May 9, 2010
Box Score
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The 2010 Wildcats made their mark on program history, Sunday, as they completed the sweep of North Carolina A&T and clinched the MEAC Southern division crown at Sunnyland Park. In a low-hitting, high-defense affair, the Aggies led most of the game, after scoring in the first inning. B-CU kept composure and came back with a four-hit outing in the sixth inning, set off by a Cesley Tafoya RBI double and closed by Sabrina Ferguson's RBI single to take the late lead. The Wildcats late game rally took them to a 2-1 victory over the Aggies and a 3-0 record in the series.
In addition to the final game of the season, the game was also B-CU's Senior Day. The Wildcats honored their lone senior, Tameika Jonas, in a ceremony before the game.
“It's very emotional, and exciting. I couldn't ask for anything else,” said Jonas, with a big smile, “besides a MEAC Championship. This means a lot. There's been a lot of progress through my career. I see it in the team, every single year. I'm happy that we won, I love my teammates and I wouldn't take anyone else in the world besides them.”
B-CU got off to a rough start, allowing a run on a ball that took a strange hop and created an error in the first inning. Knowing the determination they were facing on the opposing bench, B-CU's defense took a stand, and held N.C. A&T scoreless for the remainder of the game. B-CU's offense, took a while to get going, as the Aggies led for six innings of the game.
“Against good pitching, you're not going to be hitting balls all over the field,” noted Head Coach Chris Cochran. “You'd like to have opportunities every inning, but you certainly can't count on it, so you work to keep good focus up there at the plate, and put things together when you have opportunities.”
B-CU made the most of it when they earned opportunities. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Ashton Hinds got on a solid single up the middle to reach base, followed by Aurelia Gamch with a single of her own. After a Hinds steal, Cesley Tafoya stepped into the box and fired a double to wide right field, creating the opportunity to get Hinds across the plate and tie up the game. Just two batters later, Sabrina Ferguson pushed B-CU on top with an RBI single which brought Gamch in to take the 2-1 lead.
“I was very happy with Celsey Tafoya,” said Coach Cochran, “because she stepped up and got that big hit, and it was a key to the game. Sabrina Ferguson stepped up there and got a big hit for us when we needed it.”
In the top of the seventh, B-CU put down three straight Aggie batters to close out the game, ending on a Ferguson foul grab, practically in the N.C. A&T dugout. Looking at the final matchup as a single-game series had paid off for the Wildcats, claiming the victory and the MEAC Southern division title.
Held down much of the game on offense, the Wildcats made the most of their hits, converting five hits into the win. Allison Garcia had five assists. Garcia (20-14) pitched the third complete game of the series, tallying four strikeouts, no walks, and no earned runs.
With the win, the Wildcats record moves to 28-22 on the year, and 9-3 in MEAC play. They win the MEAC Southern crown and sit in second place overall, heading into next week's MEAC Softball Championships in Ormond Beach. In first place is Howard, at 11-1 MEAC.
“We're really happy with that accomplishment [of winning the division] and we're going to enjoy this, today. Tomorrow, everything starts again because it doesn't matter what's happened to date. The team that plays the best next weekend is going to be the team that takes home that title.”
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