DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – German Hernandez worked eight scoreless innings Saturday afternoon, helping Bethune-Cookman even the series with Murray State courtesy a 6-0 victory in non-conference baseball action inside Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
German Hernandez (Cleburne, Texas) was almost untouchable Saturday. Almost.
Making just his second career start for the Wildcats, the senior right-hander tossed went 6 2/3 innings without allowing a hit. A diving stop from redshirt sophomore shortstop Demetrius Sims (Ann Arbor, Mich.) allowed Sims to field the ball cleanly, but his throw from the ground was just short, allowing the Racers' Brandon Gutzler to reach safely.
Bethune-Cookman (1-1) wasted little time getting to Murray State starting pitcher Austin Dubsky.
Sims reached safely on an error to start the game, followed by Jameel Edney's (West Palm Beach, Fla.) RBI double down the left field line. Two batters later, freshman first baseman Danny Rodriguez (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) took a Dubsky 1-0 pitch to deep left field for his first home run of the season.
With Bethune-Cookman leading 3-0 after the first inning, the Wildcats threated in each of the next three innings, respectively, leaving two men on in each at-bat.
Left-hander Blake Clynes took the mound for Murray State (1-1) in the fourth, but the Cats were able to get to him for a pair of runs in the fifth.
With two outs, sophomore third baseman Brandon Wilkes (Holly Hill, Fla.) delivered a double off the left centerfield wall, and teammate Kyle Corbin (Orlando, Fla.) walked in the next at-bat. That allowed centerfielder Josten Heron (Miami, Fla.) to record a RBI single to right, pushing across Wilkes, as Corbin followed courtesy an errant throw to third from MSU left fielder Adam Bauer.
That put B-CU up, 5-0 after five innings played.
The Cats scored again in the sixth to produce the 6-0 final score as MEAC preseason selection Nathan Bond (Orlando, Fla.) tallied a sacrifice fly to center, allowing Michael Cruz (Aguadilla, Puerto Rico) to score from third.
Relief pitcher Alexis Herrera (Miami, Fla.) pitched the ninth inning for the Maroon and Gold, allowing two hits, but keeping the scoreboard clean for the B-CU victory.
In the win, Hernandez picked up a career-high eight strikeouts and allowed just one walk and a hit in eight innings worked, giving him a 1-0 start to the 2016 campaign. The loss went to MSU's Dubsky who was tagged for three runs (two earned) on five hits, walked three and struck out four in 3.2 innings of action.
Edney led all performers at the plat with a career-best 4-for-5 afternoon, adding a RBI and scoring once. He also assisted on six plays defensively. Rodriguez added two hits – one being the first inning home run, while Wilkes also had a multi-hit game.
For the Racers, it was Gutzler's two hits that led them offensively.
B-CU and Murray State will meet for the rubber game of the series Sunday, Feb. 21, at noon back at Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Admission for the B-CU/MSU weekend series is absolutely free.
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