ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – So, what did Head Coach Laura Watten like the most about Iesha Waters' pair of clutch hits in Bethune-Cookman's 4-1 its Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament opening victory over Coppin State Wednesday at Ormond Beach Sports Complex?

"That they were clutch hits," said Watten now 12-0 in MEAC tournament openers.

Simple enough.  Waters twice drove home Ryan Jackson – the second time sparking a three-run sixth inning as Bethune-Cookman advanced to play Savannah State,a 9-3 winner over Hampton Thursday at 3 p.m.

Also clutch: MEAC Rookie Of The Year Alexis Bermudez, who tossed a three-hitter with a career-high seven strikeouts.

Coppin State (14-25) tied the game on Nia Bowe's solo homer in the sixth, setting the stage for a number of Wildcats to come up clutch.

First was MEAC Player Of The Year Jackson, who everyone knew WANTED to answer Bowe's yard shot, and the sophomore emphatically tried, sending a slew of inside pitches foul down the left field line . Alas, Jackson was hit for the second time in the game.

Waters, who drove home Jackson with a two-out double in the first, followed almost accordingly to script, smacking a two-strike pitch to the fence in right center, scoring Jackson and triggering a three-run outburst.

"I knew we needed runs," said Waters, second on the team in RBIs with 41.

"Both those at bats were solid," Watten said of Waters. "She sat and didn't chase any pitches."

Waters and Brianna Sanders utilized their speed when they scored on sacrifice flies by Kailey Richard and Cheyenne Smith that were both hit shallow to conclude the scoring.

In the circle, Bermudez, the MEAC Rookie Of The Year, improved to 11-9 with the complete game victory in her MEAC tournament debut.

Her change-up was effective early as she struck out the side in the second. When the change-up was working, Bermudez had back-up when Kailey Richard threw a Coppin runner out at home at a bunt attempt to end the third and Jackson made a running catch in the sixth prior to the homer.

"The best thing was her mentality," Watten said. "She came in relaxed and confident. When she's overthinking in when she has trouble. Even when she struggled, she came back and won those at bats.

 It was her fourth complete game victory this year.

"I was able to jab on the inside and the change-up, my money pitch, worked the first two innings," Bermudez said. "It's a confidence booster knowing my pitches are going to work.

Kayla Traylor had two hits for the Wildcats, who have now won four straight,

NOTES: B-CU is now 23-1 in MEAC tournament openers, the only blemish in 2006 to North Carolina A&T … The Wildcats are now 9-0 against Coppin State … Waters now has five consecutive two RBI games … Jackson has now been plunked 21 times this season; Wednesday marked the third time its happened twice in a game.