DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman staved off a possible Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) series sweep Sunday afternoon, as the Wildcats scored four runs in the fifth inning to defeat Florida A&M, 6-4 at Moore-Kittles Field. FAMU clinched the series a day prior with a doubleheader sweep.
 
Florida A&M (8-12, 1-2 MEAC) opened with four runs across each of the first three innings.
 
John Capra doubled down the line in left to score Jordan Curtis for the game's opening run with two outs in the bottom of the first inning.
 
Bethune-Cookman (6-11, 1-2 MEAC) used a Nate Sterijevski leadoff homer to begin the second inning to trim the lead at 2-1. For Sterijevski, the round-tripper was his second of the season.
 
For the homestanding Rattlers, Curtis later delivered a run-scoring single of his own that plated Cameron Johnson for the 2-1 Rattlers lead in the home-half of the frame.
 
BCU would trail 4-1 in the bottom of the third after Brian Davis powered out a two-run homer to right center that also scored Dallas Oliver, after the FAMU pitcher was hit by a Tyler Krull pitch to begin the at-bat.
 
In the fourth inning, the Wildcats pulled a run back courtesy Giovany Lorenzo's double down the left field line that plated Danny Rodriguez, who led things off with a single to center in his plate appearance.
 
BCU would claim just its second lead of the entire series in the top of the fifth as the Wildcats rallied for four runs.
 
Adonis Lao started things off with a double to left center, followed by a Joseph Fernando single through the left side to allow runners on the corners with nobody out. After Fernando advanced into scoring position at second on a wild pitch, senior right fielder Kyle Corbin registered a RBI single to the pitcher that scored Lao.
 
Senior third baseman Jameel Edney tied the game at 4-all with a fielder's choice RBI that plated Fernando.
 
BCU would step in front after a fielding error charged to FAMU left fielder Cameron Johnson allowed Edney and Corbin to score, following the single to left from Rodriguez.
 
The BCU bullpen of Joseph Calamita and Ivan Coutinho would shut the door and preserve the BCU win.
 
Junior Tyler Krull evened his record at 1-1 on the year as he collected the win on the mound for the Maroon and Gold. He worked seven frames, allowing four runs on four hits, two walks and five strikeouts. Calamita setup the Coutinho save with an inning of work, allowing just a hit. And for Coutinho, the save was his third of the year as he pitched the ninth and struck out one.
 
The loss went to FAMU's Dallas Oliver who fell to 2-2 on the year, as he went four innings on the hill, giving up five runs on six hits, four walks and three strikeouts.
 
The BCU bats were led by Fernando with a 2-for-5 day, adding a run scored. While teammate Rodriguez was 2-for-4 with a RBI and a run of his own.
 
Bethune-Cookman welcomes Fairfield in its next contest to Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark for a midweek non-conference affair on Wednesday, March 14. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
 
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