DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — After inclement weather on Friday forced play to be suspended, the Wildcats cruised to wins over Delaware State Saturday at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. B-CU outscored the Hornets 29-7 in two games, including a 15-0 run rule victory in game two.
Game One
Bethune-Cookman (7-3) wasted no time setting the tone in the bottom of the first inning Friday. After an early out, the Wildcats strung together five hits and took advantage of two wild pitches and a hit batter to plate five runs. Jeter Polledo delivered a two-run single up the middle, Jose Fernandez added an RBI single, and another run scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-0 before the suspension.
When action resumed on Saturday, the Wildcats extended their lead in the second. Maikol Lucena drove in a run with a single, and Fernandez added an RBI groundout as B-CU built an 8-0 advantage.
Delaware State (0-9) chipped away over the middle innings, scoring once in the third and once in the fourth before pushing across two runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to cut the deficit to 10-6.
The Wildcats answered in the bottom of the seventh on a sacrifice fly from Darryl Lee, then broke the game open in the eighth. Sergio Rivera singled home a run and later scored on a throwing error, while Erick Almonte capped the three-run frame with an RBI double to extend the lead to 14-6.
Bethune-Cookman totaled 15 hits in game one. Fernandez finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a double, while M. Rodriguez went 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs. Rivera added two hits and three runs scored, and Lucena chipped in two hits and an RBI.
On the mound, Justin Morales (1-0) earned the win in relief, allowing two runs, one earned, over three innings with two strikeouts. Logan Wirt picked up his first save of the season, tossing the final 3 1/3 innings and allowing just one unearned run.
Game Two
Edwin Sanchez (3-0) set the tone on the mound in game two, tossing five scoreless innings while allowing just two hits. He struck out nine and worked around five walks to keep Delaware State off the scoreboard.
The Wildcats struck early with two runs in the first inning. After reaching on an error, Erick Almonte came around to score on Darryl Lee's RBI double down the right-field line. Maikol Lucena later added an RBI single to make it 2-0.
Bethune-Cookman extended the lead in the third when Lee tripled to right center and scored on Jorge Rodriguez's RBI single.
The game broke open in the fourth. The Wildcats plated six runs on four hits, highlighted by Christopher Watson's two-run single and Jeter Polledo's RBI double. Bethune-Cookman also took advantage of a passed ball to cap the inning with a 9-0 advantage.
The Wildcats continued to apply pressure in the fifth, adding four more runs. Sergio Rivera delivered an RBI single, Almonte drove in a run with a groundout, and Lee's RBI single helped stretch the lead to 13-0.
Two more runs came home in the sixth. Jose Fernandez doubled and later scored, and Watson delivered his third RBI of the night with a single to right to close out the scoring at 15-0.
Lee paced the offense, going 3-for-3 with a double, a triple, two RBIs and four runs scored. Watson finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs, while Fernandez added two hits and scored three times. The Wildcats also wreaked havoc on the bases, swiping multiple bases throughout the contest.
Julian Carrasquilla worked the final two innings in relief, striking out four to complete the four-hit shutout. Delaware State managed just four hits and struck out 13 times.
B-CU plays two more games Sunday against the Hornets to close out the series.
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