DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Three Bethune-Cookman players hit home runs on Friday afternoon as the Wildcats swept a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) softball doubleheader from South Carolina State at Sunnyland Park. BCU collected the opener, 10-2, while returning for a 13-0 decision in the nightcap.
 
GAME ONE: BCU 10, SCSU 2
Yvonne Siordia and Iesha Waters each went yard, while Sabrina Anguiano worked a complete game in the pitcher's circle to help Bethune-Cookman to a 10-2 victory over South Carolina State in the first of two games played on the day at Sunnyland Park in Daytona Beach, Florida.
 
Bethune-Cookman (18-27, 8-2 MEAC) set the tone early-on with five runs in the bottom of the first inning.
 
Iesha Waters, a junior from Riverside, California, registered her fourth home run of the season to open the scoring for the Wildcats with a shot to left centerfield, also scoring Mariah Davis on the play. Moments later, Bailey Conner made it 3-0 with a RBI groundout that scored freshman right fielder Ryan Jackson. Freshman third baseman Yvonne Siordia then plated two with a single to left, bringing around Kaitlin Alamprese and Kailey Richard.
 
South Carolina State (2-29, 2-5 MEAC) brought a run back in the top of the second when She'Nautica Bates' double to left field drove across Quiana Hodge.
 
Bethune-Cookman led 5-1 after an inning-and-a-half.
 
Sophomore left fielder Annie Bakenhus scored off an error in the bottom of the second to push the lead back out to 6-1 for BCU. The Yucaipa High alum singled on a bunt and advanced all the way home on an errant throw from SCSU catcher Alston Jenkins whose attempt to cut down Bakenhus sailed wide of first baseman Tamaya McQueary and rolled all the way to the right field fence.
 
After the Bulldogs answered with a run in the top of the third, the Wildcats secured two additional runs in the home-half of the fifth.
 
Siordia went yard for the second time on the year with a two-run homer clear the wall in left field that also scored Alamprese, advancing the BCU lead out to 9-2.
 
The run-rule would come into effect in the bottom of the sixth inning when a Jackson RBI double inside the bag at third crossed Waters from second, giving BCU the 10-2 victory.
 
The win was picked up by senior right-hander Sabrina Anguiano, pushing her record for the year to 10-7. The Hacienda Heights, California native worked all six innings in the circle, allowing two runs on seven hits. She walked two and struck out three on the day.
 
The loss went to S.C. State starter Jada Lake (0-16) as she was tagged for five runs on three hits and two walks in just an inning worked on the rubber.
 
The Bethune-Cookman offense was paced by Siordia's perfect 3-for-3 showing at the plate, adding a run and driving across five more. She was followed up by Waters with a 2-for-4 outing at the dish, added her two runs and two RBIs. Davis added a pair of hits and a run scored from the leadoff spot.
 
GAME TWO: BCU 13, SCSU 0
Ryan Jackson picked up her league-leading 13th home run of the season as Bethune-Cookman collected a 13-0 win over South Carolina State in the second leg of a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) softball doubleheader at Sunnyland Park in Daytona Beach, Florida. The win allowed the Wildcats to sweep the doubleheader on the day.
 
Bethune-Cookman (19-27, 9-2 MEAC) opened the game with three runs in the bottom of the first inning.
 
After singles from Mariah Davis and Iesha Waters, respectively, BCU freshman right fielder Ryan Jackson lifted a one out, three-run shot to straight-away center field for the 3-0 advantage.
 
Wildcats designated player Kaiya Epps-Lee would make it 4-0 when she scored off a wild pitch from South Carolina State reliever Jada Lake. Epps-Lee, a Lancaster, California native, worked herself aboard with a single to right field earlier in the at-bat.
 
The Cats added three additional scores in the home-half of the third to increase the lead at 7-0.
 
Senior catcher Kaitlin Alamprese drove in two with a double to left center, only to come around and score herself off the end of an Yvonne Siordia sacrifice fly to deep centerfield.
 
In the fourth inning, BCU would put the run-rule into effect for the second time on the day as the Maroon and Gold scored six to produce the final 13-0 score line.
 
Junior centerfielder Davis kicked off the at-bat with a triple to left, followed by a bunt single from Annie Bakenhus to score the Madera, California product Davis. Junior first baseman Waters would drive in Bakenhus two plays later with a double to center field. That put BCU up, 9-0.
 
A Kailey Richard RBI single to left field pushed across pinch runner Jacki Smith and Waters for the 11-0 lead. That was followed by shortstop Brianna Sanders being hit by a pitch, allowing Alamprese to deliver an RBI double to left that scored Epps-Lee. The final run crossed for the Maroon and Gold in the form of Alamprese as she scampered in on a wild pitch from Lake.
 
The win was picked up by freshman right-hander Mariah Estrada, pushing her record for the year above .500 at 6-5 for the season. She hurled 4.1 scoreless innings, scattering four hits and striking out four against a single walk. Bailey Conner pitched the final two-thirds of an inning, walking a batter while collecting the final two outs.
 
South Carolina State (2-30, 2-6 MEAC) starting pitcher Ragin Prunty accepted the loss, dropping her at 2-4 on the year. She went one-third of an inning in the circle for the Bulldogs, giving up three runs on three hits and a walk. Lake finished the game on the rubber for the Bulldogs.
 
The BCU offensive attack was headed up by four players with two hits each, including Alamprese who added three RBIs and two runs. Jackson delivered three RBIs on her home run, while Waters provided two runs and a RBI on the end of two hits for the game.
 
Bethune-Cookman concludes the series against South Carolina State on Saturday at noon back at Sunnyland Park with a single game.
 
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