ORLANDO – In a game moved up late due to impending weather, Bethune-Cookman Softball stumbled in the opening game of the Knights Classic, falling by a 5-2 decision to Princeton at UCF Softball Complex on Friday morning.
 
Trailing 3-0 after three innings, Bethune-Cookman (1-14) chipped into the lead in the top-half of the fourth with a two-out RBI double down the line in left from second baseman Kendall Macauley, scoring Thais Uyema who singled in her at-bat two plays earlier.
 
The Wildcats cut into the lead once again in the fifth as designated player Aysiah Gonzalez – picking up her fourth start of the year, knocked her second (2nd) double of the campaign placing the ball over the head of Princeton right fielder Karis Ford allowing teammate Kallie Earlington trot home and cut the deficit at 3-2.
 
Princeton (5-0) countered in the home-half of the frame, delivering two runs to push the Tigers advantage back to a three-run margin and deliver the final 5-2 outcome.
 
With two outs and a pair of runners aboard for the Tigers, pinch hitter Abby Hornberger singled to right in order to plate Graciela Dominguez, while first baseman Sophia Marsalo scored courtesy an error charged to the BCU outfield.
 
Princeton scored its first run of the day in the second inning on the end of Marsalo's RBI single past the glove of Briana Velazquez at short, driving in Sonia Zhang.
 
The Tigers made it 3-0 in the bottom of the third as Zhang's sacrifice bunt scored Allison Ha on the squeeze play. That was followed by the Tigers designated hitter coming across herself on a throwing error by the Cats.
 
Princeton was led offensively at the plate by Marsalo and Ha each gathering two hits, added the RBI and run scored by Marsalo.
 
BCU's Joyce Bloome led all Wildcats with a season-best 3-for-4 effort at the dish. Uyema also recorded a multi-hit performance with two hits in three trips, adding a run as well.
 
The win went to the Tigers' Molly Chambers (1-0), with the starting pitcher tossing 4.2 innings and giving up two runs on seven hits to go along with four strikeouts and a walk allowed. Meghan Harrington collected the save in relieving Chambers for 2.1 innings and giving up just one hit to go along with two strikeouts in her time on the rubber.
 
Wildcats starter Halyne Gonzalez (1-8) suffered the loss in working 2.1 innings and allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits, two walks and a strikeout. Angelina Badalament also pitched 3.2 innings of relief for the Wildcats, as the junior right-hander picked up two strikeouts to go with three runs (one earned) allowed on four hits.
 
Bethune-Cookman returns for day two of the Knights Classic on Saturday in an adjusted schedule to due to weather as the Wildcats take on Kennesaw State (8 a.m.) and No. 22 South Carolina (noon) back at UCF Softball Complex.
 
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