CLEARWATER, Fla. – Ryan Jackson hit her league-leading 10th home run of the season Sunday afternoon as Bethune-Cookman defeated Army, 11-3 at the Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex. The game was the fifth and final of the Under Armour Showcase presented by USF for the Wildcats in Clearwater, Florida.
 
Army (3-12) led 3-1 heading into the bottom of the second inning.
 
BCU (13-15) rallied to tie the game with a pair of runs in the home-half of the frame to knot the game at 3-all.
 
Jacki Smith and Cheyenne Smith each scored unearned runs on a throwing error charged to Army shortstop Ally Snelling.
 
The Wildcats stepped in front, 4-3 in the bottom of the fourth when Mariah Davis stole home following the second error of the game by Army's Snelling at the shortstop position.
 
The BCU advantage increased to 5-3 in the bottom-half of the fifth inning as first baseman Iesha Waters singled to center field, allowing Davis to score from third on the play.
 
The big inning came for the Maroon and Gold in the home-half of the sixth as BCU scored five runs in the frame.
 
After Cheyenne Smith walked with two outs, sophomore right fielder Ryan Jackson lifted her fourth home run of the weekend – her 10th overall on the year, over the fence in center field that put BCU on top, 7-3. The lead widened for the Cats on Waters' second RBI single of the game that drove across Davis, followed by Kailey Richard's run-scoring single that plated Waters.
 
Richard would eventually come around to score on an error by Army second baseman Kristen McPeek, as she tried to throw out Brianna Sanders at first.
 
Bethune-Cookman opened the game's scoring in the bottom of the first when Jackson advanced home on an error by the Army infield. Jackson began the BCU at-bat with a leadoff single to right field.
 
Army answered with three runs of its own in the top of the second inning.
 
Left fielder Lacey Swafford's run-scoring single to right drove across Taylor Drayton. And it was a fielder's choice bunt by Sam Hartman that scored Snelling for the second run. The third run of the frame for the Black Knights was scored by Swafford on a sacrifice fly to left by McPeek.
 
The win was picked up by freshman left-hander Victoria Guzman (4-5) in a relief effort. The San Jose, California native went five innings in the circle, scattering just three hits, walking one and striking out a pair. The loss was credited to Army starter Courtney Springman (1-8) as she worked 4.2 innings, giving up five unearned runs on five hits, three walks and two strikeouts.
 
Bethune-Cookman was led at the plate by three players collecting a multiple-hit game, including Ryan Jackson's 2-for-4 effort, adding two runs and two RBIs. Waters would finish the game 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. And it was Kailey Richard ending her day 2-for-4 with a run and a RBI, respectfully.
 
Bethune-Cookman finished up the weekend 4-1 overall.
 
Bethune-Cookman hosts George Mason in a non-conference doubleheader Tuesday, March 13, at Sunnyland Park beginning at 1 p.m.
 
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