DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The top two teams in the eastern division of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) go head-to-head this weekend, as Alabama State visits Bethune-Cookman at Sunnyland Park for a three-game series in Daytona Beach, Florida. The series begins Friday, March 31, at 3 p.m.
 
Alabama State enters the weekend in sole possession of first place in the SWAC East, while BCU trails by just one game.
 
However, the potential of a four-way tie for first place is possible should Bethune-Cookman take two-of-three from Alabama State, and provided both Alabama A&M and Florida A&M sweep their conference series, respectfully. That would see all four teams with similar 8-4 league records atop the SWAC East standings.
 
THE SCHEDULE
Friday, March 31
3 p.m. – vs. Alabama State | Live Stats | Watch
 
Saturday, April 1
1 p.m. – vs. Alabama State | Live Stats | Watch
 
Sunday, April 2
1 p.m. – vs. Alabama State | Live Stats | Watch
 
BETHUNE-COOKMAN STATS & NOTES

• Bethune-Cookman enters the weekend off the heels of a series win against Jackson State at Sunnyland Park a week ago.
• Last season, the Wildcats took both series from Alabama State, including a series-clinching 6-5 decision in the 10th inning at Sunnyland Park.
• In all, BCU won four-of-six last season against the Hornets.
• The Cats are 4-4 at home this season.
• Halyne Gonzalez picked up her third SWAC Pitcher of the Week award this week, after collecting a pair of wins in the circle last weekend against Jackson State.
• Desirae Martinez leads BCU in batting average with a .305 average, while Haley parks sits at .287 for the campaign.
• In league play, Carrington Robinson is batting .409 for the Maroon and Gold, as well as first baseman Samantha Kelley sporting a similar .409 average in SWAC play.
• Sixth-year Victoria Guzman picked up her first save of the season last weekend in the series finale against Jackson State, working 2.1 innings without allowing a hit and picking up four strikeouts.
• Robinson leads the team with 14 stolen bases, followed by Essence Gibbs and Haley Parks with nine stolen bases each.

 
LAST TIME OUT FOR BETHUNE-COOKMAN
Kallie Earlington was 3-for-3 at the plate in helping lead Bethune-Cookman to a 6-4 series-clinching victory over Jackson State in a SWAC contest at Sunnyland Park. Bethune-Cookman scored four runs in the bottom of the second inning, as the Wildcats got to Jackson State starter Victoria Salazar early-on. Desirae Martinez kicked things off with a single, followed by a single from Samantha Kelley. Martinez would score the game's opening run on a throwing error charged to the Jackson State infield. A Kallie Earlington single one play later scored Kelley for the 2-0 BCU advantage. Left fielder Carrington Robinson placed a sacrifice bunt down successfully to plate Essence Gibbs. Haley Parks then followed abruptly with an RBI single that crossed Earlington for the fourth run of the frame for the Cats. Jackson State scored one in the top of the third off the end of a Brooklyn Morris single to short that was enough to cross Samiyyah Huckabee to cut the score to 4-1. The Wildcats answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. JSU would commit three errors in the frame, including a throwing error charged to the Tigers infield allowing Kelley to score and increase the BCU lead at 5-1. Robinson picked up an RBI single to first in order to bring around Earlington for the 6-1 BCU lead. Reliever Victoria Guzman was able to close the game and collect her first save of the season. Halyne Gonzalez earned the win for the Cats, working 4.2 innings, allowing four runs on five hits, three walks and five strikeouts. Guzman pitched the final 2.1 innings, allowing just one walk and striking out four. Bethune-Cookman was paced offensively by Earlington's perfect 3-for-3 day with an RBI and two runs scored. Desirae Martinez was 2-for-3 with a run, while Kelley was 2-for-3 with two runs. Of her own.
                                                                                                                                   
QUOTES FROM COACH WATTEN
"Well, the games we've been in so far should have prepared us well for this weekend. It's just another SWAC weekend, right? No days off. It's just wave after wave of good teams, and you better be ready to play each and every game."
 
"Alabama State is a very good team. Not only are they beating teams, but they're scoring a ton of runs. They swing the bat very well. They're disciplined at the plate. They know what they want to do. And, well, they do it."
 
"With this being the last home game for a while, we must make sure we take care of home. Winning home games is extremely important in this league. We must try and do that this weekend and win this series because it's a lot of road games coming up after this."
 
"I love how we played relaxed and loose, for the most part, last weekend. I want the team to be themselves and have fun, but also understand what we're trying to do. When they're loose, then they're playing better. It's important for them to stay focused, but also allowing them to be themselves and create their own unique energy."
 
SCOUTING ALABAMA STATE (17-14, 6-2 SWAC)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Todd Bradley (Fourth season)
2023 Batting Average: .311; Runs Per Game: 5.7; Hits Per Game: 8.0; Slugging Percentage: .418
2023 ERA: 4.52; K/BB Ratio: 1.66; Opp. Batting Avg: .311
 
ALABAMA STATE NOTES & STATS

• Alabama State arrives to Daytona Beach sitting in sole possession of first place in the SWAC Eastern Division with a 6-2 league record.
• Five ASU players are batting .300 or better, including Alexia Denby (.356) and Jaeda Gardner (.351).
• The Hornets average just over eight hits per game, while scoring just over 5.7 runs per contest as well.
• Kindall DeRamus is 27-of-28 in stolen bases for the Hornets, followed by Madison Myers with a perfect 16 steals in 16 attempts. Gardner is 15-of-16 in the stolen bases department.
• Bailey Greenlee is the Hornets' leader in the pitcher's circle, owning a 10-5 mark for the season with a team-high 88 strikeouts. She owns a 3.92 earned run average.
• Olivia Brown has registered a 4.46 ERA in the pitcher's circle to go along with a record of 4-2 and 12 strikeouts produced.
• Earlier in the season, the Hornets went a perfect 4-for-4 against both Southern (La.) and South Carolina State, respectively, as part of the HBCU Celebration Classic in Montgomery, Alabama.

 
LAST TIME AGAINST ALABAMA STATE
Bethune-Cookman's six-game winning streak ended as Alabama State posted a 6-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference victory. The Wildcats still won the season series over the Hornets with four victories in six games. Alabama State used a two-run homer in the third and a solo shot in the fourth to open up a lead. Bethune-Cookman loaded the bases in the fifth on singles by Shania Owens, Julissa Gomez and Carrington Robinson but could not score. Gomez and Robinson each had two hits for the Wildcats.
 
UP NEXT
Bethune-Cookman travels to Mississippi Valley State for a three-game, two-day series in Itta Bena, Mississippi. The series begins with a Friday doubleheader on April 7, followed by a single game the following day, allowing for both teams to observe the Easter holiday weekend.
 
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