DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman baseball takes on the Yale Bulldogs on Friday and Sunday at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. On Saturday, the Wildcats will travel to Vero Beach to play Florida A&M in the Andre Dawson Classic.



Friday and Sunday, February 20 + 22
Opponent: Yale (0-0)
Time: 7 p.m. | 1 p.m.
Location: Daytona Beach, Fla. | Jackie Robinson Ballpark
Watch: Youtube.com/Cateyenetwork
Live Stats: https://bcuathletics.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary

Saturday, February 21
Opponent: Florida A&M
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Vero Beach, Fla. | Jackie Robinson Training Complex
Watch: MLB Network
Live Stats: https://bcuathletics.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary


Bethune-Cookman (2-2) got out to an ideal start in the first. Michael Benedict set down the Panthers 1-2-3 while the B-CU offense put up four runs to grab the early lead.

The Wildcats began the inning with two singles and a double, with Darryl Lee coming through with the first RBI. Jeter Polledo then hit a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0 Cats. After a single by Jose Fernandez, Maikol Lucena would follow up with a base hit of his own, scoring two more runs and giving B-CU a 4-0 lead.

After the two teams traded scoreless innings, the Panthers would get their first run of the game in the third after a sac fly by Cole Cleveland.

The fourth inning was a tough one for B-CU pitching, as they allowed seven runs on just three hits in the fourth. The Wildcats recorded five walks, a hit batter, and  two wild pitches, resulting in an 8-4 lead for the Panthers.

FIU would extend its lead in the sixth despite not recording a hit in the frame. B-CU again struggled with command, hitting four batters while allowing two more runs to score.

The Panthers would increase the lead to 11-4 in the seventh on a sacrifice fly and 12-4 in the eighth on a solo home run.

The Wildcats would get a run back in the ninth on another sac fly by Jeter Polledo, making the final score 12-5.


Yale
The Yale Bulldogs enter the 2026 season with high expectations after capturing a share of the Ivy League regular-season title and earning the No. 1 seed in last year's Ivy Tournament. The Bulldogs return a strong core from that club, bringing experience and continuity on both sides of the ball as they look to remain among the league's top contenders.

The biggest piece back is ace right-hander Jack Ohman, who posted a nation-leading 1.34 ERA last season and anchors the weekend rotation. Yale also returns several key arms who logged meaningful innings a year ago, giving the staff depth behind its frontline starter. Position-player continuity is another strength, with multiple regulars back in the lineup, though the Bulldogs will need to replace some graduated offensive production.

In the Ivy League preseason poll, Yale was picked to finish second, just behind Columbia, signaling that the Bulldogs are once again expected to compete for a league title. With experienced pitching and a veteran lineup returning, Yale enters 2026 as one of the favorites in the Ancient Eight.

Florida A&M
The Rattlers are off to a 1-4 start this season, losing two out of three in their season-opening series against Eastern Illinois and losing a mid-weeker to North Florida.

Senior outfielder Justin Crews has had a hot start to the season, recording six hits in the first four games, including a double and a home run. Alex Monile has five hits, while Jay Campbell has four.

On the pitching side, the Rattlers have struggled with command thus far this season, allowing 25 walks to go along with a 7.80 ERA as a staff.

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• Darryl Lee is batting .538 so far this season, with two doubles and three RBI.
• Jeter Polledo leads the Wildcats in RBI with six.
• B-CU pitching has allowed 26 walks in four games.
• The Wildcats have held the lead in every game this season.

The Wildcats are 1-2 all-time against Yale, with all three matchups coming back in the 1980s.

Saturday's game will be the 189th meeting between the Wildcats and the Rattlers. B-CU leads the series 113-75 and have won the previous six matchups in a row.


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