May 4, 2008

Box Score

Dover, Del. - Bethune-Cookman bounced back from a stunning loss to take the rubber game of a MEAC baseball series against Delaware State, 7-5 on Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field in Dover, Del.

One day after suffering their first MEAC loss in 27 games, Bethune-Cookman (32-18, 17-1 MEAC) bounced back immediately with tough pitching and timely hits to take their 17th consecutive series victory in league play. But none of that came without the DSU Hornets (16-28, 11-6 MEAC) playing the Wildcats tougher than any other team in the conference this season.

Jose Ortiz hit his second homerun of the year with a two-run shot to straight-away center field that also plated Patrick Jones. That two-run blast put the Maroon and Gold out in front at 6-3 in the sixth inning.

B-CU scored another run in the ninth with the help of a dropped fly ball by the Hornets' outfield that allowed Jose Lozada to score from third.

DSU made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth as the Hornets' pitcher Jamie Friel singled through the right side to score Troy Drummond to pull DSU to within 7-4. Pinch hitter Ryne Mailen collected an RBI sacrifice fly to left that scored Jim Johnson. The Hornets left the bases loaded as B-CU ace closer Phil Enright collected his save of the series with a strike-out of Jarrett Bibb to end the game.

The win went to Eric Thomas of B-CU who kept his record clean at 8-0 on the season, improving to 6-0 in league play. The junior allowed three earned runs on four hits while fanning a season-high nine (9) batters in his five innings on the hill.

DSU's Friel took the loss to drop to 3-6 on the campaign. The left-hander threw all nine innings for the Hornets as he threw 145 pitches on the day. Friel allowed seven runs (six earned) on nine hits.

The day started with B-CU scoring three runs in the top-half of the third inning.

Jose Ortiz on a sacrifice bunt. Lozada would score two runs with a RBI double to left center to put the Maroon and Gold up, 2-0. After swiping third, Lozada would score himself with another sac fly from first baseman Osvaldo Torres. B-CU led 3-0 after three innings of play.

The `Cats struck again in the fifth with Torres plating Ortiz on a RBI ground-out to push the lead out to 4-0.

DSU answered in the bottom of the fifth as they finally seemed to rattle B-CU's Thomas a bit who struggled with his footing on the mound late in the game. Johnson's RBI single through the right side scored catcher Wynton Weather. Justin Bittner collected a RBI fielder's choice one batter later to cross Drummond. DSU trailed 4-3 after four innings.

DSU was led at the plate by four (4) Hornets who had multiple hits apiece. Johnson, Bittner, Friel and Drummond all had two hits, respectively. Yesterday's hero Jose Sanchez for DSU was saddled with a 0-for-5 collar at the plate, including three strike-outs as he was handcuffed by Thomas and relievers Phil Enright all afternoon.

B-CU was led by Lozada with a 3-for-5 performance, as well as the heavy bat of Ortiz who finished 2-foe-3 with three runs and two RBI. Ortiz has been swinging the heaviest bat as of late for B-CU ... at least for this weekend. The Juncos, Puerto Rico native finished the DSU series batting 4-for-9 with three RBI.

The win today pushed DSU back into a tie for third place in the league standings heading into the upcoming MEAC Tournament. North Carolina A&T takes the second seed with a series sweep of Coppin State, and B-CU has already clinched the regular season title and #1 seed.

The Wildcats will get back to the diamond again on Tuesday when they travel to Florida Atlantic. DSU hosts Florida A&M tomorrow in a MEAC make-up game.