DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman Softball dropped its first home contest of the year Tuesday afternoon as the Wildcats split a non-conference doubleheader with visiting George Mason at Sunnyland Park. Bethune-Cookman took the first game by a 4-2 decision, but dropped the second game in a 3-1 fashion.
 
BCU 4, GEORGE MASON 2
Kaitlin Alamprese went 3-for-3 at the dish, and Sabrina Anguiano picked up the win in the pitcher's circle as Bethune-Cookman defeated George Mason, 4-2 in the first leg of a doubleheader Tuesday afternoon at Sunnyland Park in Daytona Beach, Florida.
 
With Kaitlin Alamprese starting things off with a single in the bottom-half of second inning, it would be junior Kailey Richard driving in the Chino, California senior with a double off the wall in right center. That allowed Bethune-Cookman (7-18) to open the scoring with a 1-0 lead.
 
The Wildcats would plate two more runs in the third inning courtesy freshman right fielder Ryan Jackson's seventh home run of the year – this one a two-run shot to left that also scored first baseman Iesha Waters on the play.
 
In the fourth inning, Alamprese would collect the second home run of the game for the Maroon and Gold, sending a Marina Vitalich pitch clear over the wall in straightaway center field. That put BCU up by a seemingly comfortable 4-0 margin.
 
However, George Mason (2-13) fought back into the game with a pair of runs in the top-half of the sixth inning.
 
Bailey Conner relieved BCU starting pitcher Sabrina Anguiano in the circle to begin the frame, with the Encinitas, California senior quickly registering two strikeouts.
 
But the Patriots began a two-out rally with designated player Jess Curbeira's two-run homer over the fence in right, bringing themselves within a 4-2 score.
 
After Victoria Webster reached on a fielding error – one of two in the game for the Wildcats, and Erin Calpin walked, BCU veteran head coach Laura Watten went back to Anguiano in the circle to finish off the game. The right-handed senior from Hacienda Heights, California would load the bases as right fielder Katherine Marsh singled, before getting pinch hitter Erika Elias to strikeout to end the side.
 
In the win, Anguiano improved her record to 2-5 on the year, working 6.1 innings in the circle, scattering six hits, a walk and picking up three strikeouts. The loss went to George Mason's Vitalich, dropping her to 2-5 on the year.
 
BCU was led offensively by Alamprese's 3-for-3 effort, adding two runs and knocking in a run as well. Jackson added two RBIs via the home run, while Richard supplied the other RBI.
 
GEORGE MASON 3, BCU 1
Bethune-Cookman would leave 11 players on base, including having the bases loaded on two occasions without scoring, as visiting George Mason avoided the doubleheader sweep with a 3-1 victory over the Wildcats in the second leg of two played Tuesday afternoon at Sunnyland Park in Daytona Beach, Florida.
 
George Mason (3-13) struck first in the game, scoring a pair of runs in the third inning.
 
Leadoff hitter Sydnee Wells would reach to begin the frame with an error charged to BCU second baseman Ryan Jackson, followed by a stolen base and a walk issued to Patriots first baseman Samantha Zaccari. That immediately sparked a pitching change for Bethune-Cookman, as freshman Mariah Estrada was relieved by Bailey Conner.
 
Jess Middleton would greet Conner rather rudely with a RBI single to center field, plating Wells for the game's opening run. Jess Curbeira would load the bases on the next play courtesy a bunt single, while teammate Mary Luttrell collected the sacrifice fly to deep center that allowed Zaccari to score from third and give the Patriots a 2-0 lead.
 
The George Mason advantage stretched to 3-0 in the top of the fifth inning when a walk, a hit batter and an error – the fourth of the day across both games for the Wildcats, loaded the bases on BCU freshman reliever Destiny Enriquez. The Norwalk, California native stepped onto the rubber in place of Conner just one batter into the frame.
 
It would be the Patriots' catcher Hayley Hinton delivering a sacrifice fly to left that crossed Curbeira for the score.
 
Bethune-Cookman (7-19) quickly responded in the bottom of the fifth with a leadoff home run from Jackson, her second of the day and eighth of the season.
 
The Wildcats would later get a hit from Brianna Sanders, followed by a steal from the San Marcos, California sophomore, before ending the inning with the eighth runner in scoring position for the game without the Maroon and Gold being able to take advantage.
 
BCU had bases loaded in the first and third innings, respectively, before a lineout to first and a ground ball double play wiped out both opportunities for the Wildcats.
 
George Mason's Madison Larsen earned the win, upping her record for the year to 1-4, while teammate Bekah Ansbro picked up her first save of the campaign. In the start, Larsen went 4.1 innings on the rubber, allowing just the one run (homer from Jackson), seven hits, a walk and picking up three strikeouts.
 
The loss went to BCU starter Estrada, dropping the freshman's record at 3-4 for the season. She worked two innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on zero (0) hits and four walks. Enriquez closed the game in the circle for BCU, tossing three innings, and allowing no hits, no runs and walking two.
 
The Wildcats offense was paced by Brianna Sanders' 3-for-3 effort at the plate, while Jackson provided two hits, a run and a RBI via the fifth inning solo home run. Teammates Jacki Smith and Taylor Sherritt each tallied a hit apiece in their only official at-bat, respectfully.
 
Bethune-Cookman concludes its seven-game homestand Wednesday, March 15, as the Wildcats host Ohio State to Sunnyland Park for a single game at 1 p.m.
 
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