SANFORD, Fla. - The Wildcats pull to within one win of their first-ever Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) regular season title with a 16-4 run-rule win over Texas Southern, Friday night at Sanford Memorial Stadium.




Bethune-Cookman (31-21, 23-5 SWAC) rebounded from a tough offensive night in the series opener with a five-run first inning. Andrey Martinez started the barrage with a solo shot to right field - his 18th of the year. Jorge Rodriguez matched with another solo shot one batter later.

Armani Newton singled and Jesus Vanegas made it 4-0 with the third homer of the inning - this time to dead center field.

With two outs, Reinaldo Plascencia worked a walk. He came around to score as Sergio Rivera doubled him in.

After a double play ended Texas Southern (22-29, 15-14 SWAC) in the second, the Cats added a sixth run in the second on another homer, again by Martinez - his second in as many innings.

The Tigers took that run back in the third as they loaded the bases with one out. A fielder's choice allowed a runner to score to make it 6-1, but Joel Core forced a swinging strikeout to stop further damage.

The B-CU offense stalled in the middle innings as Texas Southern cut it to 6-2 in the fifth on a groundout. The Tigers loaded the bases once again with just one away, but Carlos Roses came out of the pen and forced a double play to escape the inning.

Though they had not had a baserunner since the third, the Cats' offense exploded in the sixth.

The first two Wildcats of the inning reached via walks, advancing to second and third on a steal and a pair of wild pitches. The first blows of the inning came on a Rivera single to plate two. Daryll Lee made the first out of the inning on a suicide squeeze following another B-CU single that made it 9-2.

Martinez grabbed another RBI, scoring Daniel Figueroa. A hit batter put another runner on with still just one out. Newton made it 11-2 with a double down the line in right.

After another Texas Southern pitching change, the outburst continued as back-to-back Cats were hit by pitches to load the bases yet again. 

Plascencia doubled to left to clear the bases, but the rally continued as Rivera recorded a third RBI in the frame to make it 16-2.

The Tigers made things interesting in the top of the seventh as they scored two to make it 16-4, but Robert Lastra entered from the bullpen and worked out of the jam.

Starter Joel Core earned the win after three innings in which he allowed on earned run on two hits with three walks.