CLEARWATER, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman went 1-1 on the second day of the Michele Smith-Clearwater Parks & Rec Spring Tournament at the Eddie Moore Complex on Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats rallied late to defeat Fairfield, 10-4 in the first game. However, an error cost the Wildcats a chance at a day two sweep, falling in the second game to Army West Point, 1-0.
 
BCU 10, FAIRFIELD 4
Eight different players collected hits on Saturday afternoon as Bethune-Cookman rallied to defeat Fairfield, 10-4 in the Wildcats' first game of day two action at the Eddie Moore Complex as part of the 2017 Michele Smith-Clearwater Parks & Rec Spring Tournament in Clearwater, Florida.
 
After falling behind 2-0 in the top of the first inning, Bethune-Cookman (9-21) used offense to get right back into the contest during the bottom-half of the frame.
 
Freshman Ryan Jackson's double down the right field line brought around Jacki Smith and Iesha Waters, respectfully, to knot the game at 2-all with one out in the inning. Jackson would make her way to third on the play, using an error charged to Stags right fielder Amanda Ulzheimer. Jackson scored on the next play when classmate Yvonne Siordia doubled to the fence in left field, plating Jackson for the 3-2 BCU advantage.
 
Fairfield (4-13) would reclaim the lead in the top-half of the fourth inning.
 
Kate Robinson's double to right put two into scoring position for the Stags, as the hit pushed Stags third baseman Gianna Kinhofer to third. The two runners for Fairfield would score in the next at-bat as Makenna DiGuilio tripled to cross both players and give Fairfield a 4-3 lead.
 
BCU quickly responded in the home-half of the fourth with four runs of its own.
 
Shortstop Brianna Sanders began the at-bat with a double, followed immediately by a single from Kaitlin Alamprese down the right field line. Taylor Sherritt's groundout to first scored Sanders to knot the game for the second time, this time at 4-4.
 
The Maroon and Gold took the lead once again when right fielder Kaiya Epps-Lee doubled to right center, brining around Alamprese for the 5-4 BCU lead. Three plays later, Waters registered a sacrifice fly in order to push across Epps-Lee from third. The advantage grew to 7-4 off the bat of Jackson as she laced a double to left field, scoring Mariah Davis on the play.
 
The Wildcats added three more insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth.
 
Epps-Lee delivered a two-out RBI single to right field, plating Sanders for the first score of the BCU at-bat. That was followed by pinch hitter Marah Brody's two-run scoring single to center field, allowing the speedy Davis and Epps-Lee to each score easily on the play.
 
That produced the final 10-4 score in the contest.
 
Sabrina Anguiano picked up the win in the pitcher's circle, improving her record to 4-6 on the year – and giving her a second win in two starts on the weekend. She went four innings, giving up four runs on five hits, two walks and three strikeouts. Senior Bailey Conner collected her first save of the year by finishing the final three innings, walking two and striking out two without surrendering a hit.
 
The loss went to Fairfield starter Karisa Hughen, dropping her to 1-8 on the campaign. She went four innings, allowing seven runs (five earned) on eight hits.
 
The BCU offense was propelled by Jackson's perfect 4-for-4 showing at the plate with two singles and two doubles, adding three RBIs and a run. Behind her were Epps-Lee and Sanders with two hits each, as Epps-Lee provided two RBIs and two runs. Sanders added one RBI and two scores.
 
ARMY 1, BCU 0
An error in the fourth inning eventually led to the only run of the game, as Bethune-Cookman fell to Army West Point, 1-0 in the Wildcats final game of the day as part of the 2017 Michele Smith-Clearwater Parks & Rec Spring Tournament. The game was played at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, Florida.
 
A single from leadoff hitter Ashley Yoo allowed the Black Knights their first hit of the game in the top-half of the fourth inning. Teammate Tyler McKenna would eventually steal second base, but found her way to third on a throwing error charged to BCU catcher Taylor Sherritt, as the freshman tried to get McKenna streaking for second.
 
McKenna, patrolling centerfield for Army West Point (17-9) defensively, would score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Emily Ballesteros.
 
Bethune-Cookman (9-22) would have its best chance to try and tie the game in the home-half of the sixth inning.
 
Kaiya Epps-Lee singled and advanced to second with junior centerfielder Mariah Davis reaching on an error by the Black Knights' Emily Gray at first base. BCU's Kailey Richard would lay down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position with one out. But the Maroon and Gold was unable to deliver the tying run as Army pitcher Carolina Smith settled to induce a lineout and groundout to end the frame.
 
BCU threatened again in the home-half of the seventh when Annie Bakenhus started things off with a single, but was called out trying to steal following a bunt by Brianna Sanders.
 
Smith picked up the win in the circle for Army West Point, improving her to 6-2 for the year in the complete-game effort. She scattered five hits in the shutout contest.
 
Conversely, Wildcats freshman Destiny Enriquez still seeks her first win of the year, as the right-hander accepted the loss to move to 0-11 in the circle. Enriquez worked a complete-game on the rubber, allowing just one unearned run and scattering four hits in her first quality start of the season. She also added a pair of strikeouts.
 
Five BCU players collected hits in the game, including Epps-Lee improving her hitting streak to three games. Jackson improved to four games consecutively with a hit, while now reaching base safely in a team-high 20 straight games.
 
Bethune-Cookman concludes its stint at the Michele Smith-Clearwater Parks & Rec Spring Tournament on Sunday against Illinois. First pitch is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. at the Eddie C. Moore Complex.
 
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