DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Clay Middleton finished 3-for-4 at the dish Tuesday night, but it was homestanding Bethune-Cookman falling to North Florida, 13-1 in non-conference baseball action inside Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
For the second consecutive game, starting pitching was not up to par for Bethune-Cookman (5-11), forcing fifth-year head coach Jason Beverlin to go to his bullpen early and often.
North Florida (10-8) jumped on B-CU starter Juan Pizarro in the second inning, plating five runs on the strong-throwing right-hander from Puerto Rico. Making just his second start in over two years, Pizarro was chased after an inning and two-thirds.
B-CU got a solid 2.2 innings from reliever Zach Olszewski from the pen, as the former Wildcats catcher went a season-long distance on the mound.
With UNF holding a 6-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third inning, second baseman Jameel Edney drove in the team's only run with a single to center, scoring left fielder Rakeem Quinn on the play. Quinn reached base to start the Wildcats' at-bat with a bunt single, but advanced to second on a throwing error charged to the Ospreys' infield.
UNF would extend the lead at 10-1 in the seventh inning, using a Nick Karmeris leadoff home run to right field off B-CU reliever Nate Sterijevski. Sterijevski would finish with two innings worked on the rubber, allowing two runs on three hits.
Clint Cymer also worked on the mound out of the pen, going 1.2 innings and giving up an unearned run on two hits, while walking a pair and striking out two batters.
B-CU catcher Clay Middleton led the offense for the Wildcats, producing three of the Wildcats' four hits on the night. Edney supplied two hits of his own – adding the RBI, while Quinn and José Carballo tallied the other hits or the Maroon and Gold.
Meanwhile, UNF struck for 16 hits on the night against a total of six Wildcats pitchers.
The win went to the Ospreys' Matt Vaka (1-1), as the starting right-hander threw six frames, allowed an unearned run on five hits and fanned three batters without allowing a walk.
Pizarro (0-1) took the loss for his first decision of the year, after suffering a no-decision in a brilliantly pitched game a week ago at home against Jacksonville.
Bethune-Cookman returns home Wednesday, March 16, as the Wildcats welcome Quinnipiac to Jackie Robinson Ballpark, in a celebration of Jackie Robinson Day at Bethune-Cookman University. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m.
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