DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Freshman Leandro Perez registered his first home run while junior Daniel Gaviria went a strong eight innings on the mound Sunday afternoon in helping Bethune-Cookman to a 9-0 victory over Longwood in the rubber game of the three-game series between the two sides at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
 
Bethune-Cookman (8-4) finally got to Longwood starting pitcher Andrew Potojecki in the bottom of the fourth inning for what would be the pivotal inning on the day for both teams.
 
Right fielder Hylan Hall led off for the Wildcats in the home-half of the fourth, singling to left. Robert Moya followed with a single to right center from his designated hitter position in the lineup, setting the stage for Boris Peña to knock an RBI single into left that plated Hall for the go-ahead run. After Jeremiah Guzman walked, it would be Moya scoring from third on a failed pickoff attempt by Longwood (3-9) catcher Corbin McCloud on a throw to second.
 
Jeremy Garcia followed with an RBI single to center, as Luis Tuero then added a run-scoring single of his own to right field, crossing Peña and upping the BCU lead at 4-0.
 
The lead became six for the Wildcats off the bat of Hall – as the Wildcats batted around the order in the frame, with the Ocoee, Florida junior delivering a two-run single through the left side in order to push across both Tuero and Garcia, respectfully.
 
That closed the books on Potojecki, as he exited the game having pitched four innings, allowing six runs (two earned) on seven hits, one walk and collecting three strikeouts for the Lancers.
 
With Daniel Gaviria enjoying his second consecutive quality start on the bump for BCU, the Wildcats added a pair of insurance runs for the left-hander to work with in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Catcher Irvin Escobar plated Moya with a single past the glove of Lancers third baseman Eliot Dix. Three batters later, second baseman Colton Olasin's fielder's choice grounder to short allowed Escobar to come across home from third.
 
In the eighth, pinch hitter Leandro Perez notched his first collegiate home run with a towering shot over the left field wall, and producing the final 9-0 score.
 
Gaviria earned the win in order to keep his record for the season clean at 2-0. The Orlando, Florida product went eight innings on the rubber, scattering just four hits and striking out seven batters. Dale Michaud closed the game in the ninth for the Cats, picking up a strikeout in the process.
 
The loss went to Longwood's Potojecki, dropping his record to 0-2 on the year. Andrew Melnyk gave the Lancers two quality innings in a relief effort, striking out two batters without surrendering a hit.
 
Four different Lancers accounted for hits on the day, including designated hitter James Nelson's 1-for-3 performance.
 
As for Bethune-Cookman, it was Hall going 2-for-4 at the plate, as well as Moya's 2-for-4 effort, with the Wildcats collecting 11 hits as a team. Hall added two RBIs, and Moya scored a pair of runs.
 
Bethune-Cookman travels to No. 16 Florida State on Tuesday, March 7, at 5 p.m., in Tallahassee, Florida.