DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Ryan Jackson hit her team-leading sixth home run of the year on Thursday afternoon as Bethune-Cookman swept a non-conference softball doubleheader from Mount St. Mary's at Sunnyland Park. BCU took the opener, 11-3, and collected the second leg of the doubleheader, 4-2.
 
BCU 11, Mount St. Mary's 3
Freshman Ryan Jackson lifted her sixth home run of the season on Thursday afternoon, as Bethune-Cookman ran away with an 11-3 run-rule decision over Mount St. Mary's in the first leg of a doubleheader at Sunnyland Park in Daytona Beach, Florida.
 
Jackson, the current Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Player of the Week, plated junior centerfielder Mariah Davis with a two-run homer to left centerfield in her first at-bat, putting BCU on top 2-0 in the opening inning.
 
Mount St. Mary's (3-8) brought a run back in the top of the third with a solo home run from right fielder Rachel Heinze, lowering the score to 3-1.
 
However, Bethune-Cookman (5-18) would drive across three runs in the home-half of the third inning to increase its lead at 5-1.
 
The first three batters reached safely in the inning for the Wildcats, setting the stage for Kaitlin Alamprese to draw a bases loaded walk from The Mount's starting pitcher Jordan Weaver. Moments later, freshman Taylor Sherritt singled up the middle to score Jackson for the 4-1 lead. Annie Bakenhus would plate the final run of the frame with a bases loaded walk that allowed Mariah Davis to score on the play.
 
After The Mount scored two in the top of the fourth, BCU answered with four more runs in the bottom of the inning.
 
First baseman Iesha Waters walked and later stole second to start the Wildcats at-bat. Jackson was then hit by a Weaver pitch before stealing second herself. After Waters moved to third on her second steal of the inning, the two runners would advance to third and home, respectfully, on a wild pitch. An Alamprese RBI groundout to second crossed Jackson for the score.
 
Brianna Sanders would come around to score on an error charged to the Mount St. Mary's infield, while junior third baseman Bryanna Campos would plate freshman Yvonne Siordia who pinch hit earlier in the frame.
 
BCU setup the five inning run-rule in the bottom of the fifth with Davis and Jackson performing a double steal of second and home, followed by a Sanders RBI single to right that drove in Jackson for the final 11-3 score.
 
In the start, Sabrina Anguiano (1-5) earned her first win of the year in the pitcher's circle. The Hacienda Heights, California native worked four innings, allowing three runs on four hits, a walk and three strikeouts. Bailey Conner finished the game in the fifth.
 
The loss was tacked onto The Mount's Weaver, dropping her to 1-3 for the year. She went four complete frames, allowing nine runs (seven earned) on five hits, seven walks and a pair of strikeouts.
 
The Maroon and Gold offense was paced by Waters' 2-for-2 outing at the dish, as well as Jackson's 2-for-3 outing. Waters scored two runs, while Jackson scored four and knocked in a pair.
 
BCU 4, Mount St. Mary's 2
Bethune-Cookman scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to erase a 2-2 deadlock and claim a doubleheader sweep of Mount St. Mary's with a 4-2 second leg victory at Sunnyland Park in Daytona Beach, Florida.
 
Bethune-Cookman (6-18) would end a pitcher's duel in the bottom of the third, using a Mariah Davis RBI groundout to second that crossed sophomore left fielder Annie Bakenhus from third. Bakenhus reached to begin the inning with an error charged to The Mount's infield.
 
The Cats increased the lead at 2-0 in the fourth inning with Ryan Jackson scoring on a Kaitlin Alamprese single shot back up the middle. Jackson worked her way aboard to kick-off the at-bat for BCU with a walk.
 
Mount St. Mary's (3-9) scored runs in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively, to tie the game at 2-2. The Mount's Lindsay Heinze homered to left center for her second home run of the season in the top of the sixth.
 
The Wildcats would score two runs in the bottom of the sixth to setup the 4-2 victory.
 
Shortstop Brianna Sanders reached to start things off with an error charged to The Mount's infield. Alamprese then laid down a sacrifice bunt, but the defense elected to go to second and try to cut down Sanders who beat the throw to the bag. That allowed freshman designated player Yvonne Siordia to move both runners up a base with a sac bunt.
 
Bryanna Campos would plate the first of the inning's two runs on a RBI single to shallow left, allowing Sanders to put BCU up, 3-2 as she crossed home. The second run would score courtesy of Alamprese when Bakenhus singled to left.
 
Bailey Conner would earn the win in the pitcher's circle, working 2.1 innings in relief action. She allowed just one run on two hits and collected two strikeouts. With the win, she moved her record to 2-0 on the year.
 
Meanwhile, the loss went to Sam Lichtner (2-2) as she pitched all six innings for The Mount, giving up four runs (two earned) on four hits, three walks and three strikeouts.
 
BCU was led at the plate by four players with a hit apiece, all of whom tallied an RBI with the hit.
 
Bethune-Cookman continues its current four-game homestand welcoming George Mason to Sunnyland Park for a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 14. The first game is set to begin at 2 p.m.
 
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