DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – After 17 games away from home, Bethune-Cookman Softball will play its 2024 home opener Wednesday afternoon when the Wildcats play host to North Dakota at Sunnyland Park for a single game affair beginning at 3 p.m.
 
THE SCHEDULE
Weds., March 6
3 p.m. – vs. North Dakota | Live Stats
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
Keep up with everything Bethune-Cookman Softball this season by following the Wildcats social media platforms. You can follow @BCUSoftball on Instagram and @BCUSoftball on Twitter.
 
STATS & NOTES
▪ Head Coach Laura Watten needs just five wins to earn her 500th win at Bethune-Cookman, and 25 for her 800th career victory.
▪ Three different Wildcats have amassed 10 hits on the season – Thais Uyema, Joyce Bloome and Jessica Alaan.
▪ Kendall Macauley, a transfer from North Carolina A&T, has registered the only triple of the season, as she also has a double and three RBIs for the year at the plate.
▪ Newcomer Thais Uyema, a catcher from Lima, Peru, has scored three runs and driven in two with a .278 batting average and a slugging percentage of .306 on the campaign.
▪ Brooklyn Scott achieved the longest on-base streak of the season thus far, having reached safely in eight consecutive games leading into last weekend's Knights Classic in Orlando. However, Joyce Bloome had the longest hitting streak with five games earlier this season.
▪ The Cats have scored five runs on three different occasions this season – versus BYU, Loyola Marymount and Kennesaw State, respectively.
▪ Junior transfer Angelina Badalament has seen time in the pitcher's circle and on first base for the Cats this season. The Plant City, Florida native has a team-low 4.05 ERA and bats at a .185 clip with five hits and three runs.
 
QUOTES FROM COACH WATTEN
"There's no place like Sunnyland Park in the SWAC or college softball. It's intimate; close; and just has an atmosphere like no place else. It really is a home field advantage for us in every way."
 
"You know, being on the road really takes a toll on the players and coaches – mentally and physically. You're in and out of hotels; never in your own bed; just off routine in so many ways. So, actually playing at home, the vibe is going to be much different for everyone because some normality, so to speak, will be in order."
 
"Playing a team like North Dakota at home is another very good test for us as a younger ball club. We need these tests and hard games. It's only making us better – whether we can see it now or not. I see it, and I think the players do too. You want to always be playing good teams and opening up at home against North Dakota continues that trend for our nonconference schedule."
 
SCOUTING NORTH DAKOTA (5-17, 0-0 The Summit League)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Jordan Stevens (10th season)
2024 Batting Average: .202; Runs Per Game: 2.5; Hits Per Game: 5.1; Slugging Percentage: .251
2024 ERA: 4.49; K/BB Ratio: 1.5; Opp. Batting Avg: .308
 
NORTH DAKOTA NOTES & STATS
▪ North Dakota has been in the "Sunshine State" since March 1, as the Fighting Hawks have played games in Miami and Madeira Beach before venturing to Daytona Beach.
▪ The Fighting Hawks have won two of their last three games with wins coming against FIU and Seton Hall, respectively.
▪ A common opponent for BCU and UND is Southern (La.), as the Fighting Hawks dropped their season opener to the Jaguars 2-1 in an eight-inning contest in Youngsville, Louisiana.
▪ North Dakota is led at the dish by Izzy Haslett with 14 hits, including a pair of doubles and four RBIs. Behind her in the hits column is Mariah Peters with 13, as she also has a double and team second-most seven RBIs.
▪ Madison Pederson leads the squad with two home runs, while teammates Taya Hopfauf and Katelyn Neumayer each have one homer to their credit.
▪ Three of the team's five wins on the campaign have come with Makaela Carr in the pitcher's circle, as she owns a 3-4 record coming into the week. Carr also has a 5.21 ERA with 25 strikeouts.
▪ As a staff, the North Dakota pitching unit has an ERA of 4.49, but owning 102 strikeouts against 70 walks across 138.2 innings of play.
 
UP NEXT
Bethune-Cookman opens Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) play on the road to Mississippi Valley State in Itta Bena, Mississippi. The two-day, three-game series has been adjusted with dates and times for the series set to be announced Wednesday evening.
 
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