DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Sergio Rivera rifled a single past the third base bag in the bottom of the ninth, scoring pinch runner Christopher Watson from second and giving the Wildcats a 1-0 walk-off win in its home-opener.



Bethune-Cookman (1-0) and Bradley (0-1) were locked in a pitcher's duel for most of the evening, as B-CU starter Harbersting Abreu struck out two Braves during a scoreless top of the first.

The Wildcats went down in order in the bottom of the frame. The Braves recorded two hits in the second, but Abreu struck out the side to end the threat.

B-CU led off the bottom of the second with a double, a walk, and a single, loading the bases with no outs. Maikol Lucena drove in a run via sacrifice fly to give the Cats a 1-0 lead, but that is all they would score.

Neither team could get much going offensively until the ninth inning, combining for just three hits in the third through the eighth inning. Abreu was forced to exit before the fifth inning due to injury, but David Morrissey and Andris Barroso both pitched scoreless outings in relief.

In the top of the ninth, the Wildcats summoned Pablo Torres to close it out, but he struggled to find the strikezone. After a single to open the inning, Torres walked the next better to set up the Braves with first and second with nobody out. After Torres struck out the next batter, the runner at second was able to steal second and later score on a wild pitch, tying the game at one. Torres forced a popout to end the inning.

With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Jose Fernandez was able to leg out an infield single. The Wildcats quickly put Christopher Watson on first to pinch run as the potential winning run. After a Bradley pitching change, Maikol Lucena kept the line moving with a single to advance Watson to second.

Sergio Rivera was the hero for the Wildcats, hitting a ball passed the third baseman's outstretched glove. Despite a close play at the plate, Watson beat the tag by the catcher, giving the Wildcats the dramatic win.