JACKSON, Miss. – Just three days after registering a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) series victory at Mississippi Valley State, Bethune-Cookman Softball stays in the "Magnolia State" this weekend to face Jackson State for a three-game set in Jackson, Mississippi. The series kicks off Friday, April 14, at 5 p.m. CT.
 
The Cats took the first series meeting between the two sides in Daytona Beach, Florida (March 24-26) by collecting wins in the opening and closing games of the series, respectively.
 
THE SCHEDULE
Friday, April 14
5 p.m. CT – at Jackson State | Live Stats | Watch
 
Saturday, April 15
1 p.m. CT – at Jackson State | Live Stats | Watch
 
Sunday, April 16
12 p.m. CT – at Jackson State | Live Stats | Watch
 
BETHUNE-COOKMAN STATS & NOTES

• Bethune-Cookman enters the weekend series with an overall record of 12-25, while also holding a 10-5 record in the SWAC.
• The Wildcats are second in the SWAC Eastern Division, sitting a game behind Alabama State in the standings.
• BCU has won six of the last 10 games.
• In true road games, the Cats are 4-7 on the season.
• Desirae Martinez and Essence Gibbs sit atop the Maroon and Gold with an equal .286 batting average.
• Haley Parks leads the squad with 31 hits, as well as a team-leading three (3) triples.
• Martinez leads the team with three home runs.
• The Cats have stolen 69 bases in 78 attempts on the campaign.

 
LAST TIME OUT FOR BETHUNE-COOKMAN
Desirae Martinez plated two runs while five Wildcats in-total registered a multi-hit performance in helping Bethune-Cookman to a 6-0 win at Mississippi Valley State. In the win, the Cats claimed the SWAC series – their fifth league series win of the 2023 campaign. Bethune-Cookman kicked things off in the top of the first inning when back-to-back- singles from Haley Parks and Joslynn Davis allowed both batters to reach safely. The Maroon and Gold pushed across the game's opening run three plays later when Desirae Martinez recorded a sacrifice fly to right field, allowing leadoff hitter Parks to score from third. Mississippi Valley State threatened in the home-half of the fourth when the Delta Devils loaded up the bases. However, a fielder's choice grounder to third from Kaitlyn Harper saw BCU third baseman Samantha Kelley cut down Isabella Robinson at the plate for the final out of the inning. BCU would make it 2-0 in the top of the fifth inning. Shortstop Kayla Traylor delivered an RBI groundout to second base, pushing across pinch runner Katelynn Perez – running for Jordyn Villanueva who singled for the Wildcats to begin the frame. The Cats widened the lead to 4-0 with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. Ciera Clark and designated hitter Jordynn Lawrence each tallied sac flies, respectfully, in order to cross teammates Essence Gibbs and Kelley. Another two runs in the top-half of the seventh inning completed the game's scoring. Another Martinez sacrifice fly – her second of the contest, scored Parks, while Traylor scored on an error charged to the MVSU infield off the Kelley at-bat. Bethune-Cookman's Halyne Gonzalez grabbed the win to improve her record to 10-11 on the year, pitching all seven innings, scattering three hits in the shutout, adding 10 strikeouts and walking just one batter. The loss went to Delta Devils starter Morgan Gutierrez, dropping her to 1-9 on the year in throwing all seven innings in the circle, giving up six runs (five earned) on 12 hits and one walk. MVSU was led offensively by Isabella Robinson, Keisha White and Shelby Carson with a hit apiece. The Wildcats were charged at the dish by five (5) players collecting a multi-hit game, including Parks' 2-for-3 effort with two runs. Clark was 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Joslynn Davis, Essence Gibbs and Kelley were each 2-for-4 at the plate.
                                                                                                                                   
QUOTES FROM COACH WATTEN
"This is a difficult stretch, and we must be focused this weekend. We've been in Mississippi for a week now, and we haven't been able to get out and practice at all. So, we have to remain locked in and focused, despite the weather and conditions. It's a test this weekend, especially against a team as good as Jackson State."
 
"You know, our football team was displaced for a while this past season, and we know how that feels – in a way, after the past eight days. You must get out of the hotel, get your legs under you, make sure you get your classes and exams in, as well as just being mentally focused with everything happening around us. I tell you what, the weather has not liked Bethune-Cookman this year."
 
"Whenever you play a team for the second time in a season, you have to try not to overthink, but also make the necessary adjustments. It's always tough. You want to make sure you do the things that worked well again, but also not change too much knowing that your opponent is going to adjust as well."
 
SCOUTING JACKSON STATE (17-23, 6-9 SWAC)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Kevin Montgomery (Fifth season)
2023 Batting Average: .266; Runs Per Game: 4.6; Hits Per Game: 6.63; Slugging Percentage: .363
2023 ERA: 4.25; K/BB Ratio: 1.60; Opp. Batting Avg: .285
 
JACKSON STATE NOTES & STATS

• Jackson State comes into the series with a 17-23 overall record, and a 6-9 mark in the SWAC.
• The Tigers are fifth in the SWAC Eastern Division, sitting three games away from a potential SWAC Tournament berth behind Alabama A&M.
• Marissa Medina leads the Tigers in batting average (.412), doubles (8) and home runs (3).
• Jace Jackson is atop the JSU team in hits (31).
• Victoria Salazar has a 5-5 record in the pitcher's circle, while using a 3.84 earned run average in 54.2 innings worked.
• The Tigers have lost their last five games consecutively, including a SWAC series last weekend at Alabama State.

 
LAST TIME AGAINST JACKSON STATE
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 Southwestern Athletic Conference 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. The Tigers got a lift in the top of the fifth when catcher Isabel Gusman delivered a three-run scoring home run to straightaway center field – her third homer of the season, to chip into the BCU lead at 6-4. The Maroon and Gold threatened again in the home-half of the sixth when loading the bases but were unable to bring anyone in for insurance runs. Reliever Victoria Guzman was able to close the game and collect her first save of the season. Halyne Gonzalez (7-10) 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. The loss went to JSU starter Victoria Salazar (4-6) as she went four innings in the circle for the Tigers, allowing six runs (three earned) on six hits. Takiya Hill finished the game for the Tigers in pitching two innings and allowing five hits. JSU was led at the dish by Morris with a 2-for-4 effort and an RBI, followed by Gusman with her three-run homer. 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.
 
UP NEXT
Bethune-Cookman welcomes in-state foe Florida A&M to Sunnyland Park for a three-game SWAC series (April 21-23), which includes Senior Appreciation Day for the Wildcats in Daytona Beach, Florida.
 
FOLLOW THE WILDCATS
Follow Bethune-Cookman Softball on Twitter (@BCUSoftball) and Instagram (@BCUSoftball) for all of the latest news and updates. For all Bethune-Cookman Athletics news, follow us on Twitter (@BCUAthletics), Instagram (@BCU_Athletics) and BCUathletics.com.