DeLAND, Fla. – Facing #28 Stetson, the Wildcats got off to an effective start offensively and played from ahead for most of the game. The Hatters, a tough offensive team themselves broke down the lead as the innings passed, making a final, successful run at it in the bottom of the ninth inning, overcoming the Wildcats for the 7-6 win.
Offensively, the Wildcats got moving right away, with a Peter O'Brien RBI single to center field in the first inning.
Stetson, however, didn't stay quiet for long, putting up a run of their own to tie it in the bottom half.
In the top of the second, the Wildcats were able to create some separation, as Matt Wright got it started with a sacrifice bunt, followed up on the next batter, as Alejandro Sanchez hit a two-RBI single straight down the left field line, giving the Wildcats a 4-1 lead.
Again, the Hatters stayed with B-CU, making up the difference in the bottom of the third, knotting it up at 4-4.
The Wildcat offense continued to chip in runs, scoring in the fourth and sixth, while the B-CU defense stood strong, holding Stetson to just two hits in the next three innings, and a single run in the seventh, to maintain a 6-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth.
In the final frame, B-CU closer Joey Munoz (1-2) put away two batters, but the Hatters' Nick Rickles came up with a bloop triple to the shallow corner of right field, scoring a run to tie it at 6-6. A high-hopping hit to shortstop for the next batter gave just enough time to make the base and push the final run across the plate, putting Stetson on top 7-6.
“We had chances to score more runs, but wasted a lot of opportunities,” said Head Coach Mervyl Melendez. “We rested on a small lead and let them hang around into those later innings.”
The majority of Stetson's offense came from second baseman Robert Crews, who tallied five of SU's nine hits on 5-5 hitting with 3 RBI.
B-CU was led by Matt Wright and Alejandro Sanchez, hitting 2-3 and 2-4 respectively.
The Wildcats (10-13) return to the confines of Jackie Robinson Ballpark for the next four games, starting with the always-tough Jacksonville Dolphins (13-7) at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, and heading into the weekend with the MEAC opening series against Florida A&M on Saturday and Sunday.
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