SAVANNAH, Ga. - Bethune-Cookman scored three runs in the first to begin a 17-hit barrage in a dominating 9-5 victory against Savannah State Sunday afternoon at Tiger Field. The win gave BCU (13-19, 7-5) its first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference series sweep of the season.
The Wildcats turned on the scoreboard first with an RBI double by Danny Rodriguez in the top of the first. His fifth double of the season scored Jameel Edney who had previously reached on a walk.
A batter later, Zach Spivey continued the hit parade with an RBI single up the middle to plate Rodriguez. Following a throwing error by SSU (5-21, 2-10) hurler Luis Torres-Lopez (1-2), Joe Fernando grounded out to short and sent Spivey home for the third Wildcat run of the opening frame.
Afer a quick 1-2-3 inning from Tyler Krull, the Wildcats were again on the prowl at the plate. Michael Deeb sent a one-out double down the left field line. Jake Hellweg sacrifice bunted Deeb to third, and Nate Sterijevski's second hit of the afternoon was an RBI single to center field and gave BCU a 4-0 lead.
An inning later, BCU chased out Torres-Lopez after Adonis Lao's two-out RBI single to left. His 11th RBI on the year plated Fernando, who had earlier singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Shawn Sausville came in from the bullpen and immediately allowed the score to reach 6-0 on a Deeb RBI single up the middle.
Torres-Lopez lasted 2.2 innings with eight hits, six runs and five earned, two walks, and did not tally a strikeout.
The hosts answered with a four-run inning in the bottom of the third. Their first run of the game on a throwing error from short that plated Turner Davis. Later with the bases loaded and two outs, Freddie Landers doubled to right center to score all three baserunners. Krull ended the troublesome frame on a Khalyd Cox groundout to first. In the inning, the Tigers scored four times on three hits and benefited from two Wildcat errors.
Sausville's relief appearance was limited after seeing Sterijevski single and Rodriguez walk in the fourth. With the bases loaded, Fernando drove in Sterijevksi on sac fly off reliever Spencer Gillis.
Jordan Pinto took Krull's spot on the hill to begin the home half of the fourth. Krull went three innings with four runs, three earned, four hits, and a walk against 15 batters in a no-decision.
Pinto kept the Tigers tamed until the seventh. He exited with the bases loaded, and Joe Calimita issued a 3-2 walk to pinch-hitter Larry Simon. However, Calamita extinisguised the flames with a Davis bouncer to short.
Pinto (1-1) pitched 3.2 innings with one earned run, two hits, four walks, and three strikeouts against 18 batters, while Calamita allowed only one hit and a walk in his 1.1 innings of relief.
Brandon Wilkes pitched the ninth inning with only one hit.
BCU picked up insurance in the sixth with two runs off four hits. Gillis was chased out with a three consecutive extra-base knocks. Rodriguez was first with a double. Then, Spivey laced a run-producing triple down the right field line, and Fernando finished the scoring with a RBI double to left.
Bethune-Cookman hits the road for a non-conference game at the University of North Florida on Tuesday, Apr. 10. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
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– #Conquer –
