TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman Baseball saw its 2025 season come to a close Saturday afternoon as the Wildcats fell 4-3 to No. 19 Northeastern in an elimination game of the Tallahassee [Fla.] Regional taking place at Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium.
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Northeastern (49-10) scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning to break a 2-2 deadlock after eight innings of play.
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Gregory Bozzo laced a two-out solo home run to left centerfield – the first of the season for the catcher, pushing the second-seeded Huskies in front, 3-2. After an error by
Jeter Polledo at short off the end of a Jack Doyle liner to shortstop allowed him to reach safely, the third baseman worked his way into scoring position with a balk called on Bethune-Cookman reliever
Yoansell Diaz.
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Ryan Gerety immediately singled to third base at the top of the lineup on the ensuing play to drive in Doyle for the 4-2 Huskies lead.
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Bethune-Cookman (37-23) didn't go away quietly in the home-half of the ninth.
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The Wildcats used back-to-back walks from Northeastern relief pitcher Brett Dunham, issued to catcher
Irvin Escobar and
Michael Rodriguez, to put two aboard to begin the at-bat. A
Sergio Rivera sacrifice bunt moved both runners up a base, setting the stage for
Daniel Figueroa to reach safely via an error charged to the Northeastern infield, and moving across pinch runner
Pablo Torres.
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With B-CU down 4-3 – and a steal of second by Figueroa, junior
Andrey Martinez stepped to the plate for the Maroon and Gold with both the game-tying and winning runs in scoring position. However, the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Co-Hitter of the Year would go down on strikes to close the ballgame.
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Northeastern kicked things off with a leadoff double from Ryan Gerety in the opening frame, followed by the right fielder advancing to third by way of a failed pickoff attempt from B-CU starter
Edwin Sanchez. Harrison Feinberg drove him in for the 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly to center field.
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After stranding runners in scoring position in three of the first four innings, the Wildcats finally broke through in the home-half of the fifth when Figueroa and left fielder
Darryl Lee were hit by a pitch on back-to-back plays. Martinez then delivered a run-scoring single down the left field line that plated Figueroa and knotted the contest at 1-1.
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With the game tied at 1-1 in the top of the sixth inning, Northeastern used a Jack Goodman single past the glove of Polledo at short to drive across Feinberg and push the Huskies back on top, 2-1.
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The Cats once again responded in the bottom of the eighth as Lee began the at-bat with a leadoff double, only to come in two plays later courtesy a
Jorge Rodriguez sac fly to deep left field, tying the game at 2-2.
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The win went to Huskies reliever Charlie Walker (4-0) as he worked three innings out of the bullpen, allowing one run on two hits and registering five strikeouts. The save was collected by Dunham despite giving up a run on two walks and a strikeout of his own. The loss was tagged to B-CU's Diaz (5-5) with an inning worked and two runs given up on two hits and one strikeout.
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The Northeastern bats were paced by Gerety with his 2-for-4 afternoon, adding an RBI and a run scored.
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B-CU looked towards Martinez with a 2-for-5 showing at the dish and an RBI, as well as Polledo with a 2-for-4 effort offensively.
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