DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman suffered a tough 4-3 setback to Jacksonville on Tuesday evening, falling to the Dolphins in extra innings in non-conference baseball action inside Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach, Florida.
For Bethune-Cookman (4-7), a throwing error charged to the infield proved to be costly Tuesday evening as it allowed the eventual winning run to step onto second base with one out in the top-half of the 10th inning. After B-CU reliever Clint Clymer got Jacksonville's Angel Camacho to strikeout, the Dolphins' second baseman Dakota Julylia singled to right center, pushing across the winning run in the form of shortstop JJ Gould.
Bethune-Cookman came up empty in the home-half of the 10th, allowing Jacksonville (7-3) its second extra innings victory in the past three games. As for the homestanding Wildcats, they have now dropped four of their last five contests.
With Jacksonville carrying a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning, the Wildcats rallied to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom-half.
Sophomore right fielder Kyle Corbin kick-started the B-CU at-bat with a single to left, followed by swiping second – keeping him perfect in steals on the campaign. That allowed freshman third baseman Trent Nash to plate Corbin a play later, as the Decatur, Georgia native took a Ryan Granda full count pitch down the right field line for a RBI double.
JU then brought in Mike Schappell from the bullpen.
Clay Middleton walked and later advanced a base alongside Nash with a groundout from shortstop Demetrius Sims. That's when Jameel Edney tallied a two-run scoring double to left, vaulting the Cats in front, 3-2.
B-CU found it hard to get anything else going against the right-handed Schappell, as he amassed a team season-high eight strikeouts in his 4.2 innings on the mound in relief action.
Jacksonville would tie the game in the top of the eighth with first baseman Seth DeWitt collecting the RBI single to score Sam Armstrong who doubled to start the inning.
That knotted the game at 3-3, setting up the first extra innings affair for the Cats in 2016.
The Dolphins plated two runs early-on in the first and second inning, respectfully, getting to B-CU starting pitcher redshirt senior Juan Pizarro in his first start of the year. The Bayamón, Puerto Rico native would settle down and collect four strikeouts in a season-long six innings on the bump, allowing two runs on seven hits and walking one as he exited without earning a decision.
Granda would counter for the Dolphins with four innings tossed, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out three batters in a no-decision of his own.
The win would be collected by Mike Cassala (1-1), who started the game behind the dish going 1-for-3 with the bat, adding a RBI. Cassala tossed 1.1 innings and fanned two.
The loss was tagged to Bethune-Cookman's Clymer (0-1) as he went 1.2 innings on the hill, allowing a single, unearned run on two hits and striking out a season-high four.
Nash led the Cats at the plate with a 2-for-4 night, scoring once and adding a RBI.
Bethune-Cookman returns to the diamond Wednesday, March 9, playing host to UCF at Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m.
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