BOCA RATON, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman Softball split a pair of games at the FAU Kick-Off Classic on Saturday evening inside FAU Softball Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida. The Wildcats defeated Boston in their first game, 5-1, before falling to host Florida Atlantic by a score of 15-0 in the final game of the day.
 
BCU 5, BOSTON 1
Bethune-Cookman scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to preserve a 5-1 victory over Boston University on Saturday evening as part of the FAU Kick-Off Classic inside FAU Softball Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida.
 
Trailing 1-0 entering the bottom of the fourth, Bethune-Cookman (1-2) scored two runs in the home-half of the inning to gain the lead.
 
Leadoff hitter Annie Bakenhus began the at-bat with a single, followed by centerfielder Mariah Davis reaching on an error, also allowing Bakenhus to advance to third. That allowed freshman catcher Taylor Sherritt to lay down a shot to Boston pitcher Makinna Akers, and Bakenhus would score on a throwing error charged to the Boston infield. Davis would also score unearned on the play, advancing BCU up, 2-1.
 
In the top of the sixth, freshman pitcher Mariah Estrada would find herself in danger as the rookie from La Quinta, California would load the bases with nobody out. Estrada would come back to get three outs consecutively, aided by defensive throws to the plate from shortstop Brianna Sanders and second baseman Kailey Richard with throws the Sherritt at the plate.
 
BCU would add three insurance runs in the bottom of the inning.
 
Sanders' RBI single would score Davis from third for the first run of the inning. With a pair of Wildcats aboard, freshman Ryan Jackson powered out her first collegiate home run, extending the BCU lead at 5-1.
 
Boston (0-1) struck first in the contest in the top of the third inning.
 
After Moriah Connolly singles on a bunt and advanced and eventually advanced to third on a wild pitch, the Terriers second baseman would score courtesy an Alexa Ponce RBI single through the right side.
 
Estrada would collect her first win of the year, working all seven innings and giving up just the one run on 11 hits, four walks and a strikeout. The loss went to Boston's Akers who fell to 0-1, as she went 4.1 innings in relief action, allowing five runs (three earned) on five hits, a walk and five strikeouts.
 
The BCU bats were led by Bakenhus and Davis who each registered 2-for-3 performances. Davis scored twice and Bakenhus once, while it was Jackson supplying two RBIs in the win.
 
FLORIDA ATLANTIC 15, BCU 0 (5 inn.)
Mia Olson pitched a scoreless shutout for Florida Atlantic, while two Owls went yard with home runs to help homestanding FAU defeat Bethune-Cookman, 15-0 in five innings at the FAU Softball Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida on Saturday evening.
 
Already leading 3-0 after two innings, FAU (3-2) broke open the game in the bottom of the third with five runs.
 
Lauren Whitt scored a pair for the hosts with a double to right center, followed two batters later by Mia Olson's RBI single up the middle to push the Owls lead out to 6-0. Later in the frame, leadoff hitter and shortstop Emily Lochten would collect her first home run of the year to score Samantha Lageyre on the play and increase the Owls lead at 8-0.
 
BCU (1-3) would give up another seven runs to the hosts in the home-half of the fourth, as FAU used an Olson home run to highlight the inning.
 
The Wildcats got hits on the night from a pair of players, including senior right fielder Kaitlin Alamprese with a 2-for-2 effort at the dish, adding two putouts on defense. Catcher Taylor Sherritt collected the only other hit of the game for the Maroon and Gold.
 
The win went to starter Olson who worked five frames, scattering three hits and striking out five batters against just one walk allowed. Meanwhile, the loss went to BCU starter Destiny Enriquez who fell to 0-2 on the campaign, as she allowed 10 runs (eight earned) on 10 hits and tallying a strikeout.
 
Bethune-Cookman will conclude play at the FAU Kick-Off Classic on Sunday at 11:15 a.m., when the Wildcats take on Troy. 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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