TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman was unable to get timely hits Saturday afternoon, falling in both games of a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) baseball doubleheader to Florida A&M at Moore-Kittles Field. The Wildcats fell in the first game by a score of 15-3, before stumbling by a 2-1 count in extra innings during the nightcap.
GAME ONE: Florida A&M 15, Bethune-Cookman 3
German Hernandez suffered his first non-quality start of the year on Saturday afternoon, and Florida A&M scored a season-high 15 runs en route to a 15-3 MEAC-opening victory over Bethune-Cookman in baseball action at Moore-Kittles Field. The game ended in seven innings with FAMU holding at least a 10-run lead.
German Hernandez, a strong-throwing right-hander from Cleburne, Texas, was tagged for seven runs on 12 hits in just two innings of work. Saturday marked the first time in his career that Hernandez had started the opening game of any series for the Wildcats.
Bethune-Cookman (5-8, 0-1 MEAC) jumped on the board first with a run in the top-half of the opening frame.
Back-to-back walks issued to Demetrius Sims and Jameel Edney to start the game set the table for first baseman Danny Rodriguez to plate Sims on a RBI single to right center.
With B-CU holding a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the first, Florida A&M (9-5, 1-0 MEAC) quickly rebounded with a pair of runs to claim its first lead of the game.
Right fielder Dylan Dillard scored leadoff hitter Marlon Gibbs with a double to left, followed a batter later by a fielder's choice RBI groundout from Ben Ellzey that pushed across first baseman Brian Davis for the 2-1 Rattlers lead.
B-CU answered back to knot the score at 2-all in the top of the second inning.
Freshman third baseman Trent Nash led things off with a single, while second baseman Jameel Edney drove him in three plays later with a single to right center.
FAMU would counter with eight runs in the next two innings, highlighted by Davis' fourth home run of the year as he lifted a three-run shot clear of the left field wall on reliever Ivan Coutinho in the bottom of the third.
With FAMU leading 10-2 after three innings in the books, the Rattlers would go on to score in every inning on the game, eventually leading to a run-rule decision in the seventh inning.
B-Cu would cross another run in the top of the seventh, as the Maroon and Gold used an error by the FAMU infield to score Cruz.
The win went to FAMU starter Danny Rodriguez, as he went six innings on the hill, allowing just two runs in the opening inning on eight hits, three walks and three strikeouts. In the win, he improves to 2-0 on the campaign.
The loss was given to Hernandez who fell to 2-1 on the year.
The offense was paced by freshman Rodriguez with 2-for-2 day, as well as Nash with a perfect 2-for-2 showing at the plate.
GAME TWO: Florida A&M 2, Bethune-Cookman 1 (9 innings)
Florida A&M hits a walk-off, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to help the homestanding Rattlers sweep a MEAC doubleheader from Bethune-Cookman, 2-1 at Moore-Kittles Field. The second game of all MEAC doubleheaders is always scheduled for seven innings.
Extra-inning games are all too common for the Wildcats and Rattlers, as the two teams have now played an extra-inning game every season since 2014. That includes a 16-inning Sunday series closing game at Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark a season ago.
A true pitcher's duel took place in the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader, as B-CU sophomore Tyler Norris and FAMU's Ricky Page each carried scoreless outings into the dugout when they exited the game in no-decision contests.
Bethune-Cookman (5-0, 0-2 MEAC) was unable to put pressure on the left-handed Page all afternoon. It was not until the top of the ninth that B-CU finally got a man across.
The Wildcats began the at-bat a walk issued to centerfielder Josten Heron, allowing shortstop Demetrius Sims to lay down a sacrifice bunt to advance Heron into scoring position. FAMU reliever Kenny McDonald was then relieved on the hill by Ryan Kopenski, setting the stage for designated hitter Michael Cruz to lace a 1-2 pitch to right center. That drove across Sims from second, giving B-CU a 1-0 lead.
With B-CU holding onto a 1-0 lead with one out in the bottom of the ninth, Florida A&M (10-5, 2-0 MEAC) walked off with a two-run scoring home run to left center from its number nine hitter Pere Jackson. That gave the Rattlers the 2-1 win, as well as the series victory with the doubleheader sweep.
The win went to Hunter Fillingim, who improved to 1-0 on the year. He went just 0.1 innings with no runs on no hits.
The loss went to reliever Nate Sterijevski, falling to 0-1 on the year with the home run allowed in his only batter faced in the bottom of the ninth.
B-CU was led at the plate by four different Wildcats claiming a hit apiece, including Cruz with a RBI as he finished 1-for-4 on the game. Jameel Edney and left fielder Rakeem Quinn were each 1-for-3, while catcher Clay Middleton ended 1-for-4.
The two teams will meet again Sunday, March 13, in the series finale back at Moore-Kittles Field on the campus of Florida A&M. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
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