DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Maryland Eastern Shore scored a combined eight runs in the ninth inning of two games, but B-CU held on twice for a doubleheader sweep of its former MEAC foe, Saturday at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. 



GAME ONE - B-CU 10, UMES 8

After UMES (1-10) stranded a runner on second in the first, B-CU (5-6) matched, stranding Jesus Vanegas at third after a two-out triple. 

The Wildcats took their first lead of the day in the bottom of the seventh as Irvin Escobar and Darryl Lee walked and Reinaldo Plascencia singled one home with a ball into right center to make it 1-0. Lee would come around to score a batter later on a double-steal attempt, though Plascencia was tagged out to end the frame.

The Hawks got on the board in the top fo the third on a single, walk, wild pitch and sacrifice fly. UMES threatened with runners on second and third and two outs, but a strikeout ended the threat. 

B-CU tacke on two more in the fourth with a leadoff single by Armani Newton and a Manny Souffrain homer - his first of the year - to make it 4-1, Wildcats.

Again UMES added a run in the fifth, again with help from a leadoff single. The Hawks cut the B-CU lead in half on a Diego Aponte RBI single. They would go on to load the bases, but another Joel Core strikeout prevented further damage. 

The Cats grabbed two more runs in the sixth, putting runners on second and third with one out before Souffrain added a third RBI on an RBi single to left to make it 5-2. 

A UMES wild pitch allowed Armani Newton to score to bring the lead to 6-2. 

The Hawks turned to another reliever in the seventh. B-CU capitalized with three more runs on a Vanegas sacrifice fly and Newton two-run homer to make it 9-2. It was Newton's third homer of the year. 

The Wildcat lead reached 10-2 in the eighth as Souffrain found himself at third after taking a hit by pitch and Lee double. He came around to score on a groundout. 

UMES would not go quietly in the ninth, with four straight singles and a walk making it a 10-4 ballgame. A sacrifice fly made it 10-5 before Ryan Davis sent a ball over the wall in left center to make it 10-8.

With the bases empty, UMES could not rally for more as B-CU held on for the 10-8 win. 

Joel Core made the start and took the win, tossing six innings in which he allowed two earned runs on three walks with nine strikeouts.

Robert Lastra earned his first save as a Wildcat with three innings of work with four strikeouts. 

GAME TWO - B-CU 8, UMES 7

B-CU picked up where it left off from game one in the second game of the day, plating three runs in the bottom of the first on a Manny Souffrain RBI double that scored Newton and Vanegas - each had worked two-out walks. 

The Wildcats doubled the early lead in the second, loading the bases on a Jose Fernandez leadoff double, a Jayme Villafane walk, and Plascencia single.

Daniel Figueroa brought one in with a sacriffice fly before Michael Rodriguez singled in two more to make it 6-0. 

UMES finally cracked the board in the top of the fourth, again with two outs as a single and RBI double made it 6-1. 

A quiet string of middle innings ended in the top of the sixth, as UMES put four on the board off the B-CU bullpen on a one-out single and three-run homer that made it 6-5. 

The Wildcats took one back in the bottom of the inning on a Souffrain leadoff triple and Fernandez RBI single. B-CU nearly added another with two outs, but Villafane was tagged out at home attempting to score on a Figueroa fielder's choice. 

Bethune-Cookman made it 8-5 in the eighth thanks to a Fernandez sacrifice fly, scoring Sergio Rivera.

The Hawks refused to go away in the ninth,  working back-to-back walks and forcing a B-CU pitching change. A fielder's choice put runners on the corners with only one out.

Bronson Taylor doubled home two to make it 8-7, but he was tagged out attempting to advance to third on the throw. Julian Carrasquilla worked a popup to end the game as the Wildcats held on for the 8-7 win. 

Jean Carlos Zambrano earned his first win as a Wildcat with five innings of one-run ball with no walks and five strikeouts.

Julian Carrasquilla earned his first save. 

• Joel Core has 32 strikeouts through three games and 19 innings pitched.
• After a slow start to the year, Manny Souffrain finished the day 5-7 with three runs scored, two doubles, a triple, a homer, and six RBI. 
• The Wildcats now have 11 homers on the year. They finished the 2024 season with only 25 as a team. 
• Armani Newton leads the way with four homers on the year.
• Five different Wildcats have homered on the year to date - only six different Wildcats homered last season. 

The Wildcats will go for the four-game series sweep on Sunday, Feb. 2. First pitch is set for noon. 
Admission is free. Fans can also watch the game for free at YouTube.com/CatEyeNetwork. 

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--#HailWildcats--