DAYTONA BEACH. Fla. – Halyne Gonzalez struck out a season-high 10 as she and Bethune-Cookman shut out Jackson State 5-0 to open a three-game Southwestern Athletic Conference series Friday afternoon at Sunnyland Park.

Gonzalez scattered four hits as the Wildcats (21-24 overall, 15-7 SWAC) clinched the SWAC Eastern Division regular season title and the No. 1 seed for the division in next month's conference tournament.

The Wildcats took a 1-0 after loading the bases in the second.  Briana Paysinger scored on Julissa Gomez' grounder to first.

In the fourth, pinch runner Sydney Edmond scored on Shania Owens' single to right field.

B-CU pulled away in the fifth when Haley Parks singled in Essence Gibbs and Carrington Robinson scored on a single by Paysinger. Parks scored on a double steal to make it 5-0.

Paysinger and Desirae Martinez each had two hits for B-CU, who also played error-free ball on defense compared to three for Jackson State (21-23,12-10).

The two teams conclude the regular season Saturday with a doubleheader starting at noon.

HEAD COACH LAURA WATTEN

"We always talk about bringing three components to the game – hitting, pitching and defense on the right cylinder and we did it today. We just have to be consistent.  Tomorrow is a brand new day."

"Gonzalez did great. She stayed the course and was consistent. It's good to see her start and finish games. When she trusts her pitches and is committed to her pitches, she's lights out."

NOTES: B-CU is now 9-1 in its last 10 conference games … This was the second time this season B-CU has shut out JSU .. Owens now has a four-game hitting streak … Gonzalez (9-10) has 108 strikeouts on the year.