DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (13-16, 6-5 MEAC) dropped the series opening doubleheader with the Savannah State Tigers on Saturday afternoon at Jackie Robinson Ballpark, falling by scores of 14-4 and 3-2.

In the series opener, Savannah State used big innings to push past the Wildcats after B-CU missed on opportunities to score, despite keeping pace with the Tigers in hitting throughout the game.

The Wildcats entered the scorebook first, with Josh Johnson connecting on a leadoff single, was sacrificed to second and wheeled third on David Lee's backside RBI single, beating the throw at the plate.

The Tigers tied it up and went ahead briefly in the top of the second, using a leadoff walk to score on Antonio Scott's groundout for SSU's first run, taking the lead on Todd Hagen's single to left field.

The Wildcats were quick to match SSU's effort, as Shaun McCarty reached on an error with two outs, advanced on Johnson's single, and crossed the plate on a Brandon Turner RBI single to center. Retaking the lead at 3-2, Eros Modena cracked a 2-2-count RBI single through the left gap.

Four consecutive base hits in the top of the fourth, coupled with a wild pitch and an RBI double allowed SSU to take a 6-3 lead on the Wildcats. The Tigers tacked on an additional pair in the top of the sixth with one runner scoring on a sacrifice fly and another on the throw.

SSU shut the door in the top of the ninth with a big inning, putting up six runs to blow the game open to a 14-3 lead.

The Wildcats kept pushing in the home half of the inning, with McCarty leading off with a double to left center, and came home on a line drive to third from Modena.

“We had good swings off of [SSU starter Kyle McGowin] early in the game and we just let it get away from us,” Head Coach Jason Beverlin said.

McGowin (7-0) earned the win, throwing eight frames with nine strikeouts, while allowing now walks. The Wildcats put up 11 hits, compared with 15 for the Tigers.

In the second game of the doubleheader, B-CU jumped out to an early lead after three frames in a low-scoring affair, knotting up the score in the second inning in response to the Tigers' first inning score. Anthony Stokes' leadoff single to center set the table for the tie, using Chris Biocic's full-count double deep down the left field line to plate the run.

However, an on-field dust-up on a stolen base play in the top of the third led to ejection of three players; Mendez Elder and Jason Wynn for Savannah State, and Stokes for B-CU.

Modena gave B-CU its first lead of the game, taking an 0-2 pitch yard in left to put B-CU up 2-1. The longball hit was Modena's first DI career homer.

Making his second-longest appearance of the season, starter Scott Garner held the Tigers to just a single earned run through the sixth. Leadoff batter, Scott, reached on a fielding error and was sacrificed to second before B-CU closer Jordan Dailey took over from the bullpen. Scott stole third and came home for the eventual winning run on a pickoff error on the play.

Back-to-back singles to open the bottom of the ninth followed by an intentional walk loaded the bases for the Wildcats, but Bethune-Cookman failed to capitalize on the scoring opportunity, falling to SSU in a 3-2 loss.

Despite the loss, Garner (2-4) had a solid outing, throwing 6 1/3 innings, allowing just one earned run and one walk, while striking out five.

“He definitely threw the ball well.” Beverlin said. “Good enough to win for sure. We had a couple miscues that hurt us, and we just didn't come through when we needed to.”

Johnson showed consistency at the plate for the Wildcats in the doubleheader, hitting 5-for-8 and scoring two runs. Modena was 3-for-8 with a team-best three RBI across the two-game outing.

The Wildcats and Tigers return to action in the series finale on Sunday at “The Jack”. First pitch in Sunday's contest is set for 1 p.m.

For all the latest information on the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, follow the official Twitter feeds at @BCUathletics,@CookmanBaseball, or "Like Us" on Facebook at Bethune-Cookman Athletics. 

-B-CUathletics.com-