DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Wildcats produced their second three homer game of the season to take the first of a four-game set with Maryland Eastern Short, Friday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.



B-CU (3-6) got on the board in a hurry as Michael Rodriguez sent a ball over the wall in left center for a solo homer in the bottom of the first.

Four pitches later, Jesus Vanegas made it 2-0 with a homer of his own. The Wildcats put two more runners on, but could not push a run home.

The Wildcats added another run in the second as Peter Vazquez and Sergio Rivera walked before Rodriguez singled one home to go up, 3-0.

After stranding two in the third, Maryland Eastern Shore (1-8) pulled to within one run in the fourth after a leadoff single, B-CU error, and Diego Aponte RBI single that scored a pair to make it 3-2, B-CU.

After back-to-back quiet frames, B-CU made it 4-2 after back-to-back hit-by-pitches to lead off the bottom of the sixth, which allowed Irvin Escobar to score on a Hawk wild pitch. 

B-CU nearly went up 5-2, but Manny Souffrain was tagged out attempting to score on a Jeter Polledo strikeout and dropped third strike. 

The Wildcats broke things open with three runs in the bottom of the eighth as Armani Newton crushed a no-doubt homer over the wall in right.

With two outs ,back-to-back walks and a Polledo single made it 7-2, Wildcats, which they would hold for the win.

Tanner Boccabello made the start and took his second win of the season after seven strong in which he allowed only two unearned runs on three hits with a walk and B-CU career-high nine strikeouts.

Jean Carlos Zambrano and Aaron Schaefer combined for two scoreless innings of relief, allowing only one hit with a strikeout.

• Michael Rodriguez enjoyed a 2-4 day with a run scored and two RBI.
• Armani Newton also recorded two hits with an RBI.
• B-CU walked five times to only five strikeouts. 
• B-CU improves to 55-1 all-time against UMES - their last loss came back in 1997. 

The Wildcats host a doubleheader with the Hawks on Saturday, March 1. Game one is set for a 3 p.m. first pitch at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. 

Admission is free. 

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