CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – Bethune-Cookman took part in Day Two action of the 19th Annual Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Friday, with the Wildcats taking on teams from Iowa and Loyola Marymount, respectively, at Big League Dreams Complex. The Wildcats fell to Iowa, 5-3, before allowing two runs in the bottom of the seventh to fall late to Loyola Marymount by a similar 5-3 decision.
 
Game One: Iowa 5, Bethune-Cookman 3
Bethune-Cookman's Haley Parks bagged three hits on Friday afternoon as the Wildcats fell to Iowa out of the Big Ten by a 5-3 score at Big League Dreams Complex in Cathedral City, California.
 
Iowa (7-3) opened the game's scoring with Denali Loecker delivering a two-run home run to left center, putting the Hawkeyes up 2-0 in the top of the first inning.
 
The Hawkeyes added another pair of runs in the top-half of the third as third baseman Avery Jackson tallied a two-run homer to right field, extending the Iowa lead at 4-0.
 
Bethune-Cookman (1-11) answered in the bottom of the frame when centerfielder Joslynn Davis scored courtesy an error charged to the Iowa infield. Davis worked her way aboard earlier in the BCU at-bat courtesy a wild pitch from Iowa starter Loecker.
 
With the Hawkeyes leading 5-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh, the Wildcats applied pressure to try and extend (or win) the contest right at the death.
 
AFTER Davis walked and Haley Parks picked up her third hit of the afternoon with a single shot back up the middle, it would be Wildcats second baseman Desirae Martinez picking up a single to center field. However, a strong throw from Iowa's Tatianna Roman in center was on target to catcher Skylinn Pogue to cut down Davis attempting to score at the plate. Moments later, Jordyn Villanueva recorded a two-run double to right center to plate Martinez and Parks and bring the Maroon and Gold within 5-3.
 
A fielder's choice grounder to third would end the threat with two Cats on base.
 
Loecker (1-0) earned her first decision of the season, going all seven innings in the circle, allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits, five walks and collecting seven strikeouts. Alyssa Lopez (0-1) was credited with the loss for the Wildcats in relief fashion, as she worked 0.2 innings in allowing two runs on three hits.
 
Loecker finished 3-for-3 at the plate for Iowa, adding three RBIs in the process.
 
For BCU, Parks turned in a 3-for-4 outing with the bat, also scoring a run. Martinez was 2-for-4 with a run scored.
 
Game Two: Loyola Marymount 5, Bethune-Cookman 3
Loyola Marymount scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to walk-off Bethune-Cookman courtesy a 5-3 score line Friday night in the final game of Day Two action at the 19th Annual Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic at the Big League Dreams Complex in Cathedral City, California.
 
With the game tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Loyola Marymount (5-9) used a two-out, two-run home run from Amanda Ta'amu to walk off with the win.
 
LMU got on the board first in the home-half of the first inning with centerfielder Morgan DeBord posting a triple to right center, and then scoring on the play with an error charged to the Bethune-Cookman (1-12) infield. Izzy Jamgotchian singled up the middle to plate Taylor Fitch for the 2-0 Lions lead.
 
The Wildcats tied it up in the top of the second with a pair of runs of their own.
 
Essence Gibbs singled to second, bringing in Desirae Martinez from third. Left fielder Carrington Robinson followed in the next at-bat with a single to shortstop, allowing Jordyn Villanueva to score on the play.
 
BCU stepped in front in the top of the fourth with Gibbs scoring on an error extending from Kayla Traylor's double down the line in left. That put the Maroon and Gold up at that point, 3-2.
 
The Lions countered to once again tie the game in the bottom of the fifth as Fitch issued a RBI single through the hole along the left side, crossing Sydney Poole on the play.
 
Jessica Hubbard earned the win to improve to 3-1 on the year, as she went 3.2 innings in the circle in relief fashion, allowing just one hit and striking out five batters. The loss went to Halyne Gonzalez who fell to 1-6 on the season in going 6.1 innings, allowing five runs on nine hits and striking out six.
 
Haley Parks went 2-for-4 at the plate for the Maroon and Gold, while Gibbs was 2-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored.
 
The Cats conclude the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Saturday, when they face Texas Tech at 7:30 p.m. PT
 
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