DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman Baseball pounded out 12 hits and survived a lengthy weather delay in order to defeat North Carolina Central, 9-7 and sweep a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) series from the Eagles on Sunday afternoon at Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. BCU took both legs of a doubleheader on Saturday to win the series.
 
A weather delay that lasted one hour and 37 minutes with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning not only allowed some hijinks from both teams, but allowed the Wildcats to collect themselves and settle down after multiple answers on the runs column by the Eagles.
 
Bethune-Cookman (17-24, 11-7 MEAC) opened the game with four runs in the bottom of the first inning. For the second consecutive contest NCCU was unable to get its starting pitcher through an inning on the bump.
 
Danny Rodriguez picked up an RBI double to open the scoring as Kyle Corbin raced in from third, followed by Nate Sterijevski scoring on a passed ball by N.C. Central catcher Tommy Fischvogt to make it 2-0 in favor of the Maroon and Gold. Jordan Stacy would make it 4-0 with a two-run single through the right side scoring Rodriguez and Michael Deeb.
 
North Carolina Central (22-21, 7-11 MEAC) battled back for four runs in the top of the second inning to tie the game.
 
After a comfortable inning from Alexis Herrera in the first, the senior right-hander got into some trouble in the second.
 
NCCU first baseman Zach Michalski turned on the first pitch he saw and cleared the left field wall for a solo home run to begin the second. Carter Williams drove in a run with a single back to Herrera on the mound to score Evan Holland, while teammate Fischvogt scored on an error charged to Herrera. Jordan Varela scored the final run of the Eagles' at-bat when he came in off the end of an Andrew Valichka single.
 
BCU would reclaim the lead with a pair of runs in the home-half of the second.
 
Danny Rodriguez picked up his sixth home run of the year with a two-run shot to left center, putting the Wildcats back up, 6-4.
 
N.C. Central responded with two runs in the top of the third to knot the game at 6-all.
 
Bethune-Cookman would finally break the deadlock in the bottom of the eighth with three runs.
 
Sterijevski registered a RBI single to right field to cross Adonis Lao, after the senior left fielder began the BCU at-bat with a single of his own. With the bases full of Wildcats, designated hitter Deeb drew a bases loaded walk to bring in Sterijevski and put BCU on top, 8-6. The final run of the at-bat came when Jordan Stacy recorded a sacrifice fly to left, bringing in Jameel Edney from third.
 
The Eagles would plate a run in the top of the ninth as Valichka drove the first pitch of the inning out to left for his fifth homer of the campaign, and producing the final 9-7 score.
 
The win was picked up by closer Ivan Coutinho (3-1) for the Maroon and Gold, as he worked 3.1 innings in relief action on the bump. The Winter Park, Florida native would allow just one run on two hits, and picking up five strikeouts against zero (0) walks. The loss was accepted by NCCU's Nick Caregnato (3-2) as he allowed two runs on two hits and produced a strikeout.
 
The BCU bats were led by a 3-for-4 effort from Danny Rodriguez, adding the home run and registering three RBIs on the afternoon. Lao and Stacy each went 2-for-4 at the plate, respectfully, the latter scoring a run as well.
 
Bethune-Cookman is back in action Tuesday, April 24, as the Wildcats travel to USF for a game scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m.
 
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