CLEARWATER, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman Softball almost pulled off back-to-back seventh inning rallies Friday evening, as the Wildcats split a pair of games in the Michele Smith-Clearwater Parks & Rec Spring Tournament at the Eddie Moore Complex. BCU took the first game against St. Joseph's, 15-8. But the Cats dropped the second game to Monmouth, 9-8.
 
BCU 15, ST. JOSEPH'S 8
Bethune-Cookman scored 10 runs in the top of the seventh inning to rally from two runs down, claiming a 15-8 win over St. Joseph's at the Eddie Moore Complex on Friday evening in Clearwater, Florida. The game was the first of the day for Bethune-Cookman in the annual Michele Smith-Clearwater Parks & Rec Spring Tournament hosted by the University of South Florida.
 
Trailing 7-5 heading into the seventh inning, Bethune-Cookman (8-20) sent 14 batters to the plate in the top of the seventh en route to scoring a season-high for runs in an inning (10).
 
Junior centerfielder Mariah Davis kicked off the frame with a triple, only to be brought in on the next play by first baseman Iesha Waters, courtesy the junior's first hit of the game. Waters would tie the game at 7-all when freshman Ryan Jackson – this week's Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Player of the Week, knocked her in with a double down the left field line.
 
Bethune-Cookman would take the 8-7 lead when Brianna Sanders plated Jackson on the end of a single to left field. After a single from Yvonne Siordia pushed Sanders to third, St. Joseph's (3-13) went to the bullpen for right-hander Ashley Stokes.
 
However, the lead would swell to 9-7 in favor of the Maroon and Gold when a passed ball allowed Sanders to score from third. A bunt single from Kailey Richard scored pinch runner Jacki Smith for the 10-7 lead, while Waters returned for her second at-bat of the frame, delivering a two-run single to right that brought around Taylor Sherritt and Richard for the 12-7 score.
 
Jackson would score another with a single down the line in left, pushing the lead to 13-7. And it would be Kaitlin Alamprese's single to left to eventually score the 10th and final run of the frame for BCU to cross Waters.
 
St. Joseph's brought a run back in the bottom of the eighth with Abigail Stroud delivering her first home run of the season, making the final score, 15-8 in favor of the visiting Wildcats.
 
Bethune-Cookman scored the game's opening run in the top of the first inning when Davis crossed courtesy an error charged to St. Joe's third baseman Taryn Grober, as her throw to first sailed over the head of first baseman Stroud.
 
After the Hawks tied the game at one in the bottom of the second, the Wildcats pushed out to a 5-1 lead in the top of the third.
 
With Waters and Davis each reaching early in the at-bat, Jackson punched out her ninth home run of the year with a shot to straight away center field, putting BCU up, 4-1. Richard picked up a sacrifice fly to left later in the BCU at-bat in order to score Alamprese from third.
 
The Hawks would score two in the bottom of the third, before then scoring four in the bottom of the sixth to take a 7-5 advantage into the seventh inning.
 
The win went to starter senior Sabrina Anguiano, as the Hacienda Heights, California native worked all seven innings, giving up six runs (four earned) on 11 hits scattered. She also struck-out six with zero (0) walks. In the win, she bumped her record to 3-6 on the campaign.
 
The loss went to St. Joe's reliever Madison Clarke, dropping her to 1-4 on the campaign. She went 4.1 innings in the circle, giving up seven runs on eight hits, one walk and two strikeouts. Hawks starter Ashley Ventura went two innings on the rubber, being tagged for three runs (two earned) on two hits and two walks.
 
Leading BCU on offense were six players collecting multiple hits in the contest. Davis and Jackson each picked up three hits, while Jackson also collected five RBIs. Alamprese, Sanders, Richard and Waters each supplied two hits apiece, as well as Waters' three runs batted in.
 
MONMOUTH 9, BCU 8
Monmouth would score six runs in the fourth inning, adding an all-important insurance run in the seventh, as Bethune-Cookman fell to the Hawks, 9-8 at the Eddie Moore Complex on Friday night in Clearwater, Florida. The game was the second and final game of the day for Bethune-Cookman in the annual Michele Smith-Clearwater Parks & Rec Spring Tournament hosted by the University of South Florida.
 
With Bethune-Cookman trailing, 8-6 in the top of the seventh, Monmouth (4-12) took advantage of the Wildcats third error of the game to increase the lead at 9-6.
 
In the bottom of the inning, Bethune-Cookman (8-21) scored two runs and looked to add more before the game concluded on a tough play for the Wildcats.
 
A two-out rally for the Maroon and Gold kicked off when Yvonne Siordia and Kailey Richard each walked. Jacki Smith would pinch run for Siordia. She would come in to score along with Richard when freshman Kaiya Epps-Lee registered a two-run double off the fence in center. However, the rookie would be called out as she turned just off the bag at second on the relay from Monmouth centerfielder Chloe Howerth. Her throw would reach shortstop Rachel Shotzbarger on the cutoff, then throwing to second baseman Deangie Jimenez for the tag on Epps-Lee.
 
After Monmouth scored the first run of the game in the first inning, the Hawks added a run in the top of the third when Jimenez began the inning with a double. She would eventually make her way around to score on a sac fly from third baseman Morgan Balderas. That gave Monmouth the 2-0 lead.
 
BCU would cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning, using a RBI triple from Ryan Jackson to plate Mariah Davis from first.
 
Monmouth would score six runs in the top of the fourth, using a crucial error on the Cats – as all four runs were unearned.
 
The Cats would answer with three runs in the fifth inning, cutting the deficit at 8-4.
 
After Iesha Waters singled to load the bases with one out, Jackson sent a pitch to right center, scoring Taylor Sherritt on the play. That was followed by Brianna Sanders reaching on a fielder's choice, but it was good enough to score Davis, as the Hawks defense was charged with an error to second baseman Jimenez. The score was an RBI as the ball was hit deep in the hole, and Davis was streaking from third on the hit.
 
The third run of the game was a RBI base on balls collected by Alamprese, allowing teammate Waters to score from third.
 
BCU went on to score two in the sixth inning, making the Wildcats deficit just 8-6.
 
Sherritt's double to left plated Richard, while Davis secured a RBI with a groundout to second, bringing in Epps-Lee on the play.
 
The win went to Monmouth's Amanda Riley (3-8), while the save went to left-hander Sydney Underhill (1). Riley pitched five innings, giving up six runs (five earned) on 10 hits and two walks. Out of the bullpen, Underhill pitched two frames, allowing two runs on one hit and adding two walks.
 
The loss went to BCU freshman Destiny Enriquez (0-10). She pitched 3.2 innings, being tagged for seven runs (three earned) on five hits and three walks. Senior Bailey Conner finished the game in the circle for the Maroon and Gold, working 3.1 innings, allowing a pair of unearned runs, scattering three hits and adding a pair of walks.
 
BCU was led at the plate by Epps-Lee with two hits and a run scored. Davis also added three hits in four trips, scoring twice with a RBI. And it was Jackson finishing 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
 
Bethune-Cookman returns to the Eddie Moore Complex on Saturday, March 18, as the cats take on Fairfield and Army, respectfully.
 
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