DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman baseball welcomes in Big Ten opponent, Northwestern, this weekend in a Wildcats on Wildcats matchup at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. First pitch of the three-game series is set for Friday, March 1 at 7 p.m. \
Tickets start at just $10. Admission is free with a student ID.
Friday - Sunday, March 1-3
Opponent: Northwestern (2-6, 0-0 Big Ten)
Time: 7 p.m. | 6 p.m. | 1 p.m.
Location: Daytona Beach, Fla. | Jackie Robinson Ballpark
Live Stats: https://bcuathletics.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/cateyenetwork
Bethune-Cookman left 14 men on the base Wednesday evening, as No. 4 Florida scored four early runs in the first inning and three in the eighth to defeat the Wildcats 9-2 in midweek baseball action, Wednesday night at Condron Ballpark.
Trailing 6-0 in the top of the eighth inning, Bethune-Cookman finally broke through with runners in scoring position on the Gators pitching staff with a pair of runs.
With runners on first and second and two away, pinch hitter
Peter Vazquez punched a single to shallow right, allowing
Irvin Escobar and
Ramses Cordova to score on the play.
Florida would answer quickly in the home-half of the frame with three runs of their own in order to put the game out of reach.
Jac Caglianone recorded his second home run of the young season with a three-run shot to deep right field that put UF back up comfortably, 9-2.
A night after falling to Stetson in DeLand, the fourth-ranked Gators set the tone early-on with four runs in the home-half of the first inning, as the first four batters reached safely to open.
Michael Robertson walked to begin the at-bat, followed by a Caglianone single that moved Robertson to third. A wild pitch from Bethune-Cookman starting pitcher
Dylan Dudones allowed Robertson to scamper in for the game's opening run and give Florida the 1-0 lead. After a walk drawn by Ty Evans, shortstop Colby Shelton homered to right field – one of three home runs for the hosts on the evening, widening the Gators lead at 4-0.
Florida made it 5-0 in the bottom of the third via Tyler Shelnut's two-out solo home run to straightaway center field.
Bethune-Cookman put runners in scoring position in each of the first four innings.
Jose Gonzalez advanced to third in the second with two outs but was left stranded after hard hit ball to third baseman Shelnut off the bat off
Colton Olasin. And
Sergio Rivera got himself on with a two-out double in the top of the third before a strikeout from Florida reliever Robert Satin retired the side.
BCU relief pitcher
Yoansell Diaz was strong in relief efforts for the visitors. However, the hot-hitting Gators would finally get to the senior right-hander from Hialeah, Florida in the bottom of the fifth when first baseman Luke Heyman singled and Shelnut collected his third hit of the night with a run-scoring double off the wall in center.
Florida led 6-0 after five innings complete.
In the sixth, the Wildcats loaded the bases for
AJ Smith before the junior outfielder grounded out on a close play at the bag at first.
UF was led at the dish by Shelnut's 3-for-4 night, followed by Shelton (2 for 4) and Caglianone (2 for 5).
The win went to Satin out of the bullpen, as he tossed three frames, striking out four and allowing just one hit mixed with two walks. Starting pitcher Fisher Jameson did not factor into the decision as he worked just 2.2 innings, giving up three hits and two walks to go along with three strikeouts.
Wildcats starter Dudones suffered his first defeat of the season on the mound, evening his record at 1-1 for the year, as he threw three frames, allowing five runs on four hits to go along with one strikeout and two walks. Diaz finished with two innings on the bump out of the bullpen, giving up one run on three hits. And
Patrick Groark saw action late on the hill in pitching two innings with a walk and a strikeout against no hits allowed.
BCU was led at the dish by Cordova with a 2-for-3 effort and adding a run. Vazquez supplied two RBIs in a 1-for-1 showing at the plate, while Escobar also scored a run and produced a hit on the night.
Northwestern is 2-6 on the young season. They enter the weekend off a 5-1 win over Illinois State in a midweek road contest. They took a three-game sweep at the hands of No. 12 Duke in Durham, N.C. by score of 2-0, 8-2, and 20-9. The Wildcats' second win came back on opening day when they defeated Tulane by a final score of 0-9.
Northwestern entered the 2024 season following a 10-40 skid a year ago in which they won only four conference games. They ranked at the bottom of the league in batting, pitching and fielding statistically. They hit .246 as a team, combined for an 8.53 team ERA, and managed a league-low .967 fielding percentage.
Thus far this season, they rank at the bottom of the conference in batting, with a .231 team average, only two homers, and a league-low 36 runs scored. They also sit last in ptching with a 7.14 team ERA, allowing 46 earned runs and 30 walks to only 47 strikeouts in 58 innings pitched. The Wildcats have improved defensively into the early season, with a team fielding percentage of .986 and a league-low three errors.
Junior catcher/first baseman Bennet Markinson has led the way offensively so far for Northwestern. in seven starts, he is hitting .357 with four RBI, a homer and four runs scored. Graduate outfielder Tyler Ganus has a team-high five RBI on a .419 OBP and three doubles.
Senior lefty Nolan Morr has tossed a team-high 13 innings in two starts this season, striking out 12 to with no walks and 10 hits allowed. Matt McClure, senior righty, has also made a pair of starts on the young season, allowing eight runs in only 4.1 innings of work.
Friday will mark the first meeting between Northwestern and Bethune-Cookman on the baseball diamond.
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--#HailWildcats—
