DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – After a tough series setback last weekend away to Alabama State, Bethune-Cookman Softball looks for a response when Alabama A&M comes to Sunnyland Park for a three-game Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) series beginning Friday, April 4, at 5 p.m.
 


Friday, April 4
5 p.m. – Alabama A&M | Live Stats
 
Saturday, April 5
1 p.m. – Alabama A&M | Live Stats
3:30 p.m. – Alabama A&M | Live Stats
 

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.
 


▪ Senior pitcher Alyssa Lopez threw a two-hitter last weekend as Bethune-Cookman fell in extra innings away to Alabama State.
▪ Shania Owens leads Bethune-Cookman with three of the team's six home runs on the year.
▪ Owens, a native of Inglewood, California, also owns the team's longest current on-base streak with 14 games. Kendall Macauley is just behind her with an 11-game on-base streak currently intact.
▪ Thais Uyema and Jessica Alaan are two of the toughest Wildcats to strike out, as both have just seven across more than 60 at-bats on the year. Alaan has seven in 94 at-bats, and Uyema seven in 65 at-bats.
▪ Joyce Bloome, a senior playing primarily in right field, still owns a perfect fielding percentage for the season with 16 putouts in 16 total plays.
▪ The Wildcats are 0-2 on the season in extra-inning games with losses coming to UAlbany and Alabama State, respectively.
▪ Senior shortstop Briana Velazquez leads the Cats with four multi-RBI games, followed by Macauley with three.
▪ Emma Bradley-Tse (left field) and Joslynn Davis (center field) are tied with 70 putouts and two assists from their outfield positions on the field, defensively.
 


▪ Bethune-Cookman leads the all-time series against Alabama A&M by a 17-2 count.
▪ The Wildcats have won the last eight consecutive in the series dating back to the final of the series in 2023.
▪ Since joining the SWAC, B-CU is 13-2 against the Bulldogs.
▪ B-CU is averaging 9.4 runs per game during the eight-game winning streak over the Bulldogs.
 

HEAD COACH LAURA WATTEN
"We learned a lot last weekend…not only about where we are as a team, but where we need to be. I thought Alyssa [Lopez] pitched well, and we just have to give her some run support when she has outings like she did against Alabama State. We saw some things we need to adjust, and we saw some things we did well that are a little bit newer from practices. It's only going to help us moving forward having lost a tough series against a really strong team."
 
"We're past the halfway point of the SWAC season. It's time to look forward to the postseason and improving every aspect of our game, and making sure we put ourselves in the best possible position as far as seeding is concerned for – not only a chance to get to Gulfport [Mississippi], but for competing and trying to win the SWAC Tournament, as well."
 
"I said all season, and I want to say it once again because it means so much – we have to take care of games at home. Revery home series is important this year, and you can't afford to drop a series at home. We get the opportunity to return home after a tough weekend in Alabama, and you know the Bulldogs are going to come in red hot and ready to grab a road series of their own. It's an all-important series."
 

SCOUTING ALABAMA A&M (15-17, 6-6 SWAC)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Brian Daley (1st season)
2025 Batting Average: .311; Runs Per Game: 5.5; Hits Per Game: 7.6; Slugging Percentage: .411
2025 ERA: 4.55; K/BB Ratio: 1.2; Opp. Batting Avg: .299
 

RECAPPING B-CU'S LAST GAME (at Alabama State)
Alabama State scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull away for a 10-6 victory over Bethune-Cookman in the second game of a SWAC Softball doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Williams Softball Complex in Montgomery, Alabama. With the win, the Hornets completed the series sweep of the visiting Wildcats.
 
Alabama State pounded out 14 hits and took advantage of two Bethune-Cookman errors to secure the win. The homestanding Hornets jumped out to an early lead, scoring single runs in the first and second innings, respectively. Second baseman Mickey Coslor drove in Bailee Williams with an RBI single in the second to give the Hornets a 2-0 advantage. Bethune-Cookman got on the scoreboard in the third inning when shortstop Briana Velazquez doubled and later scored on a passed ball to cut the deficit to 2-1.
 
The hosts responded immediately with a three-run rally in the home-half of the third. Talee Sims, the Hornets third baseman, delivered the big blow with a bases-clearing double down the right field line, scoring Ayana Frank, Jaibriel Terrell and Bailee Williams to extend the lead, 5-1. ASU added another run in the fourth when shortstop Alana Scott reached on an error and scored on a two-out single by designated player Leah Richardson, making it 6-1.
 
After a scoreless fifth inning, the Wildcats mounted a charge in the sixth. Joslynn Davis singled and scored on a sacrifice fly by designated player and freshman Molly Blackwood. Emma Bradley-Tse, who had singled earlier in the inning, came home on Velazquez's RBI single to narrow the gap, 6-3.
 
However, once again it would be the Hornets responded with four runs in the bottom of the frame. JaNiyah Boykin kicked things off with a single and later scored on Frank's base knock to right center. Scott crossed the plate on a fielder's choice, and Frank scored on Sims' infield single. The Hornets capped the inning when Makenzie Owens drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Terrell, extending their lead to 10-3.
 
B-CU refused to go quietly, scoring three runs in the top of the seventh. Wildcats right fielder Joyce Bloome singled and scored on Bradley-Tse's RBI double. Kendall Macauley and Bradley-Tse both came home on a two-base error by Alabama State right fielder Makenzie Owens, cutting the final margin to 10-6.
 
Kohana Pousson earned the win for Alabama State – her second of the weekend overall, pitching 6.2 innings and allowing six runs, though only one was earned due to four Hornets errors. Kaitlyn Hill recorded the final out to earn her first save of the season. Halyne Gonzalez took the loss for Bethune-Cookman, surrendering eight runs (six earned) on 12 hits over 5.1 innings. Alyssa Brady, a sophomore from Virginia, allowed two runs in relief.
 
Sims led Alabama State offensively, going 2-for-3 with four RBIs. Five Hornets recorded multi-hit games, with Coslor, Scott, Frank and Williams each collecting two hits. Bradley-Tse and Velazquez paced the Cats with two hits apiece. Velazquez drove in a run, while Bradley-Tse and Blackwood each contributed an RBI.
 


Bethune-Cookman will travel to Mississippi Valley State for a three-game SWAC series in Itta Bena, Mississippi taking place April 11-12.