t DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Head coach Jonathan Hernandez wins his 100th game at the helm of Bethune-Cookman baseball as B-CU battled back from down 5-1 to defeat Jackson State, Saturday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.



Jackson State (20-10, 5-5 SWAC) put two runners on out of the gate in the first, but B-CU starter Marcos Gamboa worked around the trouble to keep things scoreless.  

A pair of Jackson State errors gave the Wildcats (17-13, 9-1 SWAC) their first baserunners of the night in the bottom of the second, but a double play stopped their hopes short. 

The Tigers struck the scoreboard first in the top of the fifth after a hit batter, walk and RBI double made it 1-0. An intentional walk loaded the bases before a two-RBI single pushed the lead to 3-0. 

The Wildcats finally broke through with their first hit of the game in the sixth, eventually allowing Jose Gonzalez to come in to score off the bat of Jorge Rodriguez to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Jackson State padded its lead to 5-1 in the seventh on an RBI single and sacrifice fly.

The Wildcats took one more back in the eighth as a hit-by-pitch, walk, and groundout put runners at second and third with one out, finally chasing the Jackson State starter. A pop-out made it two outs before another JSU call to the bullpen. Sergio Rivera crossed the plate on a wild pitch to make it 5-2. 

Down three in the bottom of the ninth, Colton Olasin led off the final frame with a pop fly just past the infield that was dropped by the JSU defense. After a fielder's choice put one away, Garrett Chun worked a walk on a wild pitch that allowed Daniel Figueroa to advance to third on a wild pitch,.

Another walk via wild pitch made it a 5-3 ballgame as Figueroa came in to score. Back-to-back RBI singles from Jose Gonzalez and Manny Souffrain tied things at 5-5 with just one out. 

Irvin Escobar came to the plate to pinch hit, but it was Gonzalez who bluffed a steal of home to force a throw over to third. The JSU defense could not come up with the pickoff attempt as it sailed into foul territory, allowing Gonzalez to take the Wildcats home with the 6-5 win. 

Marcos Gamboa made the start for B-CU, settling for a no decision in which he allowed three earned runs on six hits with four walks and three strikeouts.

Aaron Shaefer notched his first win as a Wildcat after an inning in which he allowed no baserunners with a strikeout. 

• Sergio Rivera went 2-3 on the night with a walk.
• Jose Gonzalez went 1-2 at the plate with three walks, an RBI, and two runs scored.
• B-CU walked eight times to only four strikeouts as a team. 
• Saturday marked the fifth walkoff win of the season for B-CU.

The Wildcats will look to lock down the series sweep Sunday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Jackie Robinson Ballpark 

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