DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Boris Peña registered his third home run of the season Friday evening as Bethune-Cookman took the opening game of a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) baseball series from Mississippi Valley State, 13-3 at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
 
Bethune-Cookman (12-10, 3-1 SWAC) plated five runs in the first inning to step out to what would be an insurmountable lead.
 
With two men on and one out, first baseman Boris Peña slapped a three-run homer to straightaway center field for the Wildcats' opening runs of the game. Jeremy Garcia later picked up an RBI double that plated Robert Moya, followed by Garcia eventually scoring two plays later on a wild pitch.
 
The Wildcats plated two more runs in the home-half of the fifth inning when Moya recorded an RBI groundout that scored right fielder Hylan Hall – after the Washington State transfer doubled to begin the BCU at-bat. Peña would later score in the inning after catcher Jorge Braceras punched a single to right center.
 
Bethune-Cookman led 7-0 after five innings in the books.
 
Mississippi Valley State (7-15, 0-4 SWAC) got on the board in the top of the sixth inning with a pair of runs.
 
The Delta Devils got both runs courtesy a throwing error charged to Brian Perez at third base, allowing left fielder Davon Mims and shortstop Jodany Ofarril-Ortiz to score safely on the play.
 
However, the Maroon and Gold tacked on six runs in the home-half of the sixth.
 
Garrett Chun doubled down the left field line to plate Malik Stephens, before Hall delivered a one-out, two-run scoring ground-rule double to right that scored both Luis Tuero and Chun, respectively.
 
BCU led 10-2 at that point.
 
Hall scored one play later off a Delta Devils error, followed by an Irvin Escobar sacrifice fly to center that brought in Peña from third. A Garcia single to left ensued to push across Moya and put the run-rule in place as BCU led 13-2.
 
MVSU got a two-out solo home run from catcher Ryan Brown in the top of the seventh to produce the 13-3 final.
 
Nolan Santos earned the win on the hill for the Wildcats, moving his record to 3-1 for the season. The hard-throwing right-hander worked seven innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits scattered, two walks and 11 strikeouts. For Santos, the performance was his fourth double-digit strikeout game of the season.
 
The loss went to MVSU right-hander Zachery Sigmon, lowering his record to 1-3 for the season. He went five innings on the bump for the Delta Devils, giving up seven runs (six earned) on six hits, four walks and picking up five strikeouts. James Snipes finished the game on the hill for the visitors.
 
MVSU was led at the plate by Brown's 2-for-3 evening, including the home run – his first of the year.
 
BCU was charged offensively by four Wildcats collecting a multi-hit evening, including Peña's 2-for-3 effort with the three-run homer. Chun was 2-for-4 with a RBI and two runs, followed by Hall with a 2-for-4 night and two RBIs. Garcia also produced a 2-for-4 night with two RBIs and a run scored.
 
BCU and MVSU meet back at Jackie Robinson Ballpark for game two of the SWAC series on Saturday evening at 6 p.m.
 
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