DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Reigning Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Pitcher of the Week Halyne Gonzalez registered a one-hit shutout on Friday afternoon as Bethune-Cookman defeated Alabama A&M, 9-0 (5 inn.) in the SWAC opener for both teams at Sunnyland Park. The game for Bethune-Cookman was the first home game of the 2023 season, as the Wildcats played the previous 20 on the road to kick off the year.
 
Bethune-Cookman (3-18, 1-0 SWAC) wasted little time putting pressure on Alabama A&M starting pitcher Sydney Hall.
 
The Wildcats scored three runs in the opening inning to shake the Bulldogs right-hander.
 
With the bases loaded and one away for the Cats in the bottom of the first, first baseman Samantha Kelley drew a bases-loaded walk that allowed Joslynn Davis to dash in from third for the game's opening run. That was immediately followed on the next play by catcher Jordyn Villanueva's two-run single back up the middle to cross Haley Parks and Kallie Earlington for the 3-0 BCU lead.
 
Alabama A&M (9-8, 0-1 SWAC) went to the bullpen for Krista Sikes in the bottom of the next inning when Hall allowed a hit from BCU's Carrington Robinson, followed by a stolen base and a wild pitch to begin the Wildcats at-bat.
 
With two abord and one out, Parks sent a two-run scoring triple to the wall in left field, plating Davis and Kayla Traylor for the 5-0 Wildcats lead.
 
BCU right-hander Halyne Gonzalez worked fast and efficient in the top of the third, despite putting one Bulldog baserunner aboard with a hit by pitch.
 
In the home-half of the third, it would be Traylor's single to short that drove in Villanueva and Robinson, respectively, while second baseman Desirae Martinez drew a bases-loaded RBI walk in her at-bat that allowed Traylor to score on the play.
 
Bethune-Cookman led 8-0 after three innings in the book.
 
The Maroon and Gold lead stretched to 9-0 in the bottom of the fourth when Kelley scored from third off the end of another bases-loaded RBI walk drawn by the Cats, this time with Traylor at the dish.
 
Gonzalez went the full five innings in the circle for the Wildcats, allowing just one hit and one walk against five strikeouts in earning the victory. In the process, she moved her record to 2-9 on the season. The loss was taken by AAMU's Hall, dropping her record at 2-3 for the season, in allowing five runs on two hits.
 
AAMU reliever Sikes went the final three innings in the circle for the Bulldogs, allowing four runs on six hits and three walks.
 
The Bulldogs' lone hit came via second baseman Brooklyn Wallace.
 
BCU was led at the dish by Parks with a 2-for-3 afternoon, adding two RBIs and a run scored. For the senior from Houston, it was her team-leading fifth multi-hit game of the campaign. Left fielder Carrington Robinson was also 2-for-3 at the dish for the Maroon and Gold, adding a run scored as well.
 
The two teams meet for the second game of the three-game set on Saturday back at Sunnyland Park. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
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