BOCA RATON, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman Softball began the 2017 season at the FAU Kick-Off Classic in Boca Raton, Florida on Friday morning. The Wildcats opened the annual event hosted by Florida Atlantic University with an 8-4 setback against Troy in the day's first game, followed by a 4-2 defeat to NC State in the nightcap for the Maroon and Gold.
 
TROY 8, BCU 4
Troy scored eight unanswered runs on Friday morning, using a two-out, six-run rally to race past Bethune-Cookman, 8-4, in the opening game of the 2017 FAU Kick-Off Classic at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida.
 
Bethune-Cookman (0-1) opened the game with a three-run first inning to give the young Wildcats an early lead and momentum going into the season.
 
Sophomore left fielder Annie Bakenhus (Yucaipa, Calif.) kicked things off with a bunt single, followed by another bunt single from the speedy junior Mariah Davis (Madera, Calif.). The pair eventually stole second and third, respectively, on the ensuing pitch to get themselves both into scoring position. That allowed sophomore Brianna Sanders (San Marcos, Calif.) to perform a sac bunt that scored Bakenhus for the game's opening run.
 
A batter later, first baseman Iesha Waters (Riverside, Calif.) doubled to right center, scoring both Davis and Sanders for the 3-0 Wildcats advantage.
 
Freshman pitcher Destiny Enriquez (Norwalk, Calif.), one of 10 freshmen on this year's squad, toed the rubber in the pitcher's circle for the Wildcats.
 
Troy (1-0) finally got to the John Glenn High School alum in the top of the fourth inning as shortstop Becca Hartley powered out a leadoff home run to cut the Trojans' deficit at 3-1.
 
The action came in the sixth inning when a two-out rally began for the Trojans after rookie hurler Mariah Estrada (La Quinta, Calif.) took over the pitching duties for Enriquez.
 
With one out and a runner on first, Estrada was called for an illegal pitch, followed by a walk issued to Trojans second baseman Madeline Porter. Another illegal pitch was called on Estrada two pitches later, allowing pinch runner Brooke Echols to advance to third. That spawned BCU veteran head coach Laura Watten to go to the bullpen once again, this time for freshman infielder/pitcher Yvonne Siordia (Murrieta, Calif.).
 
Troy left fielder Stephanie Snyder singled as she represented Siordia's first batter in her collegiate debut out of the bullpen. The single drove across Echols and cut the lead at 3-2 in favor of the Wildcats. After Cassidy McDilda walked to put runners on first and second, catcher Kaylee Hussey drove across a pair with a two-run single to right field, vaulting the Trojans on top for the first time in the game, 4-3. Taylor Corbett's bases loaded single two plays later made it 5-3, followed by Erica Davis' bases-clearing triple to put the Trojans up, 7-3.
 
Troy added an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Hussey delivered her third RBI of the game to score Grace Mirly on a single to right for the 8-3 advantage.
 
Bethune-Cookman brought back a run to the final 8-4 margin in the home-half of the frame when Davis drove in freshman catcher Taylor Sherritt with a single through the left side of the infield.
 
For Bethune-Cookman, it was Siordia (0-1) taking the loss in just 1.2 innings worked. She allowed five runs (all earned) on five hits with a pair of walks. Starter Enriquez failed to factor into the decision in 5.1 innings in the circle, surrendering two earned runs on seven hits. The win went to Troy's Claire Graves (1-0) who went the distance in the circle, allowing four earned runs on nine hits, a walk and one strikeout.
 
BCU was led at the plate by Davis with a 3-for-4 performance, adding a run and a RBI. Sherritt followed with a similar line, providing a 3-of-4 effort in her collegiate debut with a run scored as well.
 
Troy was powered by Hussey with three hits and three RBIs, followed by three Trojans with two hits apiece – most notably designated player Erica Davis who also provided two RBIs in her team's win.
 
NC STATE 4, BCU 2
NC State's Brittany Nimmo stood strong in the pitcher's circle for the Wolfpack as she went the distance in a seven-inning affair, helping the Pack to a 4-2 come-from-behind victory over Bethune-Cookman in what was BCU's second and final game of the day in the 2017 FAU Kick-Off Classic at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida.
 
For the second time in as many games, Bethune-Cookman (0-2) raced out to an early opening-inning lead.
 
After Annie Bakenhus reached on an error and Mariah Davis followed by advancing the left fielder to second on a sacrifice bunt, catcher Taylor Sherritt would put runners on the corners with one out as she also reached on an error charged to the NC State (1-0) infield.
 
BCU first baseman Iesha Waters drove across Bakenhus with a one-out sacrifice fly to right, allowing the Maroon and Gold a 1-0 advantage after the opening half-inning of play.
 
The Wildcats would add to the lead in the top-half of the second, using Ryan Jackson (Chino Hills, Calif.) to score on a wild pitch. The freshman designated player reached safely earlier in the inning when she was hit by a pitch from Nimmo, and worked her way into scoring position with a groundout from Kaitlin Alamprese (Chino, Calif.) and a single from Jacki Smith (Mount Vernon, Wash.).
 
The Wolfpack answered to lower the deficit at 2-1 in the home-half of the second inning. Nimmo helped herself out with a RBI single to left, driving across Caraway.
 
The Pack would take the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth inning.
 
Following an error charged to the Wildcats' infield, and a fielder's choice, catcher Molly Hutchison picked up a RBI single up the middle to score right fielder Macauley Prickett. That knotted the game at 2-all.
 
Centerfielder Jade Caraway started off the inning with a leadoff single, and later worked her way to third with the help of a wild pitch from BCU starter Destiny Enriquez. NC State stepped in front on the next at-bat as first baseman Cheyenne Balzar registered a sacrifice fly to deep center, scoring leadoff hitter Tyler Ross for the 3-2 Wolfpack advantage. The lead would increase on Jessica Moore's run-scoring double, producing the final 4-2 score line.
 
The Wildcats' bats were stymied in the contest as NC State's Nimmo earned her first win of the year. She scattered three hits in seven innings of action, allowing two runs (one earned) and recording three strikeouts. The loss went to Enriquez (0-1) who worked five innings in the starting role, allowing four runs (one earned) on hits and picking up a pair of strikeouts.
 
Smith picked up two of the three hits for the Wildcats as the rookie went 2-for-3. Waters provided the only other hit and RBI for the Maroon and Gold.
 
The NC State bats were led by Hutchison's 3-for-3 outing, adding a RBI and run scored with two putouts and two assists ion the defensive end.
 
Bethune-Cookman gets back to action Saturday, Feb. 11, as the Wildcats take on Boston (6 p.m.) and FAU Kick-Off Classic host Florida Atlantic (8:15 p.m.) in back-to-back outings. Live stats for both of BCU's games can be accessed by visiting the BCU Softball schedule and clicking on the appropriate links through BCUathletics.com. You can also visit the FAU Kick-Off Classic web page by clicking here.
 
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