DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Ryan Jackson logged her 13th home run of the year, and it was freshman Alexis Bermudez collecting her sixth win of the season in helping Bethune-Cookman to a doubleheader sweep of Savannah State in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) softball series on Saturday afternoon at Sunnyland Park.
 
GAME ONE: BCU 5, SSU 0
Freshman pitcher Alexis Bermudez went the distance in the circle for her first complete-game shutout in helping Bethune-Cookman to a 5-0 decision over visiting Savannah State in the MEAC opening contest for both teams Saturday afternoon at Sunnyland Park in Daytona Beach, Florida.
 
Bethune-Cookman (15-18, 1-0 MEAC) broke open a 0-0 deadlock in the bottom of the fourth inning with a pair of runs manufactured.
 
After Kailey Richard singled and advanced to second on a throw to third that got Iesha Waters trying to steal, an error charged to Savannah State first baseman Shayna Byers allowed Bryanna Campos to reach safely and push around Richard for the game's opening score. Campos would eventually come in to score herself on a wild pitch from Tigers starting hurler Tanisha Williams.
 
BCU catcher Taylor Sherritt scored Waters in the bottom of the fifth to widen the Wildcats lead as she singled up the middle to drive across waters from third for the 3-0 score.
 
The Cats added two insurance runs in the home-half of the sixth.
 
Savannah State (5-12, 0-1 MEAC) sent Hannah Deckle to the circle to pitch the frame.
 
Ryan Jackson singled to kick off the BCU at-bat, followed by back-to-back hits from Mariah Davis and Waters, respectively. After Davis' single scored Jackson, it would be Davis coming around on a single following an error charged to SSU right fielder Allye Sneed.
 
That put BCU on top 5-0, as Bermudez shut the door in the seventh for the season's first shutout for the Wildcats.
 
In earning the win, Bermudez (6-6) scattered three hits across seven frames, not allowing a walk and striking out two. The loss went to Tigers starter Williams (1-0 as she worked five innings, giving up three runs (one earned) on five hits and five walks.
 
The BCU bats were paced by seniors Davis and waters with a 2-for-4 day each.  Davis added a RBI to boot.
 
GAME TWO: BCU 8, SSU 7
Ryan Jackson produced her first grand slam of the season – her MEAC-leading 13th home run of the campaign, as Bethune-Cookman held off Savannah State, 8-7 on Saturday afternoon to complete a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) doubleheader sweep of the Tigers at Sunnyland Park in Daytona Beach, Florida.
 
Bethune-Cookman (16-18, 2-0 MEAC) used sophomore centerfielder Jackson's grand slam home run in the bottom of the fourth to break what was a 4-4 tie game. Hits from Taylor Sherritt and Jacki Smith, mixed in the middle with a walk from Cheyenne Smith, allowed Jackson to step to the plate to record the grand slam with two outs.
 
Savannah State (5-13, 0-2 MEAC) cut into the lead in the top of the fifth with two runs, cutting the Wildcats lead at 8-6.
 
Cortni Jones doubled to right center, allowing centerfielder Brianna Harris to score the first run. That was followed by Amanda Hallman's single to right that scored Jones.
 
Things got interesting in the top of the seventh as SSU loaded the bases on Bethune-Cookman reliever Mariah Estrada.
 
Pinch hitter Elizabeth Humes would walk with two outs and the bags loaded, pushing across pinch runner Tanisha Williams to make it 8-7. But a liner from Kameryn Baker to Iesha Waters at first – as the senior made a leaping catch, closed the door for the Maroon and Gold victory.
 
Savannah State opened the game with three runs in the top of the first inning as the Tigers wasted little time getting to BCU starter freshman Victoria Guzman in the circle. Harris posted a RBI single that scored Allye Sneed, followed two plays later by a Jones two-run homer to left.
 
BCU answered with a Brianna Sanders three-run home run in the bottom of the frame, as well as a Kailey Richard RBI single that scored Ryan Jackson.
 
The Wildcats led 4-3 after an inning in the books.
 
The win was picked up by BCU reliever Destiny Enriquez (3-6) as the Norwalk, California sophomore worked 1.1 innings. She allowed three runs on five hits, and produced one strikeout. Estrada earned her first save of the year in pitching the final three frames, allowing just one run on three hits, two walks and a strikeout.
 
The loss was credited to Savannah State starter Amanda Hallman (3-6) as she went the distance in the circle, allowing eight runs on seven hits, a walk and two strikeouts earned.
 
The BCU offensive attack was led by a 2-for-3 output from Brianna Sanders, adding three RBIs on her third home run of the campaign.
 
The two teams close out the league series Sunday at noon.
 
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