April 3, 2012
Box Score
By Michael Stambaugh
B-CUAthletics.com
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Riding a strong pitching performance backed by sound defense, Bethune-Cookman moved on with the shutout of Jacksonville, Tuesday night at Sessions Stadium. Montana Durapau received solid support in holding off the Dolphins, 6-0, for his first win of the year.
"Montana did a great job of shutting down a team that finished top ten in the country last year," Head Coach Jason Beverlin noted. "He set the tone, and we did some little things right to contribute to the win."
Durapau (1-4) held the pace for eight innings after escaping a first inning jam. Bases loaded in the first frame was the only time that a JU runner passed second base in the game. The sophomore right hander collected four strikeouts with only one walk, before giving way for Bryan Rivera to finish the job in the ninth.
"Lately, I've been leaving the ball up," Durapau noted, "but I was hitting the bottom of the strike zone tonight, and it was hard for them to get good contact."
Beverlin expressed the same about the performance.
"His fastball command out there was probably the best it's been all year, and it showed with eight shutout innings," Beverlin said of Durapau. "That's the key to his success; if he can command his fastball, he's really tough to hit."
Durapau received good support on the offensive end, as B-CU scored in the opening inning and extended the lead across four more. Leadoff hitter Josh Johnson got B-CU going in the first frame, beating the throw on a high bloop to the shortstop. Anthony Stokes' hard-hit RBI single through the left side got B-CU on the board, sending Johnson home. Alejandro Sanchez followed up with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Brashad Johnson aided B-CU in building the lead with sac flies in the third, fifth, and seventh. Though he struck out on the recorded at-bat, Johnson reached base, beating out the throw on a passed ball.
"I didn't try to do too much at the plate," said Johnson, "I was just trying to do my job by driving in the runners."
The Wildcats were able to manage the job with two pitchers, but the Dolphins couldn't lock in on the right hurler, throwing six pitchers at B-CU, as the Wildcats won their third shutout of the year.
Brandon Turner went 2-5 to lead the Wildcats, while B. Johnson (3), Sanchez (1), and Stokes (1) logged RBI. Jordan Taylor scored the remaining run on a passed ball in the seventh.
With the JU victory in the books, the Wildcats (16-12) continue the mid-week road trip, heading directly to Statesboro, Ga. for tomorrow night's matchup with Georgia Southern (14-15), a former coaching stop of Beverlin/
