DURHAM, N.C. – Michael Cruz delivered three home runs, while starting pitchers German Hernandez and Tyler Norris picked up wins to help Bethune-Cookman to a doubleheader sweep of North Carolina Central in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) baseball action Saturday afternoon at Durham Athletic Park. Bethune-Cookman took the first game by a 13-4 count, while the Wildcats won the nightcap on the strength of an 11-3 decision.
Game One: Bethune-Cookman 13, N.C. Central 4
Junior designated hitter Michael Cruz delivered two home runs, and starting pitcher German Hernandez went six strong innings on the mound to help Bethune-Cookman take the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader at North Carolina Central, 13-4.
Michael Cruz (Aguadilla, Puerto Rico) began the Wildcats scoring in his first at-bat, delivering his first of three home runs on the day with a towering shot to right field, putting Bethune-Cookman (7-11, 1-3 MEAC) on top, 1-0 in the opening half-inning.
North Carolina Central (9-10, 2-2 MEAC) got to German Hernandez (Cleburne, Texas) immediately in the bottom of the first, as the Eagles drove in a pair of runs to take a 2-1 lead. The Eagles would score another run in the third inning, using center fielder Carlos Ortiz's leadoff home run to push their advantage at 3-1.
However, in the fifth inning, B-CU would counter with five runs on NCCU starter Alex Dandridge, chasing the right-hander two-thirds of the way through the frame.
In batting around in the top-half of the fifth, sophomore second baseman Jameel Edney (West Palm Beach, Fla.) began the inning with a double, only to trade places at the plate two batters later with freshman Danny Rodriguez (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) delivering a run-scoring double down the line in right, bringing the Wildcats to within 3-2. Nathan Bond (Orlando, Fla.) would soon afterwards knot the game at 3-all with a RBI single to left, scoring Rodriguez from third.
With the bases loaded and one out, redshirt sophomore shortstop Demetrius Sims (Ann Arbor, Mich.) lifted a sacrifice fly deep to center, allowing catcher Clay Middleton (Oviedo, Fla.) to scamper in from third and give the Maroon and Gold a 4-3 lead.
NCCU made the switch on the mound for Jamar Hinton, while left fielder Rakeem Quinn (Port St. Joe, Fla.) scored two for the Cats with a single to center, pushing across teammates Trent Nash (Decatur, Ga.) and Bond for the 6-3 B-CU advantage.
The Cats would keep their newfound offense going in the seventh, scoring five more runs before the stretch.
With B-CU holding a 7-3 lead, freshman centerfielder Josten Heron (Miami, Fla.) plated Sims and Bond courtesy a single back up the middle, pushing the Wildcats advantage to 9-3. A sacrifice fly from Rodriguez drove in Quinn, while a Middleton RBI single to right scored Edney.
B-CU would carry an 11-3 lead into the ninth, where Cruz would record his second home run of the game with a leadoff homer to right field off NCCU reliever Christian Gonnelli. Two plays later, Middleton would pick up his first four-bagger of the year with a solo shot to left.
That gave the Cats an insurmountable 13-3 lead heading into the bottom of the frame.
NCCU would bring a run back in the bottom of the ninth, as freshman Tyler Krull (West Palm Beach, Fla.) worked the final three innings in relief on the mound. Eagles' shortstop Thomas Prospero doubled to bring around leadoff man Ellington Hopkins for the final score of 13-4.
In earning the win, Hernandez went six innings on the hill for B-CU, allowing three runs on eight hits and striking out one with four walks issued. He upped his record to 3-1 on the year, avenging his lone loss last weekend at Florida A&M. Krull tossed three innings, striking out two and allowing a run on three hits.
The loss went to NCCU's Dandridge who evened his record at 2-2 on the campaign. He was tagged for six runs on six hits in 4.2 innings worked. He fanned seven Wildcats and walked four.
The B-CU offense was paced in the first game by five Wildcats posting multi-hit performances, including Middleton with a 3-for-5 outing, adding two RBI and scoring a pair of runs. Bond was also 3-for-5, adding a RBI and two runs of his own.
Game Two: Bethune-Cookman 11, N.C. Central 3
Bethune-Cookman sophomore Tyler Norris went the distance on the mound in a seven-inning game in the second game of a doubleheader at North Carolina Central on Saturday, as the visiting Wildcats took down the Eagles, 11-3 and collected the conference doubleheader sweep at Durham Athletic Park.
Tyler Norris (Coral Springs, Fla.) registered his third quality start of the year in helping the Wildcats take both games of a MEAC doubleheader.
However, it would be the homestanding NCCU Eagles (9-11, 2-3 MEAC) getting on the board first in the home-half of the third inning, using Christian Triplett homer to left field to put the Eagles on top, 1-0.
B-CU would equalize in the top of the fourth, as Clay Middleton scored from third with the bases loaded, scampering in on a wild pitch from NCCU starter Cameron Scalzo.
With the game deadlocked at 1-all in the top of the fifth, Bethune-Cookman (8-11, 2-3 MEAC) produced its best inning of the 2016 campaign with nine (9) runs to take a 10-1 lead.
Batting around for the third time on the day, Danny Rodriguez delivered the first run of the inning with a RBI single that pushed across Josten Heron and gave the Cats a 2-1 lead.
With the bases loaded, Middleton was hit by a pitch, scoring Jameel Edney, followed by Trent Nash driving in Michael Cruz on a fielder's choice. Nathan Bond would score Rodriguez with a RBI single to left, putting the Cats ahead, 4-1. Three additional runs scored two plays later with Rakeem Quinn's two-RBI single, continued by an Eagles error charged to the infield, allowing Josten Heron, Demetrius Sims and Edney to score on the play.
The Cats produced an insurance run in the top of the sixth when Michael Cruz greeted NCCU reliever Andrew King rather rudely with a leadoff home run to right, advancing B-CU in front, 11-1.
NCCU would score two runs in the home-half of the sixth, highlighted by Carlos Ortiz's second homer of the day, to bring the final score to 11-3 in favor of the Maroon and Gold.
Norris earned the win to stay perfect at 3-0 on the year, as the right-hander went seven innings, allowing three runs and striking out seven batters against zero (0) walks. He would give up six hits in all.
Scalzo took the loss for the Eagles, dropping his record to 1-3 for the season, as he went 4.1 innings and allowed six runs (five earned) on five hits. He struck out four batters and walked two.
Bond led the B-CU offense with a 3-for-4 showing, allowing him to finish 6-for-9 on the day. He added a RBI and a run. Quinn was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs driven in, while scoring once himself.
The two teams will meet back at Durham Athletic Park on Sunday for the final game of the series, as first pitch is slated for 1 p.m. Senior right-hander Alex Seibold (Lauderhill, Fla.) takes the ball on the mound for B-CU, as the Wildcats look for their first conference sweep since last season against Savannah State (March 28-29) at Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. The starter for NCCU is still to be determined.
Live audio of the game via the NCCU Sports Network is available by clicking here, while live stats are provided by clicking here.
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