TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Resuming Friday's rained-out opener, the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman softball took advantage of the situation and got on the board early in game one of Saturday's double-header with Florida A&M. The Wildcat scored big in the first half of the game, claiming the 5-2 win. In game two, B-CU hit big, while pitcher Allison Garcia held FAMU to just two hits in the 8-0 shutout. The Wildcats got the early lead in the series on the defending MEAC champs, in a crucial game for the battle in the MEAC Southern division.
Coming back from Friday's suspended play, the Wildcats opened game one with two runners on base and just one out, in the first inning. The Wildcats were quick to capitalize, just two batters into the game, as Allison Garcia.
While playing solid defense for the Wildcats, B-CU's hitters were able to get on the board in two more innings, starting with Tameika Jonas took advantage of a throwing error in the outfield to score and make it a 5-0 lead.
B-CU largely kept the Lady Rattlers locked down, allowing just six hits in the game, but FAMU made a strike in the bottom of the fourth. They grabbed two in their only scoring inning of the game, making the score 5-2 in the Wildcats' favor, where it would remain as the Wildcats held the Lady Rattlers without a hit in the final three innings.
Allison Garcia started the game on the mound, pitching seven innings, with three strikeouts, no walks, and two earned runs.
In the second game of the afternoon, the Wildcats put it all together in both facets of the game. They almost totally stopped FAMU from getting any offense started, while making good plays in their at-bats to convert to a great run total.
Batting in the four-spot, Allison Garcia went to center field, bringing in Hinds again, followed by Tafoya going to left to bring Garcia across the plate.
The Wildcats consistently grew their lead, adding a run in both the fifth and sixth innings. In the fifth, Garcia put up a sacrifice fly that brought Aurelia Gamch home, making it 4-0. In the sixth Joana Hernandez got a long ball, singling to left field and batting in Sabrina Ferguson, to take the five-run lead.
Holding a big lead, the Wildcats put the nail in the coffin in the final inning, batting in three runs. With the bases loaded, Ferguson started it off with a sacrifice fly which brought in Gamch. On the next batter up, Michelle Banuelos-Smith cracked a two-RBI double to bat in Garcia and Tafoya, and take the 8-0 lead. The Wildcats solidified the shutout with three consecutive outs for FAMU in the final frame.
Cesley Tafoya did her part in hitting again for the Wildcats, batting .667 with two RBI in the big shutout. Also leading the team, Allison Garcia Collected two RBI. Joana Hernandez secured the ball defensively at first, collecting 13 putouts, while Sabrina Ferguson tallied five, and Banuelos-Smith earned five assists at third base. Garcia (18-13) started the second game as well, pitching the complete game with five strikeouts, two walks, and just two hits allowed.
This series is key for the Wildcats (now 25-21, 6-2 in MEAC play), not only in defeating the reigning MEAC champion and conference rival, but also in jockeying for position in the Southern division. In the wins today, B-CU pushed FAMU further into third, while B-CU moved to within one game of current divisional leader North Carolina A&T (7-1 MEAC). The NCAT Aggies come to Daytona Beach next weekend, during the Wildcats graduation and senior weekend. However, the Wildcats are far from looking ahead, as they have one more game on the slate with FAMU, wrapping up the series Sunday at 12:00 p.m. in Tallahassee.
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