DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – After a series defeat over the weekend at Florida Gulf Coast, Bethune-Cookman Baseball looks to bounce back in midweek action as Jacksonville visits Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Tuesday, March 11, at 6 p.m.
 
On the mound, B-CU is expected to start Logan Wirt (0-0, 0.00 ERA), while JU is expected to counter with Alex Walsh (0-1, 8.25 ERA), as it will be the first action of the season for the Wildcats' junior right-hander from Orlando.
 

What: Game Seventeen
Who: Bethune-Cookman (7-9) vs. Jacksonville (8-7)
When: Tuesday, March 11, at 6 p.m.
Where: Daytona Beach, Fla. – Jackie Robinson Ballpark (4,200)
 
Live Stats: Click Here
 
IN THE RANKINGS
▪ Bethune-Cookman is not ranked in this week's D1Baseball.com Top 25
▪ Jacksonville is not ranked in this week's D1Baseball.com Top 25
 


▪ Bethune-Cookman comes into the week after dropping the final two games of a three-game set away to Florida Gulf Coast over the weekend, after the Wildcats took the series-opener Friday night.
▪ The Maroon and Gold are riding a four-game win streak at home, after sweeping a four-game series against former Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) foe Maryland-Eastern Shore (February 28-March 2).
▪ With 18 home runs through the first 16 games this season, B-CU has already amassed half of the total homers hit a season ago (25).
▪ The Cats have tallied four (4) three-run home run games already this season, the last coming Friday evening at Florida Gulf Coast.
▪ Jorge Rodriguez is riding a team-high six-game hitting streak, while first baseman Manny Souffrain is enjoying a nine-game stretch reaching base safely. Rodriguez has reached safely in six games, while Darryl Lee is also on a six-game streak reaching safely.
▪ B-CU has recorded double-figure hits in four games this year, including a season-best 15 in the series finale against UMES on March 2.
 

BCU VS. JACKSONVILLE SERIES
▪ In a storied history between the two "Sunshine State" opponents, Jacksonville leads the series by a 50-16 count dating back to 1983.
▪ The Wildcats have dropped eight of the last 10 against the Dolphins, with the last victory being a 4-3 walk-off victory at home on March 12, 2024.
▪ The two teams split the meetings last year, as JU claimed an 11-0 decision in Jacksonville on April 30.
▪ B-CU's longest win streak in the series is three games from 2013-14.
 

SCOUTING JACKSONVILLE
▪ Jacksonville enters the midweek nonconference outing 8-7 overall after sweeping a three-game set at home versus North Carolina A&T over the weekend.
▪ The Dolphins have produced 100 runs already on the season but have allowed 97 in reverse.
▪ The pitching is headlined by Richard Long (3-1) holding a team-low ERA of 1.88.
▪ Jonah Shields tops the Dolphins offensive attack with a.417 average at the plate, using 20 hits and 11 RBIs under his belt.
 

RECAPPING B-CU'S LAST GAME (at Florida Gulf Coast)
Jorge Rodriguez and Jeter Polledo each logged home runs for Bethune-Cookman on Sunday afternoon, but the Wildcats were unable to capture the series victory against Florida Gulf Coast, as the homestanding Eagles claimed a 7-5 rubber game win at Swanson Stadium.
 
Bethune-Cookman led 3-2 midway through the fifth inning.
 
In the home-half of the fifth, Florida Gulf Coast tied the game at 3-3 when Javier Gorostola scored on a wild pitch from B-CU reliever Aaron Schaefer. Gorostola, the Eagles designated hitter, was hit by a pitch to begin the at-bat. FGCU stepped ahead with a two-run single to right center from left fielder Aidan Corn. The final run of the frame came off the end of a double play turned by the Cats, but saw Mac Moise come in from third to put the hosts up, 6-3.
 
B-CU responded with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth to cut the deficit, 6-5. After Jorge Rodriguez produced a two-out single, designated hitter Jose Fernandez followed with a walk. That set the stage for Jeter Polledo to tally his second triple of the campaign to score both runners.
 
FGCU added an insurance run in order to produce the final 7-5 score line in the eighth when Nathan Gagnon lined a run-scoring single through the right side to plate Jaret Nelson, pinch running for Gorostola, after he singled from the leadoff spot. Bethune-Cookman struck first in the second inning to grab a 2-0 lead. Polledo registered his first home run of the year with a two-run shot – also scoring Fernandez after he was hit by a pitch, with a ball clear the wall in left.
 
FGCU scored a pair of runs to knot the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third. Harrison Povey's two-run home run to right also brought in Gorostola. For Eagles centerfielder Povey, it was his ninth home run of the campaign. Rodriguez responded in kind with a leadoff home run – the second of its kind on the year for the catcher, in the fourth to put B-CU back up, 3-2.
 
Relief pitcher Ethan Mattison (1-0) scored the win in working two innings on the bump, allowing two runs on two hits. The save was collected by Ryland Bozenhard, his first of the campaign, striking out two in the ninth. The loss went to B-CU's Schaefer (0-1), who went just an inning, allowing three runs on two hits and picking up a strikeout.
 
The FGCU offense used a 2-for-4 showing at the dish from Gorostola, adding a pair of runs. Povey finished 2-for-5 batting with two runs and two RBIs. The B-CU offense was led by Polledo's 3-for-4 afternoon, tallying four RBIs and a run scored. Rodriguez was 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI of his own.
 


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