DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – German Hernandez worked seven shutout innings and Demetrius Sims plated a trio of runs to help Bethune-Cookman defeat visiting USF, 10-3 on Tuesday evening in non-conference baseball action inside Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. The two teams will meet again in Tampa on April 19.
Hernandez, a senior from Cleburne, Texas, continued where he left off from his last outing just over a week ago against Murray State. The hard-throwing right-hander went eight scoreless innings in his season debut, a victory against the Racers, to even that series. He returned to the mound Tuesday night, solving the USF Bulls (4-4) with a seven-inning, scoreless performance to match.
However, it would be the Wildcats offense taking center stage to begin the game.
Shutout last Friday afternoon by Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Winter Haven, Florida, the Bethune-Cookman (3-3) bats were alive and well Tuesday evening at home inside the friendly confines of Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
First baseman Austin Garcia began a two-out scoring frenzy with a RBI single to left field, scoring catcher Michael Cruz, who reached earlier in the Wildcats at-bat via base on balls. After Rakeem Quinn walked to load the bases on USF starting pitcher Andrew Perez, Nathan Bond and Brandon Wilkes each drew RBI walks in their next at-bats to put the Wildcats up, 3-0.
USF reliever Mark Savarese entered the game with the bases loaded and two outs, but he immediately walked freshman centerfielder Josten Heron to give B-CU the 4-0 advantage.
Demetrius Sims, a redshirt sophomore shortstop from Ann Arbor, Michigan, made the most of his second at-bat of the inning, registering a two-run scoring single shot back up the middle for the 6-0 Wildcats lead.
Hernandez continued working strong in the top-half of the second inning, striking out the side in order on 15 total pitches.
B-CU added two runs in the third inning, as Sims tallied his game-high third RBI when he brought around second baseman Quinn on a single through the left side. Sophomore shortstop Jameel Edney followed with a run-scoring double to right center, as Bond crossed home from second.
The Wildcats would take an 8-0 lead into the fourth inning.
USF finally got to Hernandez in the fourth, when left fielder Chris Chatfield – a highly-touted freshman from Riverview, Florida, doubled and later advanced to third on an error charged to sophomore third baseman Brandon Wilkes. Chatfield would score an unearned run when USF third baseman Andres Leal singled to right. A play later, Hernandez would get shortstop Coco Montes to ground into the 6-4-3 double play turned by Sims to Edney to Garcia.
With the Wildcats holding an 8-1 lead in the home-half of the sixth inning, B-CU added a run off USF reliever Kyle Cross – the fourth pitcher of the night for the Bulls.
Cruz singled to left center, plating Edney from second, after the West Palm Beach, Florida sophomore doubled to begin the B-CU at-bat. The Cats had a chance to do further damage in the frame, but Cross struck out the side with the bases loaded to limit the damage to a single run allowed.
The Cats would tack another run onto Cross ion the seventh when Cruz singled past backup second baseman Jonah Garrison to bring in Sims from third. That gave B-CU a 10-1 lead heading into the eighth inning.
B-CU reliever Ivan Coutinho toed the rubber in the eighth and finished through the ninth.
USF scored a pair of runs on Coutinho, one being a solo home run to left field from Chatfield in the eighth inning.
Hernandez earned the win, upping his record to 2-0 on the year. In seven innings, he allowed six hits, one unearned run, walked three and tallied seven strikeouts. The loss went to USF starter Perez who fell to 0-2 for the year. Perez threw 0.2 inning, allowing six runs on two hits and walking five batters.
Two Wildcats picked up a three-hit performance, including Sims with a 3-for-4 showing, adding a game-high three RBI and one run scored. Edney was also 3-for-4 at the dish with a run scored and a RBI. Cruz, Garcia and Danny Rodriguez each added a pair of hits apiece, while Cruz posted two RBI.
Bethune-Cookman returns home tomorrow as they host fellow Volusia County opponent Stetson at 6 p.m.
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