FORT MYERS, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman claimed a victory over a Big Ten opponent Saturday as the Wildcats downed Michigan State 6-3 in eight innings at the Florida Gulf Coast Spring Break Invitational.
The Wildcats (5-13) concluded the tournament with a 5-0 loss to Hofstra, finishing their stay in Fort Myers with a 3-2 mark that included their third victory over a Big Ten program since 2009. B-CU downed Purdue in 2009 and Ohio State last season.
“I thought we played very well in four of our five games this weekend. We never could get going against Hofstra but that probably had more to do with how good they are,” said B-CU Head Coach Chris Cochran. We honestly had contributions for many different players at different times and the pitchers had good outings.”
Kaitlin Alamprese's eighth-inning grand slam highlighted the Wildcat victory. The freshman third baseman's full count, two-out shot to left brought home Sophia Ortega, pinch runner Cierra Banks and Calesha Shelley . It was B-CU's first grand slam since Ashton Hinds, now an assistant coach, hit one against North Carolina A&T in the final series of the 2011 season.
Freshman Sabrina Anguiano, who helped her cause early with a two-run RBI double in the fourth, helped the Spartans (5-8) to one run in the bottom of the eighth to preserve the win. Anguiano got out of bases-loaded jam in the seventh after Michigan tied the game with two runs in the sixth.
Anguiano walked three and struck out four as the Wildcat defense played error-free ball and left nine Spartan runners on base.
Against Hofstra, B-CU could manage just three hits. Breanna Chavez broke up the no-hitter in the fifth, and Shelly and Wanda Darby added hits.
For the tournament, Alamprese hit .400 (6-15) with two home runs and nine RBI, Conner hit .389 with four RBI, and Shelley also hit .389 while registering 10 put outs in left field.
“Calesha had two really good catches in the outfield and continues to find ways to make things happen on offense,” Cochran said.
B-CU hosts Tennessee-Martin in a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Tuesday.
