May 1, 2012
Box Score
Reach Baseball Contact Michael Stambaugh for more details by E-Mail -
MIAMI, Fla. – The bottom third of Bethune-Cookman's order helped the Wildcats to front-load runs for an early lead, en route to a 6-3 win over FIU, in the teams' second meeting of the year. Paced by Jake Welch's first career home run, the Wildcats took the lead and retained it with strong pitching throughout.
“We strung some hits together early, getting runners in scoring position,” said Head Coach Jason Beverlin. “We hit a lot of infield singles and moved guys up, but we were having a little trouble scoring runners who were in position.”
Brashad Johnson led off the second with B-CU's first hit of the day, setting in motion the Wildcats' first and largest scoring inning. With two outs and two runners in scoring position, eight-hole batter Carlos Delgado came through on a 1-2 count with an RBI single through the left side.
Next up and batting ninth, freshman designated hitter Jake Welch changed the face of the game, beating a 3-2 count by crushing his first career home run, a three-run shot no less, to left field for the 4-0 B-CU lead.
“It felt good coming off the bat, so I knew it was going deep,” Welch said. “It got out for me, and that helped the team win, so that's all that matters.”
Welch is often soft-spoken, and has been progressing with increased playing time in recent games. Over the past two weeks, he's become a regular at the DH, batting .400 with six runs and six RBI.
“He's got some wiry power, there's no question about that,” said Beverlin of Welch. “He's got strong hands and wrists, making up for his stature. He generates some bat speed when he gets into it and can hit the ball pretty deep.”
FIU third baseman Mike Martinez, who had a part in all FIU runs, ended the shutout in the third with an RBI single to shallow left, two outs deep.
Back-to-back FIU errors loaded the bases for the Wildcats in the fourth, setting the opportunity for Josh Johnson's sacrifice fly. B-CU added another sac fly in the eighth, this time for Juan Pizarro, concluding B-CU's scoring over the Panthers.
FIU took stabs at coming back, but were only able to tack up a pair of runs; first Martinez added his sixth home run of the year to left field, with empty bases, in the sixth. The Panthers scored their final run on a fielder's choice in the eighth, falling to B-CU 6-3.
Starter Montana Durapau (3-5) collected the win after a six-inning outing, allowing only one earned run, walking just one, and logging four strikeouts. The sophomore only had one inning in which he got jammed up, but responded with true command of the next two innings.
“He made pitches when it mattered today,” Beverlin said. “When they had runners in scoring position, he was able to make the big pitch and get out of it.”
Bryan Rivera entered in middle relief, holding it down for the Wildcats to the final frame, as Jordan Dailey collected his tenth save of the year on batters retired in order.
Welch had the most important hit, with the 3-RBI homer for 1-3 batting, while David Lee and Nick Johnson each went 2-4 and each scored a run to lead the Wildcats at the plate.
The Wildcats will return to the Magic City at the end of the week with a rare full series facing the Miami Hurricanes (27-17) on Friday through Sunday at Alex Rodriguez Park on the Coral Gables campus. The first two games will open at 7:00 p.m., with game three at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday.
###
