May 21, 2011
Box Score
By Dan Ryan
B-CUAthletics.com
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The Bethune-Cookman University softball season ended Saturday with a 8-0 loss in six innings to Jacksonville in the NCAA Gainesville Regional. It also concluded Allison Garcia's Bethune-Cookman University career, but the senior got in one last shot.
Staving off elimination in the fifth gave the Wildcats' top of the batting order another at bat and Garcia's last collegiate appearance at the plate was a solid double off the left field wall.
Not exactly on the level of Ted Williams hitting a home run in his final at-bat at Fenway, but at least a little consolation and a fitting finish for someone who has led the Wildcats in hitting all four of her playing seasons while registering 83 victories pitching.
"I was happy to get to hit one more time," said Garcia, who finished her career with a 13-game hitting streak. "You can say it was a nice ending to have an opportunity to hit and make a statement."
Jacksonville (43-16) scored once in the bottom of the sixth to end the game and the right to face defending national champion UCLA in the late Saturday game. The Dolphins also beat the Wildcats (33-26) for the third time this season.
"We knew going in it was going to be a tough game," said B-CU Chris Cochran. "The first weekend of the season, we played in their tournament and I thought they were the best team there. They're still a very good team."
Sarah Sigrest held B-CU to two hits the first five innings, while Kala Ouellet went 3-4 and drove in two runs in the Dolphins' four-run second. JU capitalized on a B-CU error for four unearned runs in that inning and used a Sarah Simon homer and a two-out rally in the fifth for a 7-0 run.
"We competed a little bit but Jacksonville wasn't going to open the door for us," Cochran said.
B-CU had a couple of scoring opportunities.
In the third, Michelle Banuelos-Smith and Simone Cesar gave the Wildcats runners on third and second, but JU got out of the inning. Sabrina Ferguson led off the fifth with a double down the left field line, but couldn't advance.
Defensively, Aurelia Gamch showed range at shortstop with seven assists and two putouts. Banuelos-Smith made a nice running catch at the warning track in the third.
B-CU concluded the season with its second straight post-season appearance saying goodbye to starters Garcia, Ashton Hinds and Briana Leverett.
"We need to get better offensively to give ourselves an opportunity to compete if we're fortunate enough to get back to Regionals," Cochran said. "It's always tough when kids leave your program. I wish all the seniors could keep playing, but I'm excited about the kids coming back and the kids we're bringing in."
In other action Saturday, host Florida defeated UCLA 4-2 to advance to Sunday's championship game.
