JACKSONVILLE, Fla. –  Six strong innings from starter Isaak Gutierrez and a five-run seventh inning lifted Bethune-Cookman past North Florida, 6-2, Tuesday night at Harmon Stadium.
 
BCU (10-20) had five hits in the frame before stretch time. Zach Spivey set the table with a single through the right side, and Josten Heron found his way aboard with a fielder's choice. Both advanced on Brady Van Hook's sacrifice bunt, and Nate Sterijevski brought Spivey home with an RBI single to the outfield. 
 
Over Torres then ripped a two-run single down the left field line for the game-winning runs, and scored a batter later on Brandon Wilkes' RBI triple. The inning ended with a rare steal of home by Wilkes after Joe Fernando struck out swinging and was retired on a catcher's throw to first that allowed Wilkes to take home.
 
Gutierrez put the Wildcats in position for a road victory, their second road and third of the season against an ASUN opponent, with one run over six innings of action. He moved to 1-2 on the year after allowing six hits, three walks, and had four strikeouts.
 
Alec Mendez threw two innings with one hit, a run, two walks, and matched Gutierrez with four strikeouts. Anthony Maldonado fired the bottom of the ninth with a hitless relief appearance and one strikeout.
 
Heron and Sterijevski each had two-hit nights, and Torres joined Sterijevski with a two-RBI performance.
 
UNF (16-15) used five pitchers on the night, and reliever Ethan Michaelis (3-4) took the loss after allowing five runs, three earned, in just 2/3 of an inning.
 
BCU returns to Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play with a three-game series against Savannah State played at Historic Sanford Stadium. The series begins with a twinbill on Saturday, Apr. 6 at 1 p.m. Sunday's series finale, also at 1 p.m., is Senior Day where BCU will honor eight Wildcats prior to first pitch. Admission for each day is five dollars.
 
Follow Bethune-Cookman Baseball on Twitter (@BCUDiamondCats) for all of the latest news and updates. For all Bethune-Cookman Athletics news, follow us on Twitter (@BCUathletics), Instagram (@BCUathletics), Snapchat (@BCUathletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/BCUathletics).