11 MAINE 4-9 • 0-0 CAA

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 4 2 11 11 1 3 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 8 20 3 Daytona Beach, Fla. • Jackie Robinson Ballpark Attendance:112 Final Stats | Season Stats

8 BETHUNE-COOKMAN 1-12 • 1-2 MEAC

   

	Pitching Stats
		L	S. Duprey (0-2)
		W	C. Conway (1-0)
		S	C. Butler, (2)
	Batting Stats
		Munoz (2), Amendolare, Cummings, Olszewski (3), Sims (2)
		Balzano, Heath, Morrill, Bussey
		Bussey
	RBI
		Cummings 2, Quinn 2, Amendolare, Bond, Garcia
		Heath 3, Stypulkowski 2, Balzano, Chappell, Morrill, Doran, Bussey

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Maine scored six runs over the last two innings to escape with an 11-8 victory over Bethune-Cookman on Wednesday night in non-conference baseball action at Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

With Bethune-Cookman (1-12) holding a 7-5 lead after seven innings played, Maine scored four runs in the top-half of the eighth.

Christian Garabedian singled up the middle off B-CU relief pitcher Juan Pizarro, who entered the game in the seventh inning. That was followed by a walk issued to Shane Bussey, setting up Wildcats fourth-year head coach Jason Beverlin to bring in Sidney Duprey from the bullpen.

Maine (4-9) leadoff hitter Sam Balzano placed a bunt down back to the glove of Duprey, but the throw was past the glove of junior first baseman Nathan Bond, allowing Balzano to reach safely. Thus, loading up the bases for the Black Bears. Moments later, left fielder Scott Heath's double to left plated Bussey and Garabedian, knotting the score at 7-all.

Luke Morrill's RBI ground out to B-CU's Demetrius Sims at shortstop pushed the visiting Black Bears back out in front, 8-7, representing their first lead since the second inning. Maine increased the lead at 9-7 when catcher Kevin Stypulkowski singled back up the middle to cross Heath.

Maine added a pair of insurance runs in the top-half of the ninth, increasing the deficit for B-CU at 11-7.

In the home-half of the ninth, Bethune-Cookman sophomore designated hitter Austin Garcia led things off with a single, followed by pinch hitter Jordan Robinson getting aboard with a single to second. Brandon Amendolare, a sophomore from New Smyrna Beach, Florida, picked up a RBI single with a laser past Bussey at short, bringing in Garcia for the final 11-8 margin.

Bethune-Cookman had bases loaded with no outs in the seventh, but could only bring in a single run off the bat of Garcia who drove in catcher Zach Olszewski, giving the Wildcats a 7-5 lead.

Both teams scored a trio of runs in the first inning, as well as a pair in the second, knotting things at 5-all early-on.

B-CU took its first lead of the game in the fourth as junior Nathan Bond's sacrifice fly to right field allowed Bryant Munoz to score from third, giving B-CU a 6-5 advantage.

Maine relief pitcher Clay Conway earned the win, improving to 1-0 on the year, as the respective starters for both teams were off the hook early in the contest. B-CU's Duprey suffered the loss, falling to 0-2 on the year. Charlie Butler worked two innings to close the game, picking up his second save of the year for the Black Bears.

B-CU starter Ivan Coutinho was pulled early, throwing 18 pitches in 0.1 inning, tagged for three earned runs on four hits. He was relieved by Donte Lindsay, who worked four complete frames, scattering three hits and allowing two runs with three strikeouts.

B-CU was led offensively by four Wildcats with three hits apiece.

Bond finished the game 3-for-4 with a run and a RBI. Amendolare was 3-for-5 with a run scored and driving in another, while MEAC Rookie of the Week Mijon Cummings was 3-for-6 at the plate with two RBI and a run scored. It was Garcia rounding out the triple-hit players with a 3-for-5 showing with a run and a RBI himself.

Bethune-Cookman will look to return to winning ways this weekend when the Wildcats welcome the North Carolina Central Eagles to Jackie Robinson Ballpark for a three-game set, beginning with a twin bill Saturday, March 7, at 1 p.m.

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