their third consecutive Atlantic Sun Conference opponent on Tuesday night when they travel to nearby DeLand, Fla. to meet up Stetson University. The contest will take place at Melching Field at 7 p.m.