TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Tyler Norris pitched the first six innings of a doubleheader without a run and Nate Sterijevski accumulated four hits on the day, but Bethune-Cookman dropped a doubleheader to Florida A&M at Moore-Kittles Field on Saturday.
Norris (1-2) began game one with a battle against Thomas Nicoll as each hurler kept the opposition off the board at least through four frames. Nicoll left after 4.2 innings with five hits, three walks and three strikeouts, and was replaced by Jamie Grant, who gave up an unearned run off one hit in two frames.
Norris briefly held the lead when Chase DeBonis singled on the second of his three-hit day to begin the seventh. Later in the inning, DeBonis scored when Danny Rodriguez was hit by a 3-2 pitch with two outs and the bags full.
John Capra's RBI double chased out Norris in the home half of the inning, and Ivan Coutinho allowed three runs on a wild pitch and later two-run single by Dallas Oliver for the final blows in the 4-1 Wildcat loss.
Norris suffered the loss with tow runs off two hits in six innings. He picked up four strikeouts and had three walks. Branden Frank pitched 1.1 hitless innings in relief, while Rattler reliever Deven Shulstad moved to 1-0 with only one hit in 1.1 relief frqmes, and Dylan Carson pitched the ninth with a hit, walk, and strikeout to gain his first save.
The Rattlers built a strong lead early with six runs in the second off starter Brandon Wilkes (0-2) in the nightcap, who lasted 1.2 innings with six runs off six hits. Relievers Brady Norris and Bobby Stewart combined to pitched the final 4.1 frames with four strikeouts, no walks and only one run allowed.
BCU produced its lone run in a 7-1 setback in the fourth with two-out station-to-station baseball. Zach Spivey drew a five-pitch walk, then stole second. Sterijevski followed with an RBI single to center field.
Chancellor Benton (2-0) gained the win for FAMU with the lone run off four hits, two walks, and five strikeouts in five innings of work.
BCU fell to 5-11, 0-2 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) after the day, while FAMU advanced to 8-11, 2-0 MEAC.
The series continues tomorrow at Moore-Kittles Field with a 1 p.m. start.
