DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman is set to host "Senior Appreciation Day" this weekend when the Wildcats welcome Jackson State to Sunnyland Park for a big Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) series with tournament seeding implications on the line. The series begins Friday, April 25, with a single game at 5 p.m.
 

THE SCHEDULE
Friday, April 25
5 p.m. – vs. Jackson State | Live Stats | Watch
 
Saturday, April 26
1 p.m. – vs. Jackson State | Live Stats | Watch
3:30 p.m. – vs. Jackson State | Live Stats | Watch
 

SOCIAL MEDIA
Keep up with everything Bethune-Cookman Softball this season by following the Wildcats social media platforms. You can follow @BCUSoftball on Instagram and @BCUSoftball on X/Twitter.
 


▪ Bethune-Cookman has not defeated Jackson State in a series since taking two of three from the Tigers at Sunnyland Park in 2023.
▪ Nine seniors will play their final home series this weekend: Joyce Bloome, Joslynn Davis, Maria Galvan, Halyne Gonzalez, Alyssa Lopez, Kendall Macauley, Shania Owens, Thais Uyema and Briana Velazquez.
▪ Joslynn Davis is leading the team in batting average (.362), hits (50) and walks (25).
▪ Thais Uyema leads the nation in runners thrown out (23) behind the dish.
▪ When it comes to stolen bases, Shania Owens is eighth nationally with 33, followed by Emma Bradley-Tse who's tied for 20th with 27 under her belt.
▪ As a team, Bethune-Cookman is ranked fourth nationally in stolen bases per game (3.11).
▪ Emma Bradley-Tse is atop the Wildcats squad with a .988 fielding average.
▪ Sofia Vallejos-Coleman saw her first action in over a month in midweek against Memphis.
 

B-CU vs. JACKSON STATE SERIES
▪ Jackson State leads the all-time series against Bethune-Cookman, 9-8.
▪ The Tigers have won the last three series, respectfully, including two of three in Mississippi earlier this season.
▪ B-CU picked up a 5-4 win in the second game of the series earlier this season, with the Cats having won just three of the last 12 meetings.
▪ All of the meetings in the series have occurred since B-CU joined the SWAC.
 

HEAD COACH LAURA WATTEN
"This is a big series, and one that's going to test us in a number of ways. How are we going to respond from last weekend, from midweek? What is our character and makeup as a team? Those are just a few of the questions we'll have to answer this weekend against a very good team in Jackson State. I can't stress enough how big this weekend is for us."
 
"Senior Day is always a time where I have such strong emotions. Every time you see young ladies that have given their all for you from the moment they came, and now they're leaving – it's always tough watching them play their final game at home. They have been with you for so many days and nights on the field and on the road – it always gets to me. I remember every senior that's ever played for me, and every time it's tough saying goodbye, in a sense."
 
"I want to see us go out this weekend and compete like I know we can. I want to see the championship attitude we carried for several weeks. I want to see our seniors take pride at home and give everything they have for their final series at Sunnyland Park. They've been through a lot these last few years, and it's time for them to just give it everything one more time."
 

SCOUTING JACKSON STATE (23-20, 13-7 SWAC)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Kevin Montgomery (5th season)
2025 Batting Average: .313; Runs Per Game: 6.1; Hits Per Game: 7.9; Slugging Percentage: .431
2025 ERA: 4.52; K/BB Ratio: 1.4; Opp. Batting Avg: .296
 

RECAPPING B-CU'S LAST GAME (vs. Memphis)
Joslynn Davius went 2-for-2 at the dish while Sofia Vallejos-Coleman saw her first action in over a month as Bethune-Cookman Softball fell 8-3 in nonconference midweek action at home to Memphis at Sunnyland Park.
 
With the game tied at 3-3 after four innings, Memphis plated five runs in the top-half of the fifth to break the game open. The visiting Tigers quickly got to Bethune-Cookman relief pitcher Alyssa Brady, hitting the sophomore right-hander for four runs on three hits and a walk in one-third of an inning out of the bullpen in relief of starter Sofia Vallejos-Coleman.
 
After shortstop Ariel Davis walked and Zoe Adebayo doubled to left, centerfielder Drue Thomas broke the 3-3 deadlock with a sacrifice fly to right, scoring leadoff hitter Davis from third. An Aubrey Williams bunt single ensued to plate Adebayo, followed on the proceeding play by an RBI single from Kennedy Semien to the wall in left, pushing across Williams from first and propelling the Tigers to a 6-3 advantage.
 
Vallejos-Coleman returned to the circle in place of Brady with one away in the top of the sixth. Memphis designated player Lyrical Bennett immediately made it 7-3 with her RBI double to left center, before pinch hitter Marley Maness crossed Presley Morris – pinch running for Bennett, with a single to shallow center, and putting the score at 8-3. Halyne Gonzalez would enter the game and finish it off in the pitcher's circle for the Maroon and Gold.
 
After the Tigers scored two in the top of the first, Bethune-Cookman answered appropriately in the bottom-half of the frame with a pair of runs to knot the game at 2-2. Back-to-back singles at the top from Joslynn Davis and Joyce Bloome put two aboard, allowing for Kendall Macauley to sacrifice both runners up a base. Senior shortstop Briana Velazquez drove in Davis with an RBI groundout to short, halving the lead, 2-1. Bloome scored off the end of a wild pitch from Memphis starter Jericho Tate – whom, much like Vallejos-Coleman for B-CU, was seeing her first action in more than a month for the visitors.
 
The Tigers stepped ahead once again in the top of the third when Adebayo recorded a two-out RBI double to left center, scoring Davis and putting her side up, 3-2. Bethune-Cookman once again answered in the fourth inning off the end of a Molly Blackwood sac fly to left that was deep enough for Macauley to race in from third and tie things at 3-3 after the second baseman singled in her at-bat to leadoff for the Wildcats.
 
Tate earned the win in the circle for Memphis, moving her to 3-6 on the year, as she worked five innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits and two strikeouts. Taniyah Brown and Rylee Dugar each saw an inning of work in relief efforts, registering two scoreless innings with four walks combined. The loss went to B-CU's Brady (1-2), while Vallejos-Coleman went 5.1 innings with four runs allowed on seven hits and two strikeouts. Halyne Gonzalez went 1.1 innings, giving up just one hit and striking out a batter.
 
The Memphis offense was paced by Adebayo who was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs, followed by Williams and Davis with two hits apiece. The B-CU bats were led by Davius with her 2-for-2 afternoon, adding a run as well. Bloome and Macauley added the other two hits, respectfully, on the day for the Wildcats.
 


The SWAC Tournament begins Tuesday, May 6 and runs through May 9, in Gulfport, Mississippi. Seedings will be announced following the weekend's final series between all teams in the league.