DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Sophomore pitcher Halyne Gonzalez registered her second shutout of the weekend on Sunday afternoon, as Bethune-Cookman picked up a 8-0 series-clinching win from Alabama A&M in the rubber game of a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Softball series at Sunnyland Park.
 
Alabama A&M (10-9, 1-2 SWAC) threatened right from start as the visiting Bulldogs loaded the bases on Bethune-Cookman starting pitcher Halyne Gonzalez with no outs in the opening half-inning. The Wildcats committed two errors in the frame to aid in loading the bases.
 
But it would be Halyne Gonzalez, the reigning SWAC Pitcher of the Week, working out of the jam with a pair of pop ups and a strikeout to keep the runs column empty.
 
Bethune-Cookman (4-19, 2-1 SWAC) countered with a run in the bottom of the frame.
 
With two runners in scoring position, catcher Kallie Earlington collected a sacrifice fly to deep right that allowed Kayla Traylor to score from third, putting the Cats up 1-0.
 
The Maroon and Gold widened the lead in the bottom of the second with five runs to give the Wildcats a 6-0.
 
BCU loaded the bases with nobody out, setting the stage for Essence Gibbs to deliver a two-run single past the glove of AAMU first baseman Venice Sanders to bring around Katelynn Perez and Carrington Robinson for the first two runs of the frame. Second baseman Desirae Martinez followed with an RBI ground out to second, scoring Haley Parks for the 4-0 score. Two batters later, Samantha Kelley plated two runs with a double to the wall in center field.
 
For the Wildcats, the run-rule came into play during the bottom of the sixth with a Shania Owens two-run double back up the middle to bring in Earlington and pinch runner Joslynn Davis for the 8-0 final score.
 
The win was taken by Gonzalez as she ran her record to 3-9 overall and a 2-0 mark in the SWAC. She worked all six innings in the circle for the Maroon and Gold, picking up her second shutout of the weekend on two hits scattered, one walk and striking out seven batters.
 
The loss went to AAMU starter Sydney Hall, dropping her record to 2-4 for the season, in pitching 5.1 innings, allowing eight runs (seven earned) on seven hits, seven walks and one strikeout. Krista Sikes closed the game in the circle for the Bulldogs.
 
The Alabama A&M offense was picked up by Sanders – the winning pitcher from Saturday for the Bulldogs, and third baseman Serena Herbranson collecting her first hit of the season.
 
Robinson was 2-for-3 at the dish for the Cats, while Essence Gibbs and Owens each tallied two RBIs a piece with equal 1-for-3 appearances at the plate.
 
BCU travels to Florida A&M for a big three-game SWAC weekend series beginning Friday, March 17. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.
 
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