DURHAM, N.C. – Bethune-Cookman centerfielder Zach Spivey registered two (2) home runs Sunday afternoon in helping the visiting Wildcats avoid a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference series sweep at North Carolina Central as the BCU came from behind for a 5-4 win at Durham Athletic Park. NCCU claimed the series win on Saturday with a doubleheader sweep.
 
With Bethune-Cookman (7-14, 2-4 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) trailing 4-3 entering the top of the eighth inning, redshirt junior transfer Zach Spivey delivered a one-out solo home run to right field that knotted the game at 4-all.
 
Senior pitcher Ivan Coutinho entered in the bottom of the frame for the Wildcats, sitting the homestanding Eagles down in order.
 
Ion the top of the ninth, junior shortstop Nate Sterijevski legged out his first triple of the year with a hard hit ball down the line in left. That allowed Adonis Lao to record a RBI single to left, pushing across Sterijevski for the game-winning run at 5-4.
 
North Carolina Central (14-7, 4-2 MEAC), the new leaders of the MEAC Southern Division after Florida A&M dropped a game against Savannah State on Saturday, jumped on top first in the bottom of the third inning.
 
Mitchell McCrary began the Eagles at-bat reaching safely on an error charged to BCU junior Danny Rodriguez at first base. After a wild pitch from Tyler Krull and a bunt single from Evan Holland, it allowed McCrary to work his way to third with no outs. An Andrew Valichka single to left center allowed the NCCU designated hitter to cross home for the 1-0 NCCU advantage.
 
The Wildcats responded in the top of the fourth with a pair of runs, taking just their second lead of the weekend.
 
After third baseman and senior captain Jameel Edney was hit by a pitch with one out, Spivey tallied his second home run of the series – his first of two on the day, with a two-run shot clear the wall in left. That allowed BCU to go up, 2-1.
 
The Eagles responded in the bottom of the inning as first baseman Zach Michalski homered for the second time on the weekend to knot the game at 2-all.
 
BCU stepped back in front in the sixth as Giovany Lorenzo's RBI single down the left field line allowed the speedy Spivey to come in from second and give the visitors a 3-2 edge as they looked to avoid the series sweep.
 
However, North Carolina Central would answer yet again in the bottom of the sixth when catcher Timmy Fischvogt powered out his first home run of the series with a deep shot to right.
 
With the game tied at 3-3 entering the bottom of the seventh, the Eagles used a home run from their third different player of the game, this time a solo shot from Carter Williams, to reclaim the lead, 4-3.
 
The win was collected by BCU right-hander Ivan Coutinho (1-1) from the bullpen as he tossed two innings, striking out two and not allowing a base runner. The start was given to Krull as the junior right-hander went 5.2 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on nine hits and three strikeouts.
 
The loss went to NCCU reliever Chris Kernan (2-2) as he toed the rubber for two innings, giving up two runs on three Wildcats hits, including the Spivey home run that knotted the game in the eighth inning.
 
Sterijevski and Spivey each had three hits in the game to lead the Maroon and Gold offensive attack, while Lao supplied a RBI single alongside Lorenzo. Spivey also had three RBIs in the contest.
 
Bethune-Cookman hosts Georgia Southern in its next contest as a midweek, non-conference affair Tuesday, March 20, at Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
 
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