DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Wildcats collected 14 hits, but could not plate a run in the final five innings as they took a 9-6 loss to Alabama State, Thursday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.



Bethune-Cookman (28-24, 18-9 SWAC) opened the scoring in the bottom of the second as Manny Souffrain led off the inning with a single and a steal of second. He advanced to third on a flyball before coming across to score on a Colton Olasin RBI groundout.

Back-to-back homers put Alabama State (27-24, 17-11 SWAC) up 3-1 in the top of the third. 

B-CU answered in the bottom half of the inning as back-to-back triples by Daniel Figueroa and Garrett Chun made it a 3-2 ballgame before Sergio Rivera's RBI double tied things at 3-3. One batter later, Jose Gonzalez put the Wildcats back in front with an RBI infield single.  

An RBI double and RBI single put the Hornets back on top at 5-4 in the top of the fourth before Wildcat starter Tanner Boccabello was forced to exit after taking a line off the lower leg. 

B-CU made it five lead changes with two runs in the bottom of the fourth as Chun and Gonzalez provided a pair of two-out RBI singles to make it a 6-5 game. 

Once again the Hornets had an answer, with two more runs in the fifth on a go-ahead RBI single that made it 7-6. 

Alabama State added two insurance runs in the eighth on a bases-loaded walk and wild pitch.

The Wildcats put runners on in each of the last five innings, but came up empty as they fell, 9-6. 

Before exiting with an injury, Boccabello worked 3.2 innings, allowing five runs - all earned - on nine hits with a walk and two strikeouts.

Patrick Groark, Dylan Vega, and Dale Michaud finished out the remainder fo the game out fo the pen. 

• The Wildcats must win one of two remaining games this weekend to clinch the No. 2 seed in the SWAC East ahead of the conference tournament. 
• Garrett Chun and Sergio Rivera each enjoyed 3-5 days at the plate.
• Daniel Figueroa, Jose Gonzalez, and Irvin Escobar also finished with multi-hit days. 
• The Wildcats left 12 men on base. 

The Wildcats will look to wrap up the SWAC East's No. 2 seed with a win Friday. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. 


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