DeLAND, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman Baseball gave up three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning before allowing the game-winning walk-off single with two outs in the bottom of the 10th on Tuesday evening as the Wildcats fell to their cross-county opponent Stetson Hatters at Melching Field by a 6-5 decision in extra-innings in DeLand, Florida.
 
Stetson (33-17) third baseman Juan De La Cruz's game-winning single through the left side drove in Salvador Alvarez, who entered as a pinch runner after Danny Perez doubled to left field with two outs in the 10th inning. The hit came after Bethune-Cookman intentionally walked Isaiah Barkett at the top of the Hatters lineup.
 
Early on, the game developed as a pitchers' duel between the two Volusia County opponents.
 
Bethune-Cookman (29-20) starter Isaias Duccasse delivered three scoreless innings, scattering two hits while working around three walks. Matthew Heyl was equally effective for Stetson, striking out three in his lone inning of work before yielding to Zane Coppersmith, as the Hatters seemingly used the game as a "bullpen day", respectfully
 
The Wildcats struck first in the second inning.
 
B-CU third baseman Reinaldo Plascencia was hit by a pitch before coming around to score on Daniel Figueroa's RBI single to center field, giving the visitors a 1-0 advantage.
 
The score remained unchanged until the home-half of the fifth inning when Stetson capitalized on Bethune-Cookman miscues.
 
After Brandon Vazquez walked the bases loaded to begin the frame, Carlos Roses entered in relief. Though Roses induced Jordan Taylor into a strikeout, Foster Apple reached on a fielder's choice that plated Isaiah Barkett. Juan De La Cruz then scored on a failed pickoff attempt, giving the Hatters a 2-1 lead.
 
The Wildcats responded immediately, exploding for four runs in the sixth against Andrew Lepine on the bump.
 
Second baseman Jesus Vanegas singled to lead off the frame before being plated by Michael Rodriguez's single through the left side. After Plascencia was hit by a pitch once again, Jayme Villafane singled to load the bases for the Maroon and Gold. Figueroa then delivered a two-run double to left field, pushing B-CU's lead to 4-2. Villafane later scored on a wild pitch from Mason Davenport, who relieved Lepine, extending the advantage to 5-2 in the process.
 
Roses settled in after the fifth, holding Stetson scoreless over the next three innings while striking out four. Meanwhile, Davenport matched him with 3.2 scoreless innings of his own – the longest outing of any Hatters pitcher on the night, allowing no hits while striking out seven.
 
With Roses still on the mound in the bottom of the ninth, Jayden Hylton singled as a pinch hitter for Landon Russell. Sam Downey, running for Hylton, advanced to third on a throwing error during a failed pickoff attempt and scored on Danny Perez's sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 5-3. After Barkett walked, Robert Lastra replaced Roses and promptly walked De La Cruz with a pair of outs. Sebastian Garrido would enter from the bullpen for the Cats and hit Landon Moran with a pitch to load the bases before Taylor delivered a two-run single to right field that tied the game at 5-5.
 
Jean Carlos Zambrano came on to get Nelphie Lopez to fly out to right field, sending the game to extra innings.
 
After Van Dyke retired the Wildcats in order in the top of the 10th, Stetson completed its comeback in the bottom half. Following two quick outs, Perez doubled to left field in his final at-bat of the night. Alvarez entered as a pinch runner, and after Barkett was intentionally walked, De La Cruz slapped a single through the left side to drive in the winning run.
 
Ty Van Dyke (4-0) earned the victory on the hill for the Hatters with a perfect 10th inning that included two strikeouts, while B-CU's Zambrano (5-2) accepted the loss after allowing the decisive run in the 10th.
 
Offensively, Figueroa led B-CU with a pair of hits and three RBIs, while Jorge Rodriguez added a double – his 11th of the campaign, among the Wildcats' six hits in the contest. For Stetson, Barkett finished 2-for-3 on the night with two runs. Taylor drove in two runs, while De La Cruz finished with two RBIs including the game-winner.
 
The homestanding Hatters error-free baseball, while the Cats committed three errors that proved costly.
 
Bethune-Cookman returns to action Friday, May 9, at 6 p.m. ET (5 p.m. CT) when kicking off a three-game Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) series at Grambling State in Grambling, Louisiana.
 
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