MIAMI – The Bethune-Cookman University softball team dropped a pair during opening day of the Felsberg Invitational, falling to Ole Miss (6-5) in eight innings and the host Florida Atlantic (11-3) in six on Friday (Feb. 27) at the FIU Softball Stadium.
GAME ONE
The Wildcats opened the invitational with Southeastern Conference (SEC) foe, Ole Miss at 2 p.m. Despite leading 5-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh, a four-run seventh inning from the Rebels knotted the score and sent the game into extra inning which ended up in favor of Ole Miss who sealed the 6-5 victory in the eighth.
After a scoreless opening inning, the Rebels struck first in the bottom of the second frame when a Grayce Majam triple, gave Ole Miss the 1-0 lead.
Trailing, the Wildcats two-out rally gave them the advantage after senior Calesha Shelley reached on an error from second base. Mariah Davis' single to third advanced Shelley, followed by a Sophia Ortega single to the pitcher, which put the Cats on the board.
Shamaria Engram wrapped up the third inning with a double to center field, scoring Davis and Ortega and giving B-CU the 3-1 lead.
After holding the Rebels scoreless in the fourth, rookie Nereyda Gutierrez opened the Wildcat's half of the inning with a solo homer pushing the lead to four. Two runs on one hit in the bottom of the fourth gave the Wildcats the 5-1 advantage over Ole Miss.
Both teams were unable to produce any additional runs, as B-CU held on to its four-run lead through the top of the seventh.
Ole Miss turned four runs into three hits in the bottom of the final inning, knotting the game at five, before collecting the win in the bottom of the eighth, 6-5.
Sabrina Anguiano (2-10) threw seven innings for the Wildcats during the setback, allowing 12 hits and four earned runs while fanning two.
Shelley and Davis each collected two hits for B-CU and Engram's two RBIs led the Cats against the Rebels.
Game Two
A late game surge was not enough for the Wildcats during game two, as B-CU fell in the sixth to the host Panthers, 11-3.
FIU led the entire contest, on top 5-0 after five complete innings.
The Wildcats' late effort came in the top of the sixth when a two-RBI double from Kaitlin Alamprese helped boost three Wildcat runs cutting the FIU lead to two before the Panthers pulled away in the bottom of the frame scoring six runs on seven hits.
B-CU returns to action Saturday, Feb. 28 during day two in Miami, taking on Ole Miss at 1:30 p.m., followed by FIU at 6:30 p.m.
