DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman travels west this weekend as the Wildcats take on Mississippi Valley State in a three-game Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) series at MVSU Softball Field beginning Saturday, April 8. The series opens with a doubleheader at 2 p.m., followed by a single game on Eastern Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
Originally scheduled for Friday, April 7, the series was pushed back a day due to impending severe weather in the Delta region of the "Magnolia State".
 

Saturday, April 8
2 p.m. – at Mississippi Valley State | Live Stats
 
Saturday, April 8
4 p.m. – at Mississippi Valley State | Live Stats
 
Sunday, April 9
1 p.m. – at Mississippi Valley State | Live Stats
 

• Bethune-Cookman arrives to Mississippi Valley State having won all four SWAC series this season, including defeating Alabama State last weekend at Sunnyland Park in Daytona Beach, Florida. The series with the Hornets was for no less than a share of the top spot in the SWAC Eastern Division.
• Haley Parks tied for ninth in the league in hits (30), seventh in triples (3) and second in at-bats (107). Parks leads the team in the hits category.
• Carrington Robinson is ninth in the SWAC in stolen bases (14).
• Halyne Gonzalez enters the weekend series 7-1 in conference play in the pitcher's circle, owning an ERA of 1.89 and 69 strikeouts against just 24 walks.
• Victoria Guzman registered her first win of the season against Alabama State last weekend.
• Second baseman Desirae Martinez is batting .300 for the Wildcats with 15 RBIs and three home runs.
• Essence Gibbs has a .641 OPS for the season, as well as 10 stolen bases in 11 attempts.

 

Kallie Earlington was 3-for-3 at the plate in helping lead Bethune-Cookman to a 6-4 series-clinching victory over Bethune-Cookman Softball surrendered three runs in the seventh inning, allowing visiting Alabama State to capture a 4-3 come-from-behind victory in the series finale between the two sides at Sunnyland Park. BCU collected the series win a day prior with a walk-off extra inning win. Trailing 3-1 in the top of the seventh, Alabama State (19-16, 8-4 SWAC) started the frame with a leadoff single by shortstop Alana Scott, followed two plays later with a single from Brooke Ramsey. After the bases became loaded with two outs, centerfielder Kindall DeRamus singled to left at the top of the order to plate Scott and Ramsey for the tying runs. The winning run came in on the same play in the form of pinch runner JaNiyah Boykin, courtesy an error by the Wildcats outfield, putting the Hornets up 4-3. ASU scored in the top of the first inning with DeRamus coming in on a wild pitch from Bethune-Cookman starting pitcher Halyne Gonzalez. DeRamus singled to begin the game, eventually stealing second and advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt. Bethune-Cookman (10-24, 8-4 SWAC) tied things up in the home-half of the third with a Carrington Robinson single up the middle to drive in Shania Owens. BCU stepped in front, 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth as Owens drew a bases-loaded walk allowing catcher Jordyn Villanueva to score. The Wildcats lead swelled to 3-1 in the home-half of the fifth. Carrington Robinson singled and advanced on an error to lead off the at-bat for the Maroon and Gold. She scored a play later with an RBI groundout from Kayla Traylor. The win was collected by ASU reliever Olivia Brown, moving her record to 5-2 for the season. She went two innings in the circle, allowing one unearned run on three hits. The save went to Bailey Greenlee, her second of the year, as she pitched the seventh. The loss went to BCU relief pitcher Victoria Guzman (2-10). The Hornets were led offensively by DeRamus with a 2-for-4 afternoon, adding a run and two RBIs. BCU was charged by a 3-for-3 day by Robinson, as she also scored one and drove in another. Essence Gibbs was 2-for-3 at the dish for the Cats as well.
                                                                                                                                   

"It's important for us to keep the same energy on the road that we've had at home the past few weeks. We won't have the home crowd behind us. So, we need to keep our energy high in the dugout."
 
"Mississippi Valley [State] has been in a lot of games. Their record is not indicative of the way they play, or the type of team they have. They play fast, and they can cause teams trouble. We are in for a great series on the road."
 
"I think the biggest thing we'll have to focus on this weekend is our pitching. We pitched so well last week against Alabama State, and we have to continue to pick up our pitchers with some good at-bats. Everything has to be as one this weekend and locked in if we're going to try and get a big road series win."
 

SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE (0-25, 0-11 SWAC)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Jimmy Buckner (Second season)
2023 Batting Average: .185; Runs Per Game: 2.8; Hits Per Game: 0.8; Slugging Percentage: .276
2023 ERA: 10.87; K/BB Ratio: 0.30; Opp. Batting Avg: .406
 
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE NOTES & STATS

• Although looking for their first win of the season, the Delta Devils have two players batting .250 or better in the form of Keisha White (.263) and Kayla Robinson (.257).
• White leads MVSU with 10 hits, including two home runs, and 14 runs with eight RBIs.
• Morgan Gutierrez has a team-best 10.11 earned run average in 12 appearances (10 starts), adding 11 strikeouts in 53.1 innings of action.
• Gleenabah Tsosie is behind Gutierrez with a 12.14 ERA and 12 strikeouts.

 

Down 2-0 in the seventh, the Wildcats rallied to walk-off Mississippi Valley State, 3-2, and finish off the series sweep, Saturday afternoon at Sunnyland Park. MVSU jumped ahead in the second on a solo home run. Things were quiet until the sixth, when the Delta Devils tacked on to their lead with an RBI fielder's choice. Trailing, 2-0, the Wildcats opened the seventh with a pinch hit single by Essence Gibbs. Joslynn Davis watched ball four and Carrington Robinson reached on an infield single, and just like that B-CU loaded the bases with no one out. Haley Parks put BCU on the board with a single that tied things at two. The Wildcats walked off the Delta Devils, 3-2, as Robinson scored on a wild pitch. Hannah Ortega made the start. She threw four innings, allowing one run on four hits and a walk with a strikeout. Halyne Gonzalez got the win after taking over for the final three innings, allowing one run on two hits with six strikeouts.
 

After playing MVSU, the Wildcats travel to Jackson State for a three-game league series April 14-16, in Jackson, Mississippi.
 

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