LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman Softball split a pair of games Friday afternoon during the opening day of the Disney Diamond 9 Citrus Blossom Invite at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. BCU took down LIU Brooklyn, 5-0, before falling to Providence in the nightcap, 6-1.
 
BETHUNE-CCOKMAN 5, LIU BROOKLYN 0
Kaiya Epps-Lee registered her first career home run in historic fashion, while pitchers Victoria Guzman and Destiny Enriquez combined for the shutout in the circle to help power Bethune-Cookman to a 5-0 win over LIU Brooklyn in the Wildcats' opening game of the Disney Diamond 9 Citrus Blossom Invite at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
 
With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the first inning, Bethune-Cookman left fielder Kaiya Epps-Lee recorded her first career home run in grand slam fashion to give the Wildcats an early 4-0 lead.
 
In the top of the second, BCU (2-4) added to its lead when second baseman Brianna Paysinger singled up the middle to drive around Cheyenne Smith, who reached earlier in her at-bat with a single up the middle of her own. That allowed the Cats a 5-0 lead after just an inning and a half played.
 
With sophomore pitcher Victoria Guzman spinning a gem in the circle for the Cats through four innings, LIU Brooklyn (2-4) finally appeared to put some pressure on the San Jose, California native when Blackbirds pinch hitter Amanda Domingo doubled to begin the LIU Brooklyn at-bat in the bottom of the fifth inning.
 
BCU Hall of Fame Head Coach Laura Watten immediately went to junior reliever Destiny Enriquez out of the bullpen, with the Norwalk, California right-hander completing the shutout by working the final three innings and allowing just a single hit in her time in the circle.
 
In the game, BCU tallied seven hits as a team, including a 2-for-4 effort from Epps-Lee – added the big grand slam hit in the first. Cheyenne Smith, Paysinger, Yvonne Siordia and Sasha Killings.
 
The win went to Guzman (1-0) in the circle as she worked four complete frames, allowing five hits and picking up one strikeout. Enriquez picked up her first save of the year in the final three innings tossed, striking out two and scattering just the one hit.
 
PROVIDENCE 6, BETHUNE-COOKMAN 1
Providence struck for five runs in the top of the fourth inning Friday afternoon, as the Friars held off Bethune-Cookman by a 6-1 decision in the second game of the day for the Wildcats as part of the Disney Diamond 9 Citrus Blossom Invite at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
 
Providence (4-3) broke open a pitcher's duel between Bethune-Cookman sophomore Alexis Bermudez and Friars right-hander Daniela Alvarez with a run-scoring double to right field from Megan McCune that brought around Vanessa Portillo for the game's opening run. Moments later, pinch hitter Hadley Tate registered the easy RBI with a bases loaded walk, allowing McCune to score and give Providence a 2-0 advantage.
 
The game would eventually be put out of reach when second baseman Skie Villani delivered a three-run scoring double down the line in left to clear the bases and extend the Friars lead at 5-0.
 
Providence added an insurance run in the top of the seventh, using a leadoff home run from centerfielder Emma Lee off Bethune-Cookman reliever Destiny Enriquez to clear the wall in right and give her team the 6-0 edge.
 
Bethune-Cookman (2-5) cut into the lead in the home-half of the seventh when Kaiya Epps-Lee scored off the end of a Sasha Killings single to left.
 
BCU had a chance to narrow the deficit in the bottom of the fourth following a single to shallow left from third baseman Yvonne Siordia. With Briana Zavala pinch running for Siordia, senior first baseman Brianna Sanders lined a double down the line inside the bag at third, but Zavala was thrown out trying to get to third on the play.
 
The win was picked up by Providence starter Alvarez, keeping her record for the year spotless at 3-0. She worked all seven innings in the complete-game effort, allowing just one run on five hits and fanning three batters. The loss went to BCU starter Bermudez (0-5), as she continues to look for her first victory of the season. She tossed four innings before being relieved by Enriquez, giving up five runs on three hits, walking six and striking out three.
 
The Wildcats offense was paced by five different players with a hit each, including Epps-Lee and Killings each tallying a 1-for-3 effort at the plate.
 
Bethune-Cookman continues with day two action of the Disney Diamond 9 Citrus Blossom Invite on Saturday when the Wildcats face off against Saint Joseph's at 11 a.m.
 
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