ATLANTA – Daniel Figueroa worked a bases loaded walk in the 10th inning allowing Bethune-Cookman to complete a 4-3 comeback walk-off win over Jackson State in an elimination game for the Wildcats in the 2024 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Baseball Tournament at Russ Chandler Stadium on the campus of Georgia Tech.
 
With the win, Bethune-Cookman (32-26) forces a third game in as many days against Jackson State in an elimination game for both teams, with the winner advancing to the SWAC Championship game Sunday afternoon.
 
Jackson State (35-19) added to its 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth inning with a Shemar Harris RBI single to left center, scoring Arjun Huerta on the play to make it 3-1 in favor of the Tigers. However, that's where the game changed for both teams.
 
Huerta, the starting left fielder for the Tigers – who had been warned previously for taunting, was ejected by the officiating crew for taunting yet again as he crossed the plate with words directed at the Bethune-Cookman dugout. Immediately afterwards, JSU Head Coach Omar Johnson was ejected as well.
 
With the two ejections, the momentum swung to the Wildcats dugout.
 
Having pitched a day earlier, Isaiah Williams took the mound for JSU to work the bottom-half of the ninth.
 
Jorge Gonzalez Febo walked and Colton Olasin singled to put two aboard to begin the at-bat for the Wildcats. After Garrett Chun walked to load the bases with one out, Jorge Rodriguez was hit by a Williams pitch to bring BCU to within 3-2 as Colby Lipovsky – serving as a pinch runner, scored on the play. One play later, a Williams wild pitch allowed Olasin to race in from third and tie the game at 3-all.
 
BCU relief pitcher Dale Michaud worked the top of the 10th on the bump, striking out all three batters he faced to setup BCU for a chance to win in the home-half of the inning.
 
Catcher Irvin Escobar led off the at-bat for BCU with a ground-rule double over the wall in left center, setting the stage for Franki Febles to lay down a sacrifice bunt that maneuvered Escobar to third. Jayme Villafane walked – and Olasin was intentionally given a pass, loading the bases with one out for Daniel Figueroa at the top of the order.
 
The BCU centerfielder drew a bases loaded walk to score Escobar and walk off the win for the Maroon and Gold.
 
JSU began the game with a run scored in the top of the first as first baseman Lenny Montesano reached on an infield error charged to Bethune-Cookman, as Jordan McCladdie crossed safely to make it 1-0 in favor of the Tigers.
 
BCU responded in the bottom of the seventh to knot the game at 1-1 with an Olasin RBI single down the line in left driving across AJ Smith.
 
The win was collected by Michaud out of the bullpen as he earned his first decision of the year in throwing 1.1 innings and striking out three batters. Joel Core picked up another quality start for the Wildcats in working six strong innings, allowing just one run on three hits scattered, three walks and striking out seven batters.
 
The loss went to JSU reliever Williams (6-4) in going one inning out of the bullpen, giving up three runs on two hits and a pair of walks. Starting pitcher Garrett VanDeventer failed to factor into the decision despite throwing 6.1 innings and allowing one run on six hits, one walk and six strikeouts.
 
The Tigers offense was headed up by McCladdie's 1-for-3 night at the plate and scoring two runs.
 
BCU's offense was highlighted by designated hitter Jose Gonzalez going a perfect 3-for-3 at the dish. Escobar was 2-for-5 with a run scored. And Olasin finished 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
 
BCU and Jackson State meet again Saturday at noon back at Russ Chandler Stadium.
 
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