DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman scored seven runs in the fourth inning Friday afternoon racing to an 11-2 victory over Jackson State in the opening game of a massive three-game Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Softball series between the two Eastern Division sides at Sunnyland Park.
 
Bethune-Cookman (20-17, 13-8 SWAC) wasted no time establishing control, capitalizing on two Jackson State miscues to plate three runs in the bottom of the opening frame. In all, the Tigers committed five errors on the afternoon.
 
Senior centerfielder Joslynn Davis scored the game's opening run courtesy an error charged to JSU shortstop Julie Lopez. With the bases full of Wildcats, senior shortstop Briana Velazquez was hit by a Brooklyn Morris pitch, allowing senior first baseman Kendall Macauley to scamper in for the 2-0 advantage. The lead swelled to 3-0 with a Thais Uyema two-out single back up the middle that scored Jessica Alaan.
 
Jackson State (23-21, 13-8 SWAC) responded with a run in the second when Lopez walked, advanced on another walk to Gabrielle Willis, and later came around to score on catcher Kristina Carlson's single to center field.
 
The Tigers cut the lead at 3-2 with another run in the top of the third after centerfielder Hermariya Stephens came around to score from first following a sacrifice bunt from Ka'Liyah Gipson, as well as an error charged to the B-CU infield.
 
B-CU added a run to make it 4-2 in the bottom of the inning.
 
After Molly Blackwood singled to third with one away, Velazquez picked up a single and Uyema sacrificed both runners into scoring position. Blackwood, a freshman from Lutz, Florida, came in on the back of another Tigers error charged to the infield.
 
The floodgates opened in the fourth inning as Bethune-Cookman sent 12 batters to the plate, collecting eight hits and scoring seven runs to put the run-rule into effect with an 11-2 lead.
 
The inning featured RBI singles from Alaan and senior third baseman Shania Owens, a sacrifice fly from Joyce Bloome, and was aided by two more Jackson State errors. Owens' double – her sixth of the season, was the only extra-base hit of the day for either team.
 
Working as a reliever, senior Halyne Gonzalez (10-7) earned the win in the pitcher's circle for the Maroon and Gold after taking over in the third inning and delivering three strong frames of relief work, allowing just one hit and striking out three while walking only one batter. Senior Alyssa Lopez went 2.0 innings in the start, allowing two runs (one earned) on one hit, three walks and a pair of strikeouts.
 
JSU's Morris (6-6) accepted the loss, yielding 12 hits and 11 runs, though only two (2) of those runs were earned. The left-hander worked four innings but failed to record a single strikeout as the Wildcats made consistent contact throughout the contest.
 
The Tigers offense was upheld by Meah Almaraz and Carlson each going 1-for-2 at the dish, respectively.
 
Bethune-Cookman's offensive onslaught was widespread, with five players recording multi-hit performances. Owens went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, while Davis finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs of her own. Emma Bradley-Tse, Blackwood and Uyema each collected two hits as well.
 
The two teams meet back at Sunnyland Park for a series-ending doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m. Preceding the first game will be a special Senior Appreciation Day and Graduation ceremony for the nine Bethune-Cookman seniors on this year's squad.
 
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