DeLAND, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman was unable to get the offense going Wednesday evening, as the Wildcats dropped a 17-0 midweek contest to Stetson in non-conference baseball action at Melching Field inside Conrad Park. In the loss, Bethune-Cookman dropped both games of the two-game series on the year against its Volusia County rival from nearby DeLand.
Runs came early and often for Stetson (24-22) in the annual east versus west matchup of Volusia County's only Division baseball playing schools.
Stetson opened the scoring in the first inning, using a Cory Reid solo homer to left that cleared the scoreboard with room to spare. That allowed the Hatters a 1-0 lead after an inning in the books.
The Hatters would add to that lead in the very next frame.
Shortstop Tyler Bocock drove in a pair of runs with a one-out single back up the middle, stretching the Stetson advantage at 3-0. That would immediately send B-CU fourth-year head coach Jason Beverlin to call down to the bullpen, bringing on sophomore left-hander Donté Lindsay to the mound in relief of starter Michael Austin.
Austin, starting in just the second game of his career, worked 4.1 innings in his first start last week – a no-decision contest at No. 6 Florida in Gainesville.
Lindsay, having served time this season as a midweek starter, was greeted with a two-run single through the right side from the Hatters leadoff hitter Vince Vizcaino, allowing the Hatters a 5-0 lead. The advantage would swell to 8-0 just two batters later as catcher Patrick Mazeika lifted a three-run shot to right field.
Mazeika, playing with a heavy heart, lost his mother on Sunday evening, and a moment of silence was observed prior to the start of the contest by both teams and supporters.
Scoring continued for Stetson in the third inning as second baseman Jack Machonis singled to score Will Mackenzie from second base. Bocock followed with a run-scoring double to right, just staying inside the foul line, bringing in Garrett Russini from third.
Machonis made the score 11-0 in favor of Stetson courtesy a RBI groundout to first base from Vizcaino. On the next play, Bocock scored on a Mazeika single through the right side.
Sidney Duprey took the mound in place of Clint Clymer, soon loading up the bases for Josh Powers to score Reid on a fielder's choice, giving the Hatters a 13-0 edge. After a hit batter and a wild pitch loaded up the bases for the third time in the frame, Russini drew an RBI walk, putting the Hatters up 14-0 after just three innings.
The Hatters put three more runs on the board in the fifth, using a two-run double from Will Mackenzie, as well as a two-out RBI single through the right side from Machonis, giving Stetson its final 17-0 run advantage.
The win went to starter Kevin Fagan who earned his first decision of the year, tossing six innings and allowing just three hits, a walk and striking out a pair. The loss was earned by Austin (3-2) as he worked just an inning and a third, giving up five runs (four earned) on three hits and two walks.
B-CU relief pitchers Alexis Herrera, Joseph Calamita and German Hernandez each worked an inning a piece to close out the game, with none of the trio allowing a run. Herrera fanned three in the sixth and Hernandez two in the eighth.
Five Wildcats collected hits in the game, including doubles from shortstop Demetrius Sims and Jordan Thomas. Sims legged out a double early in the game on what appeared to be a simple single to center.
Bethune-Cookman returns to action this weekend in a three-game MEAC series at Savannah State, beginning with a doubleheader Saturday, May 2, at 1 p.m.
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