JACKSON, Miss. – Shania Owens sent out her second home run of the season Friday evening accounting for Bethune-Cookman's only run in a 4-1 setback away to Jackson State in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) opening game for both teams at JSU Softball Field in Jackson, Mississippi.
 
For Bethune-Cookman (6-18, 0-1 SWAC), senior third baseman Shania Owens delivered the Wildcats' opening hit in grand fashion, registering her second home run of the season – and second of her career, clear the wall in left off an 0-2 pitch to put the visitors ahead after a half-inning, 1-0.
 
Jackson State (11-8, 1-0 SWAC) responded in the home-half of the second using a Meah Almaraz double to the wall in centerfield to score leadoff batter Hermariya Stephens who walked in her at-bat. That knotted the score at 1-1 after two innings complete.
 
The Tigers stepped ahead 3-1 with two runs in the third.
 
A Jace Jackson RBI double to center plated right fielder Ka'Liyah Gipson, while Almaraz later delivered her second RBI of the game – this time a single to left to bring around Gabrielle Willis.
 
The Cats would threaten in the sixth with Emma Bradley-Tse punching a two-out single past Almaraz at first. Owens immediately singled for her second hit of the game, allowing the Maroon and Gold two aboard. But JSU reliever Beija Allen, seeing her first action of the year in the pitcher's circle, would get Kendall Macauley to popup and retire the side.
 
The Tigers added an insurance run in the home-half of the frame as Morris reached on an error charged to the B-CU infield, allowing Murillo to score, after the JSU second baseman walked in her earlier appearance at the dish. That produced the final 4-1 score line.
 
Bethune-Cookman has now lost six consecutive to Jackson State, dating back to the 2023 season.
 
Brooklyn Morris (4-3) picked up the win for the Tigers as she went five innings in the circle, allowing one run on three hits and striking out one batter. The save was Allen's first while pitching the final two innings and surrendering just two hits. Halyne Gonzalez (4-12) took the loss for the Wildcats, throwing just 2.1 innings, being tagged for three runs on six hits and three strikeouts. Senior right-hander Alyssa Lopez finished off the game in the circle, going 3.2 innings with one unearned run allowed on two hits scattered and fanning four batters.
 
The Tigers offense was led by three players with multiple hits, including a 2-for-3 day from Almaraz including two RBIs.
 
The B-CU bats were paced by Owens with a 2-for-3 showing at the dish, using her home run and an RBI in the process.
 
The two teams meet for the conclusion of the three-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. ET (Noon CT). The game was moved up an hour due to impending weather in the Hinds County area of Mississippi.
 
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