DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman Baseball split a much-anticipated Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) doubleheader with North Carolina Central on Saturday at Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. B-CU claimed the opener, 6-1, before dropping the nightcap, 4-0.
GAME ONE RECAP
Bethune-Cookman junior pitcher Alex Seibold tossed eight solid innings for the Wildcats, and catcher Clay Middleton was 3-for-3 at the plate to help B-CU claim the series-opener from visiting North Carolina Central in the first game of a doubleheader.
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the seventh inning, B-CU (2-12, 2-2 MEAC) used six runs in its last two at-bats to even the Wildcats' conference record for the year.
After junior Rakeem Quinn singled to right, Middleton laced a run-scoring double down the left field line to knot the game at 1-all.
Following Jordan Robinson's single through the left hole, NCCU (3-7, 2-1 MEAC) starting pitcher Jordan Quinn was relieved by Kyle Shields.
It would not take long for B-CU to claim its first lead of the game, as Middleton scored from third on a Shields' wild pitch, allowing Robinson to move into scoring position at second. The Fort Pierce, Florida senior would score two plays later courtesy a fielding error charged to the NCCU infield, giving B-CU a 3-1 advantage.
The Wildcats would add three insurance runs in the eighth.
MEAC Rookie of the Week Mijon Cummings was hit by a pitch to leadoff the Wildcats' at-bat, later advancing to second on the second wild pitch of the game from Shields. When Zach Olszewski singled, followed him with a single back up the middle to increase the B-CU advantage at 4-1, scoring Cummings from third on the play.
NCCU once again went to the bullpen replacing Shields with Cameron Scalzo toeing the rubber, and immediately loading the bases with a walk to Middleton. Robinson followed with a RBI fielder's choice to second base, followed by a Demetrius Sims RBI groundout to short.
With B-CU on top 6-1 after eight innings played, sophomore pitcher Donte Lindsay entered the game for B-CU to close things out in the ninth.
Despite getting into some trouble and loading the bases with two outs, the Cleveland native settled down to get NCCU leadoff man Eric Kimber to fly out to center for the final out – using a spectacular catch from Robinson to seal the deal.
The win went to Seibold who evened his record for the year at 1-1, while NCCU's Quinn fell to just 1-3 on the campaign. Seibold went eight complete innings in the start, scattering 10 hits and allowing just one earned run with five strikeouts.
Middleton finished the game a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate for the Wildcats, scoring a run and driving in another. From his designated hitter position, Quinn was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a RBI. Meanwhile, Robinson and Sims each picked up a RBI and a hit, respectively.
GAME TWO RECAP
Bethune-Cookman (2-13, 2-3 MEAC) found it hard to solve NCCU right-hander Alex Dandridge, as the visiting Eagles evened the series with a 4-0 defeat of the Wildcats in the nightcap of a doubleheader.
B-CU went with ace right-hander Keith Zuniga on the hill in the second game with the Nogales, Arizona native looking to pick up his second consecutive victory.
NCCU (4-7, 3-1 MEAC) finally got to Zuniga in the third as the MEAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year found it pretty-much easy-going in the first two frames.
NCCU catcher Conrad Kovalcik started things off with a double to right field, and a sacrifice bunt from Williamson allowed him to move up to third. A play later, Kimber would cross Kovalcik with a RBI groundout to second, giving NCCU a 1-0 lead.
The Eagles widened their lead in the sixth as Kovalcik lined a run-scoring double to left center, carrying to the outfield wall, allowing right fielder Ronald Thompson to score from first.
NCCU then added two insurance runs in the seventh inning, giving them a 4-0 lead.
With Kimber leading off with a single, James Dey was intentionally walked and Christian Triplett hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Shortstop Trevor Theissen delivered a single to right that scored Kimber, followed by Thompson's RBI hit up the middle to plate Dey for the final 4-0 score in favor of the visitors from Durham, North Carolina.
Bethune-Cookman struggled for hits in the game, finding it hard to solve the Eagles' Dandridge. The soft-throwing right-hander spotted his pitches and kept the Wildcats off-balance in a complete-game shutout, spacing out four hits and striking out two batters against four walks. With the win, he increased his record to 2-0 on the campaign.
In return, Zuniga was tagged with the loss, falling to 1-2 on the year for the Maroon and Gold. He went the distance on the hill – the second time in as many starts for Jason Beverlin's Wildcats, allowing four runs on 11 hits and striking out two with two walks.
Junior first baseman Nathan Bond led the Cats offensively, collecting a 2-for-3 outing at the plate, while Cummings and Middleton secured the other two hits for Bethune-Cookman.
NCCU was led by four players with two hits, including Kimber with a 2-for-3 game, adding a RBI and scoring once.
The two teams will meet back at Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Sunday for the rubber game of the weekend's three-game set. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
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