DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Florida Atlantic visits Sunnyland Park on Tuesday, March 21, as Bethune-Cookman hosts the Owls in a nonconference midweek doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. The two teams met earlier in the season (February 12) as part of the Paradise Classic hosted by FAU, with the Owls claiming a 5-3 win on the final day of the tournament in Boca Raton, Florida.
 
Tuesday's doubleheader marks the first two games of an upcoming eight-game homestand for the Wildcats.
 

Tuesday, March 21
1 p.m. – vs. Florida Atlantic | Live Stats
 
4 p.m. – vs. Florida Atlantic | Live Stats
 

• In claiming Sunday's series finale at Florida A&M, the Wildcats have opened the 2023 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) campaign with two series wins against Alabama A&M and FAMU, respectively.
• Sophomore pitcher Halyne Gonzalez pitched 15.2 innings against FAMU over the weekend, with the Norwalk, California native allowing just four runs and striking out 13 batters in claiming a pair of wins in the pitcher's circle.
• Since joining the SWAC, Bethune-Cookman has lost just two league series – at Jackson State (2022) and at Mississippi Valley State (2022).
• Bethune-Cookman has won five of its last eight games dating back to a victory over Southern Indiana (March 5) at THE Spring Games in Madeira Beach, Florida.
• Samantha Kelley enters Tuesday's doubleheader riding a team-best nine-game hitting streak.
• Desirae Martinez leads the Cats in batting average with a .304 mark, as well as using a .435 slugging percentage.
• Haley Parks is the Maroon and Gold leader in hits (23) while also owning a .303 batting average on the campaign. She has reached base safely in eight consecutive games.
• The Cats are 42-of-48 in stolen bases, led by Carrington Robinson (14-of-15).
• Parks leads the Wildcats with six multi-hit games, followed by Martinez with five.

 

Desirae Martinez went 3-for-3 at the plate while Halyne Gonzalez pitched seven shutout innings with Bethune-Cookman capturing an 8-3 series-clinching SWAC victory over Florida A&M at FAMU Stadium. Bethune-Cookman put a run on the board early with Kayla Traylor scoring on a wild pitch to put BCU up 1-0 in the top of the first inning. In the second inning, the first five (5) batters reached safely for the Wildcats en route to putting five runs on the board, respectfully. Jordyn Villanueva led off the inning being hit by a pitch, and later scoring on a Joslynn Davis single to advance the BCU lead at 2-0. On the ensuing play, Essence Gibbs reached safely on an error charged to the FAMU infield, allowing Shania Owens to score on the play. Davis would later come in on a wild pitch from Florida A&M reliever Lauryn Peppers. Desirae Martinez put the Cats up 4-0 with a RBI single through the left side, followed by  Villanueva being hit by a pitch to earn a RBI walk with the bases loaded, putting the Maroon and Gold up 6-0 midway through the second inning. BCU added to the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. Owens delivered a two-run scoring double to left to plate Samantha Kelley and Martinez to increase the Wildcats lead, 8-0. FAMU would put up three runs in the home-half of the fifth, including a two-run double to right center from Kiauna Watson. The win went to Wildcats starting pitcher Halyne Gonzalez, as she turned in seven innings in the circle, scattering four hits with five walks and five strikeouts. Victoria Guzman worked the opening portion of the fifth inning for the Maroon and Gold, being tagged for three runs on three hits. Bethune-Cookman used Martinez's 3-for-3 outing at the plate with an RBI and run. Owens was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and run.
                                                                                                                                   

"Any time you have the chance to play a nonconference midweek game against an opponent the likes of Florida Atlantic, especially at home, you take the opportunity. You want to continue playing at a high-level as you prepare for a SWAC weekend series, and FAU is just the program that allows you to do just that."
 
"I saw emotion and fight in the team this past weekend at FAMU, and that's what we're going to need the rest of the way. This is an unforgiving league, and it's a marathon, not a sprint. It's going to take being willing to do the little things, every game, every day, and fighting through everything to achieve our ultimate goal."
 
"Winning games at home is going to be important because road wins are massive in this league. It's important to take care of business at home. And midweek games at home are even more important because it cuts down on travel, but yet still allows you to play great competition to keep you playing at a high level."
 
"FAU has a great pitching staff, led primarily by [Gabby] Sacco. They do a good job selecting the right pitches against their opponents. But they also have a good defensive infield that does a phenomenal job of backing them up. They're well coached, and they play well. It's going to be a very tough doubleheader, as always."
 

SCOUTING FLORIDA ATLANTIC (19-10, 3-3 C-USA)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Jordan Clark (First season)
2023 Batting Average: .278; Runs Per Game: 3.9; Hits Per Game: 7.3; Slugging Percentage: .388
2023 ERA: 2.18; K/BB Ratio: 1.98; Opp. Batting Avg: .235
 
FLORIDA ATLANTIC NOTES & STATS

• Florida Atlantic arrives to Daytona Beach off the heels of a tough series loss at home to Conference USA member Charlotte, with the Owls dropping two-of-three games over the weekend in Boca Raton, Florida. However, the Owls claimed the conference opening series of the season against UAB.
• The Owls are led at the plate by three players batting .300 or better, including Cammeo Presutti with a .367 average on the year.
• Sara Berthiaume is batting .338 on the season while also holding a .475 slugging percentage – owning four (4) doubles, two (2) triples and a home run.
• Jesiana Mora is a perfect 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts for the Owls, followed by a host of players with two stolen bases each.
• Presutti is one of the most difficult players to strike out as she has just four strikeouts in 98 official at-bats.
• The Owls pitching staff holds an ERA of just 2.18, led by Gabby Sacco with a 1.08 ERA on the campaign.
• Saccos has registered a team-leading 51 strikeouts with opponents batting just .192 against her.
• Olivia Peterson leads the team in home runs with three.

 
LAST TIME AGAINST FLORIDA ATLANTIC
Carrington Robinson registered a multi-hit day Bethune-Cookman fell away to Florida Atlantic 5-3 at FAU Softball Stadium as part of the Paradise Classic. Florida Atlantic opened the scoring in the home-half of the first inning when Sara Berthiaume scored from third on a RBI ground out to first off the bat of Riley Olson. Bethune-Cookman answered with a run of its own in the top of the fourth inning. Second baseman Desirae Martinez posted her first collegiate home run with a two-out solo shot to left field to tie the game at 1-all. The Owls would quickly respond with a pair of runs in the home-half of the frame. After Olivia Peterson singled, it would be Riley Ennis reaching on an error charged to BCU pitcher Halyne Gonzalez that allowed Peterson to score for the 2-1 FAU advantage. Pinch runner Abby Ota would come around to score for the 3-1 Owls lead when Kaitlyn Cunningham stole second, and Ota was able to eventually score on the play courtesy an error – the second of the day, charged to the Wildcats infield. However, the Maroon and Gold answered with two runs in the top of the fifth. Carrington Robinson delivered a run-scoring single back up the middle to plate pinch runner Shania Owens. Two plays later, it was Joslynn Davis recording a sacrifice fly in foul territory that was just deep enough for Kayla Traylor to scurry home safely. But FAU would produce the eventual game-winning run in the bottom of the frame as Berthiaume scored on an Ajah Mallary wild pitch with the bases loaded. Berthiaume worked her way on base with a double to left field in her earlier at-bat. With the Owls up 4-3 in the sixth, the hosts would add an insurance run for the 5-3 final in the bottom of the inning courtesy Berthiaume's fielder's choice to second base that was enough to see Kylie Hammonds score from third. The pinch runner advanced to third a play earlier off a Mallary wild pitch – her second of the game. Bethune-Cookman leaned on Robinson's 2-for-3 effort at the dish, as the fifth-year outfielder from Orange Park Florida added an RBI. Martinez, a sophomore second baseman from Whittier, California, had the home run in a 1-for-2 afternoon. Haley Parks, Essence Gibbs and Kayla Traylor also had hits each for the Wildcats.
 

Bethune-Cookman hosts Jackson State to Sunnyland Park for a three-game SWAC series beginning Friday, March 24, at 3 p.m.
 

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