BOCA RATON, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman Softball came from behind to take down Virginia, 5-4 in nine innings on Friday afternoon inside FAU Stadium, as the Wildcats split a pair of games in the 2019 season opening First Pitch Classic hosted by Florida Atlantic University.
 
GAME TWO: BCU 5, UVa 4 (9 inn.)
Bethune-Cookman scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning in order to rally past the Virginia Cavaliers for a 5-4 win in the Wildcats' second game of the day as part of the First Pitch Classic hosted by Florida Atlantic at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida.
 
With BCU (1-1) trailing 1-0 heading into the home-half of the seventh inning, freshman third baseman Kaira Cabato (Bremerton, Wash.) led things off with a double to right center to work herself into scoring position. After Quianah Mitchell (Silverdale, Wash.) got aboard in the next at-bat courtesy an error charged to Virginia third baseman Hayley Busby, that allowed pinch hitter Yvonne Siordia (Murrieta, Calif.) to draw the walk and load the bases with nobody out.
 
Two plays later, Tyler Junior College product Brianna Paysinger (Hesperia, Calif.) delivered a sacrifice fly to centerfield, allowing Mitchell to knot the game at 1-all when she crossed home safely standing up.
 
In the top of the eighth, Virginia (0-2) stepped back in front when Lacy Smith singled to left, thus moving across Rachel Keshin from second base – with the international rule in effect for non-conference regular season tournament games.
 
BCU tied the game up for the second time in the bottom of the frame as Cheyenne Smith (Lake Elsinore, Calif.) reached on an error to start, plating All-MEAC Preseason selection Jacki Smith (Burlington, Wash.) from second for the score.
 
The game would stand deadlocked at 2-2 heading into the top of the ninth.
 
In the ninth frame, UVa scored a pair with shortstop Arizona Ritchie doubling off the wall in left to plate Olivia Gott, while Abigail Barber's sacrifice fly to left brought in Ritchie unearned from third.
 
That allowed the Cavaliers to hold a 4-2 lead heading into the bottom-half of the inning.
 
The Maroon and Gold countered with three runs in the bottom of the ninth to secure the Wildcats first win over an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) opponent since defeating Boston College by a 5-2 decision on March 4, 2010.
 
Bethune-Cookman junior right fielder Sasha Killings (Puyallup, Wash.) led off the BCU at-bat with a run-scoring double to left, plating Mitchell who was placed on second base to start. Sophomore catcher Kayla Traylor (Riverside, Calif.) recorded her first hit of the game a play later, while Killings would also score on the play with the error coming from Cavaliers' relief pitcher Allyson Frei.
 
With the game tied at 4-all and two on and two out for the Wildcats, Smith posted the game-winning single to right field that brought around Traylor from second for the score, and allowing BCU the walk-off 5-4 decision.
 
The BCU bats were powered by Smith's 2-for-4 effort at the dish, including the game-winner, adding a RBI and two putouts from her centerfield position on the field. Cabato, Killings and Traylor each tallied the other three hits on the day for the Wildcats.
 
The win was picked up by junior pitcher Destiny Enriquez (Norwalk, Calif.), her first decision of the season, as she threw the final 3.2 innings of the game in allowing three unearned runs on four hits, one walk and a career-high six strikeouts. Sophomore Victoria Guzman (San Jose, Calif.) took the no-decision in the starting effort, as the Abraham Lincoln High alum went 5.1 innings in the circle with one unearned run allowed on nine hits, two walks and two strikeouts.
 
The loss was tagged to Virginia's Frei (0-1) who threw 2.1 innings with five runs (one earned) allowed on three hits, two walks and three strikeouts recorded in a relief effort. Starter Erika Osherow went 5.2 innings in a no-decision, allowing just one hit, a walk and tallying four strikeouts.
 
GAME ONE: Indiana 2, BCU 1
Bethune-Cookman's comeback effort fell just short Friday morning, as the Wildcats dropped a tough 2-1 decision to Indiana in the opening game for the Cats as part of the First Pitch Classic hosted by Florida Atlantic at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida.
 
Indiana (2-0) got on the board first in the home-half of the third inning, when the Hoosiers used a RBI single from leadoff hitter Gabbi Jenkins to plate left fielder Tete Hart, who reached earlier on a bunt single. After Jenkins stole third on the ensuing pitch, IU centerfielder Taylor Lambert recorded a RBI lineout to BCU third baseman Yvonne Siordia, but it was good enough to score the speedy Jenkins on the play.
 
Indiana would lead it 2-0 after three innings complete.
 
Bethune-Cookman (0-1) clawed back into the game in the top-half of the sixth inning when the Maroon and Gold offense finally got to Hoosiers starting pitcher Natalie Foor.
 
Cheyenne Smith laid down a one-out bunt single, followed immediately by a steal of second base from the Lakeside High alum. With Paysinger drawing a walk in the next at-bat, Smith would work her way to third on an error charged to Hoosiers catcher Bella Norton. On the ensuing play, a double steal worked to perfection as Paysinger swiped second, and it was Smith scoring on the error from Norton – her second of the game behind the dish.
 
Bethune-Cookman received hits from Smith and Siordia in the game, as Indiana's Foor (1-0) grabbed her first win of the year. The right-hander worked all seven innings in the circle for IU, allowing just the one unearned run on two hits, two walks and five strikeouts.
 
BCU sophomore Alexis Bermudez (Santa Fe Springs, Calif.), the 2019 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Preseason Pitcher of the Year, took the loss to fall to 0-1 on the campaign. Bermudez went the distance in the circle, giving up two runs on five hits scattered, one walk and picking up four strikeouts.
 
Bethune-Cookman is back in action for day two of the First Pitch Classic on Saturday when BCU takes on Georgia (11:15 a.m.) followed by St. John's (1:30 p.m.). All games will have live stats available here. You can also purchase a subscription to view the games here.
 
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