CLEARWATER, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman Softball split a pair of games Saturday as part of the NFCA Leadoff Classic presented by MaxBP at Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, Florida. The Wildcats fell to No. 24 Mississippi State 3-2 in a seventh inning walk-off, before returning the favor against Morgan State with a 4-3 score for B-CU's first win of the season in dramatic fashion.
 

No. 24 Mississippi State 3, B-CU 2
Kiarra Sells' walk-off single in the seventh inning capped a dramatic comeback as No. 24 Mississippi State defeated Bethune-Cookman 3-2 on Saturday afternoon at the Eddie Moore Complex.
 
Mississippi State (2-1) entered the final frame trailing 2-1 before mounting their game-winning rally.
 
Morgan Bernardini started the seventh with a single to right field before immediately being replaced by pinch runner Abby G. Richardson. After a sacrifice bunt moved Richardson to second, Sierra Sacco delivered an RBI single to center field, and later working her way into scoring position on the Bethune-Cookman (0-3) relay from the outfield.
 
A groundout moved Sacco to third, and it was Sells who drove home the winning run with a single through the left side.
 
The Bulldogs opened the scoring in the second inning when Kylee Edwards launched a solo home run to left field.
 
The score remained 1-0 until the fifth inning, when Bethune-Cookman capitalized on two Bulldogs errors to plate a pair of runs and claim the 2-1 lead.
 
Right fielder Joyce Bloome reached on the first error from MSU's third baseman Nadia Barbary with one out, followed by a walk collected by centerfielder Joslynn Davis. A perfectly placed sac bunt from Emma Bradley-Tse moved both runners up a base with two away. The Cats eventually took the lead when Jessica Alaan reached safely with an error charged to Kylee Edwards at shortstop, allowing Bloome and Davis to score, respectively.
 
Despite committing five errors, Mississippi State's pitching kept them in the game.
 
Starter Josey Marron worked 5.1 innings, allowing two unearned runs on three hits while striking out seven. Raelin Chaffin (2-0) earned the win with 1.2 innings of scoreless relief, recording three strikeouts.
 
Bethune-Cookman's Halyne Gonzalez (0-2) took the loss in relief, allowing two runs on four hits in 3.2 innings. Sophomore starter Sofia Vallejos-Coleman held the Bulldogs to one run on two hits through three innings, in her best starting effort as a Wildcat.
 
The Wildcats threatened in the sixth inning, loading the bases with one out, but Chaffin entered and struck out consecutive batters to escape the jam. Bradley-Tse led Bethune-Cookman's offense with a double in the seventh inning, while Alaan added a double in the first.
 
MSU was led offensively by Sells with a 1-for-2 day, adding an RBI.
 
 
B-CU 4, Morgan State 3
Junior transfer Emma Bradley-Tse's clutch two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning capped a dramatic three-run rally as Bethune-Cookman defeated Morgan State 4-3 in softball action Saturday evening at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, Florida.
 
Saturday evening represented the first meeting between the two former Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) schools since Bethune-Cookman joined the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
 
Trailing 3-1 entering their final at-bat, Bethune-Cookman (1-3) mounted a game-winning comeback after shortstop Briana Velazquez led off with her first triple of the season with a ball to the wall in right center. Following a groundout, freshman first baseman Molly Blackwood drew a walk, allowing Alana Cypress to step in as a pinch runner at first base. After Cypress stole second and pinch hitter Shanai Owens walked to load the bases, freshman India Stokes reached on a fielder's choice, but Velazquez was thrown out at the plate trying to score from third.
 
Senior centerfielder Joslynn Davis kept the rally alive with a two-out infield single that scored Cypress to cut the deficit to 3-2. Emma Bradley-Tse then delivered the game-winning hit – a single to left that brought home both Owens and Stokes, respectfully.
 
Morgan State (1-3) had taken a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning, capitalizing on two Wildcats errors.
 
Cassie White walked, stole second and scored on an error before Nia Lewis singled and later scored unearned. The Bears added what appeared to be an insurance run in the seventh when Lewis singled, advanced to third on an error, and later worked her way around home on Olivia Garner's bunt single.
 
All-SWAC Preseason First Team selection Halyne Gonzalez (1-2) earned the complete-game victory for Bethune-Cookman, allowing seven hits and three runs (one earned) while striking out seven in the pitcher's circle. Victoria Fletcher (1-1) took the loss for Morgan State, surrendering six hits and four runs (three earned) over 6.2 innings with four strikeouts of her own.
 
Velazquez led the B-CU offense with two hits, including a double and a triple. Lewis paced Morgan State with two hits and an RBI, while Rylee Hyde and Amber Rivas also contributed two hits apiece for the Bears.
 


Bethune-Cookman concludes the NFCA Leadoff Classic presented by MaxBP on Sunday when the Wildcats take on Notre Dame at 1 p.m.
 


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