DeLAND, Fla. – Stetson Maggie Fritts homered on the first pitch she saw in the bottom of the seventh to send the Hatters home with a 6-5 walk-off victory over visiting Bethune-Cookman on Wednesday evening at Patricia Wilson Field. In the loss for the Wildcats, the two teams split a pair of meetings on the year, respectfully.
 
Trailing 5-4 entering the top of the seventh inning, Bethune-Cookman (24-24) tied things up when senior left fielder Mariah Davis came home from third on a passed ball by the Hatters' Blake Crews behind the dish. Davis, a native of Madera, California, got on with a bunt single to begin the inning.
 
In the bottom of the inning, Stetson (24-17) needed just one pitch to register the walk-off win as Fritts turned on the first pitch she saw from BCU reliever Destiny Enriquez, sending it clear the wall in straightaway center field.
 
BCU got on the board first in the top of the third inning.
 
Senior first baseman Iesha Waters singled to center in order to score Jacki Smith for the game's opening run. Fellow senior Kailey Richard followed in the next at-bat with a RBI single to right that plated Ryan Jackson, giving the Maroon and Gold a 2-0 lead.
 
Stetson would grab the lead with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.
 
But it would the Wildcats who would answer with two runs in the top of the fifth to reclaim the lead, 4-3.
 
For the second time on the night, Waters would post a RBI single, scoring Davis with a single to right. Jackson would also score unearned on the play as she came in on a throwing error charged to Fritts in right field.
 
The Hatters would step back out in front at 5-4 with a pair of runs in the home-half of the sixth, using a single from shortstop Lizzie Shubert to plate the go-ahead run.
 
The win was taken by Tori Perkins (15-9) as she went the distance in the pitcher's circle, allowing five runs (two earned) on nine hits, and going on to pick up four strikeouts against zero (0) walks. BCU's Enriquez (7-7) accepted the loss as she went three innings on the rubber, giving up four runs (one earned) on seven hits allowed, and also picking up a strikeout with zero (0) walks issued.
 
The BCU bats were charged by three players with two hits each on the night, including Waters with a 2-for-3 effort and adding two RBIs. Jacki Smith and Davis were 2-for-4, respectively.
 
Bethune-Cookman will play an exhibition game against the Chinese National Team on Sunday, April 22. The game time will be announced later in the week on BCUathletics.com.
 
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