April 21, 2007

Box Score

Daytona Beach, Fla. - Dogs and Cats were at it once again on Saturday as Bethune-Cookman and South Carolina State renewed their softball rivalry at Sunnyland Park in Daytona Beach, Fla. The Wildcats of B-CU took the first game, 12-8, before S.C. State collected a win in the nightcap affair, 3-1.

B-CU (19-30) first-year head coach Chris Cochran never imagined that one injury would play a major factor in the end of this season more than it has. For that matter, neither did the team or fans of the Wildcats either.

But that is exactly what is happening as Coach Cochran was forced to pull a card from beneath her sleeve once again with yet another pitcher that has yet to see collegiate time in the pitcher's circle in three or more years of NCAA Division I softball under their belt. After senior catcher Andrea Thomas was asked to perform the task last weekend at the MEAC Round-Up, going a very respectable 1-3 with two tough losses by a combined three runs ... junior infielder Holly Bussey was given the ball this time.

Bussey has not pitched since her freshman year in high school back in 2000. But Coach Cochran had faith in her and the bats to perform ... and a series of classic games was to follow for both fans and players on the night.

With the game moved to a 5 p.m. start due to B-CU student-athletes taking exams, the contest was played under the lights at venerable Sunnyland Park with a crowd of nearly 100 in attendance for the event ... with grills and coolers all around.

SCSU (6-40) jumped ahead 3-1 in the second inning of the first game.

A furious two-out rally started by a dropped fly ball in the outfield allowed SCSU to tie the game at 1-1 as Janae Palmer crossed the plate with the bases already loaded, along with third baseman Darneshia Ross for the go-ahead score at 2-1. The Lady Bulldogs took a 3-1 advantage when shortstop Krystal Anthony singled back up the middle to bring in Felicia Hemphill on the play.

B-CU bounced back in the bottom of the frame to score six runs as 10 batters stepped to the plate in the inning.

Andrea Thomas, back behind the plate for the first time in five games, started things off with a single to left field and then stole second base to get herself into scoring position. Pitcher Tameika Jonas across the plate to knot the game at 3-3.

B-CU junior first baseman Brandi Holley then collected a two-run scoring double that scored Christina Trimble and Bussey for the go-ahead score at 5-3. Senior Shaterra Davis collected an RBI in the next at-bat, while Thomas once again batted posting the second of her two RBI day with a single to left that scored Davis.

The `Cats led 7-1 at the end of two innings of play.

Bethune-Cookman went on to score one run in each of the next two innings before S.C. State plated four runs at the top of the fifth inning to bring the dramatic back into play.

Hemphill's single to right field moved Palmer to third base to put runners at the corners with two outs ... thus sparking another two-out rally for the Lady Bulldogs.

Sade Wilson tripled to centerfield to clear the bases and put the Lady Bulldogs back into striking distance at 9-6. Wilson came in to score along with teammate Anthony when first baseman Channell Thompson doubled to right field to cut the B-CU lead at 9-8.

SCSU's Palmer had to try and shut down the hot-hitting Wildcats in the bottom of the inning to keep her team in it, but Christina Trimble had other plans. Trimble's two-run double to left center allowed Bussey and sophomore Breanna Shaw to score as Coach Cochran waved Bussey around third as she charged in from first base. That pushed the Wildcats out to an insurmountable 11-8 lead.

Freshman right fielder Trashonda Coven collected her third hit of the game when she singled to right field scoring Trimble on the play for the 12-8 final.

The win went to B-CU's Bussey who collected her first collegiate victory in going seven full innings in the pitcher's circle. She gave up eight runs (five earned) on 11 hits with two strikeouts in her debut. On the other end, SCSU's Palmer took the loss as she allowed 12 runs (seven earned) on 17 hits. She, like Bussey, also fanned two batters.

Offensively, the Wildcats were led in the first game by three players. Bussey helped her own cause by going 4-for-5 at the plate with two RBI and two runs. Both Andrea Thomas and Trashonda Coven collected 3-for-4 outings at the plate with one run each, respectively. Thomas also collected two RBI for the `Cats.

SCSU was led by Felicia Hemphill with two hits while crossing the plate three times for runs scored. Four other Lady Bulldogs collected multi-hit outings in the game as well.

In the second contest, the game became defensive after the offensive explosion occurred in the first game.

The pitcher's duel was set between B-CU's Bussey and SCSU's TaTreka Polite. The Lady Bulldogs jumped out on top first in the top-half of the opening inning, 2-0.

After leadoff hitter Sade Wilson walked to open up the game, she advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Krystal Anthony. Wilson was plated on the next batter by Channell Thompson's triple to right center. Catcher Tifanie Lewis then singled in the next at-bat to score Thompson for the 2-0 lead in favor of the visitors from Orangeburg, S.C.

Bussey and the Wildcats defense settled in after that while SCSU was in full groove before a great fourth inning from both sides.

After second baseman Emerald Freeman singled and stole second, she was brought in on an RBI Keyona Dunan as she took a Bussey pitch to center field and put the Lady Bulldogs on top 3-0.

The B-CU Wildcats came back in the bottom of the inning as Polite was solved and tagged for a double to center field right off the bat to start off the inning by third baseman Christina Trimble. Shaterra Davis singled through the right side to advance Trimble to third before she scored on the play courtesy an error on the SCSU outfield.

Polite ended the scoring threat after that with a strikeout and fly out to end the side.

The B-CU faithful was up on their feet in the seventh when the Wildcats got back into scoring position in a last at-bat attempt.

Andrea Thomas walked and advanced to second on a Chelsea Squillacote ground-out. Freshman Squillacote, coming over from the B-CU bowling squad was playing in her first two games of the year for the Wildcats went just 0-for-6 in her first collegiate softball series. She played at nearby Mainland High School last year.

Thomas then advanced to third on a passed ball, and Tameika Jonas walked to put runners at the corner with two outs. But B-CU was unable to tie up the game as Polite induced a fly out to center field to end the contest.

Polite collected the win while Bussey fell to 1-1 on the year.

Polite worked all seven innings while giving up one unearned run and scattering four hits in the game. She also struck-out three batters and walked three others.

As for B-CU's Bussey, she worked seven innings while spreading out five hits and allowing three runs and fanning two batters.

Holly Bussey, similar to Thomas last weekend, worked well in the circle for her first time out but was unable to get timely hits from her teammates to get the sweep.

Breanna Shaw went 2-for-4 for the Wildcats while Trimble and Davis both collected the other hits for B-CU.

Since the departure of starting pitcher Andrea Thomas who was still hurting behind the plate today from last weekend's courageous pitching performance in the MEAC Round-Up.

The Wildcats will gather themselves and prepare for another big weekend of softball next weekend as they travel to North Carolina for a two-day swing in the Triad. On Friday, the `Cats will take on MEAC foe North Carolina A&T before traveling west for a showdown with the newest member of the conference in Winston-Salem State.