DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Wildcats find themselves once again locked in a battle for first place as No. 2 seed Alabama State visits Daytona Beach for B-CU's final weekend at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in 2025. Game one of a three game series begins Friday, May 2 at 7 p.m., with games two and three set for 6 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday, pending potential weather in the area later in the weekend. 

Admission is free. Fans can watch the action live free at Youtube.com/CatEyeNetwork



Friday-Sunday, May 2-4
Opponent: Alabama State (23-23, 15-6)
Time:  7 pm | 6 pm | 1 pm EST
Location: Daytona Beach, Fla. | Jackie Robinson Ballpark 
Watch/Listen: https://www.youtube.com/cateyenetwork
Live Stats: https://bcuathletics.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary



 Bethune-Cookman (25-19, 16-4 SWAC) and UAPB (12-28, 10-6 SWAC) combined for just three hits through the first three full before the Wildcats got on the board in the top of the fourth. Jorge Rodriguez led off the frame with a double, advanced to third on a fly ball, and scored on a wild pitch to make it 1-0, B-CU. 

B-CU poured on five more in the fifth off the UAPB bullpen with back-to-back singles setting the Cats up for a double steal attempt that allowed Jayme Villafane to steal home. 

A walk, single, and hit batter loaded the bases for Jesus Vanegas. The reigning SWAC Hitter of the Week homered to left, clearing the bases and making it a 6-0 ballgame. 

The UAPB offense continued to stall, while the Wildcats added a seventh run in the seventh on a Armani Newton sacrifice fly, an eighth an inning later on a Michael Rodriguez RBI single, and finally a ninth run in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Irvin Escobar. 

Edwin Sanchez earned his team-high seventh win after scattering three hits over seven innings with three walks and four strikeouts.

Pablo Torres worked the final two innings, allowing just one hit. 



Alabama State is 23-23 on the year and 15-6 in conference play, currently sitting in the second spot in the SWAC standings. The Hornets are losers of two straight after a two-game win streak against Texas Southern at home last weekend. The Hornets have scored 22 runs over the four game stretch ,though they allowed 36.

The Hornets have been the best offensive team in the conference on the year, hitting .360 as a team with 26 homers and 293  strikeouts to 200 walks. They have stolen 32 bases as a team on 38 attempts. 

Sophmore first baseman Juan Cruz has been a consistant bat for the Hornets batting .416 with 10 Homers and  49 RBI. Kameron Douglas sits right behind Cruz in the homer column with eight on the year.

On the mound, Alabama State ranks fourth in the conference with a team ERA of 643  Their pitching staff has 254 walks to 316 strikeouts. Weekend starters Jafet Martinez, Jorhaan LeBay, and Esaid Pena each have an ERA over four. Martinez has the best K/BB ratio of the bunch at 36 strikeouts to 16 walks. 

• B-CU lead the SWAC in doubles with 62 - the 40th most by a team in the country. They are fourth in the nation in triples with 14, only four behind leader Arizona.
• The Wildcats lead the SWAC in homers with 30, with five players each with five. 
• With his eleventh homer of the season, Jesus Vanegas sits alone in second on the team in the category, three behind Andrey Martinez for the team and SWAC lead. He also ranks second on the team with 38 RBI.

Friday will mark just the 20th meeting between Alabama State and Bethune-Cookman on the diamond. The Hornets lead the series, 13-7, taking two of three from B-CU at The Jack a season ago. 


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