SANFORD, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman pitching allowed just two hits as they stifled Florida A&M to take the weekend series, 5-2, Friday afternoon at Sanford Memorial Stadium.
Florida A&M (19-17, 13-4 SWAC) looked prime for a hot start as the first pitch of the game went over the wall in left to put the Rattlers on top, 1-0.
The Wildcats (23-16, 15-2 SWAC) returned the favor in the bottom of the first as
Darryl Lee worked a full count before his seventh homer of the season tied things at 1-1.
B-CU put two on in the third, but a flyout ended the threat. They stranded two again in the fifth as the Rattlers turned to the bullpen to escape the jam.
As
Joel Core continued to quiet the FAMU bats, the Wildcats finally broke the stalemate in the bottom of of the sixth as
Reinaldo Plascencia led off the frame with a double.
Sergio Rivera plated the second run of the game with an RBI single, followed by an
Andrey Martinez RBI double that made it 3-1.
FAMU saw its best chance of the night in the top of the seventh as a B-CU error and walk put two runners on with two outs. The Cats turned to
Yoansell Diaz out of the pen, who ended the Rattler hopes with a strikeout.
The Wildcats added insurance in the bottom of the eighth, loading the bases with a single, Martinez intentional walk, and hit batter.
Jesus Vanegas made it 5-1 with single that scored
Daniel Figueroa and Martinez.
Diaz shut the door in the ninth, striking out the side after allowing just the second FAMU hit of the game - a solo shot that made it 5-2.
Joel Core took his fourth win of the year after 6.2 innings of one-run ball with just the one hit allowed, with three strikeouts and four walks.
Diaz allowed just one hit with six strikeouts in 2.1 innings of work.
- B-CU now sits two games above FAMU for first place in the SWAC standings, and has now secured the tiebreaker.
- Jesus Vanegas led the way offensively with a 3-4 night with two RBI and a walk.
- B-CU stranded 11 runners on the night.
- Jeter Polledo, Reinaldo Plascencia, and Daniel Figueroa each currently ride six game hitting streaks.
B-CU will look for the series sweep on Saturday at 2 p.m.
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--#HailWildcats--
