March 22, 2008

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

Tallahassee, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman University was strong in all areas on Saturday as the visiting Wildcats delivered a convincing 10-0 and 9-1 doubleheader sweep over Florida A&M University at Moore-Kittles Field in Tallahassee, Fla.

As the conference-opener for both teams, it was apparent that the homestanding FAMU Rattlers (2-10, 0-2 MEAC) were a bit rusty with more than a 10-day layoff since their last outing against Edward Waters. The Rattlers could not muster up much scoring on the day ... and the 11-time defending champs from Daytona Beach seemed ready to take advantage.

B-CU (13-7, 2-0 MEAC) jumped on top early as they were able to rattle FAMU starter Cirilo Manego in the opening inning of the first game.

As Mark Brooks and José Ortiz reached base safely to kickoff the first frame, first baseman Osvaldo Torres collected a sacrifice fly to right field to bring in Brooks from third. That was followed by a wild pitch from Manego leading to Ortiz following Brooks across home plate. Third baseman Emmanuel Castro's single to left rounded out the scoring in the first inning for the `Cats as José Lozada scampered in from third.

B-CU led 3-0 after the first inning.

The Wildcats added to their advantage with a four-run outburst in the second on the strength of a run-scoring single by Ortiz that plated senior outfielder Neal Jones ... as well as another Rattlers error that allowed Brooks to scurry in on the play as well. Ortiz would score on a ground-out RBI by Torres to vault B-CU to a 7-0 lead after two innings of play.

Castro led-off the third inning with a solo homerun to post his third of the season in that category. Chris Brown did the same in the seventh with his third long ball of the year to put the Wildcats on top 9-0. The scoring was rounded out in the first game when Patrick Jones reached on an error but picked up the RBI to push across freshman Jeremy Ruperto for the final of 10-0 in favor of Bethune-Cookman.

The win went to Hiram Burgos on the mound for his second win of the year to move to 2-0. He went seven frames on the hill spreading out seven hits with six strikeouts and a walk. Behind him was reliever Darrin Young who a went flawless two innings on the bump with two fanned Rattlers.

The loss went to FAMU's Manego who dropped to 0-3 on the year as he went just one (1) inning for the Rattlers. He was hit for seven runs (three earned) on four hits with four walks. The relief effort of Artist Patton was great for FAMU as he seemed to do a good job of cooling off the early-hot Wildcat bats with six innings on the mound and two runs (earned) and two hits. Patton also collected three strikeouts.

B-CU was led at the plate in the first game by Castro with a 2-for-4 showing, as well as Ortiz and Brooks with a hit and two runs apiece, respectively.

In the second game of the doubleheader, it was a scout's dream on the day as B-CU head coach Mervyl Melendez put the ball in the hand of junior Joseph "Gio" Gautier on the hill for the Wildcats. Just as he has been in weeks past, Gautier was almost flawless.

After getting into early trouble in the first with a walk, Gautier was nearly "perfect" the rest of the way as he threw his second career one-hitter.

B-CU warmed up their bats in the second inning with an RBI single by Castro to bring around junior designated hitter Chris Brown for the early 1-0 lead. The `Cats added to that newfound advantage later in the frame when Brooks was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to allow catcher Drew Clark to walk in from third. Ortiz collected a sacrifice fly to center field that pushed across Justin Hoyte for the 3-0 lead.

In the third frame, the Maroon and Gold struck again as Clark posted a run-scoring double down the right field line to plate Torres for the 4-0 advantage.

The long ball came back in the fourth as Torres posted his third homerun of the year for a two-run shot that also scored Lozada on the play.

With B-CU up 6-0 heading into the bottom pf the fourth inning, FAMU reached the scoreboard for the only time of the day as Darryl Evans plated Corey McFadden with a sacrifice fly to right to cut the Wildcats advantage at 6-1.

B-CU would immediately answer back in the top-half of the fifth as Neal Jones posted his first homerun of the year with a two-run shot to right field that plated Clark as well. The final score of the game came when Neal Jones in the seventh.

The win went to Gautier who improved to 2-1 on the season with a five-inning, one-hit showing on the bump. The one run scored on him was unearned due to errors by the B-CU infield. Gautier allowed just one hit with four strikeouts and two walks allowed.

In his place on the mound in relief efforts was freshman Joseph Munoz who finished up the final two frames with two strikeouts and a walk.

The loss went to FAMU's Miguel Parga who dropped to 0-1 in his first decision on the bump for the Rattlers this season. Parga went 4.2 innings while allowing eight earned runs on eight hits with two strikeouts.

FAMU was led at the plate in the nightcap by Thaddous McBurrows with the Rattlers' only hit of the game. B-CU was led by Lozada with a 2-for-4 day and one run scored, as well as teammate Neal Jones who was 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored via the long ball.

B-CU and FAMU will finish-up the three-game conference series tomorrow back at Moore-Kittles Field at 1 p.m. Live stats for the game will be available through Game Tracker on the B-CU athletic website at www.BCCathletics.com.