TAMPA, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman Softball fell in the first game in Tampa 10-1 to the Illinois State Red Birds Thursday afternoon.


Illinois State 10, B-CU 0
Freshman Mia Gonzalez was called upon to start game one of the season for Bethune-Cookman (0-1). She began her college career by pitching a scoreless inning against Illinois State (1-0), finishing with two strikeouts and no hits allowed.

The bottom of the first saw the Wildcats get base via hit by pitch and a walk but were unable to score the runners.

The Red Birds began the second inning with their fist hit and were able to get on the board one batter later. Hannah Meshnick hit her first home run of the season to right-center field, giving Illinois State a 2-0 lead.

The Wildcats were able to load the bases in the bottom of the frame, with Aysiah Gonzalez recording B-CU's first hit of the season. But Hannah Meshnick was able to record a foul out and a strikeout to eliminate the threat.

The Red Birds then rode the momentum to the tune of a four-run inning in the third, taking a 6-0 lead. The Wildcats recorded two errors in the inning.

B-CU grabbed their first run of the season in the bottom half, as Arianna Reynolds drove in Janel Morrisey to cut the deficit to five.

But the Wildcats could not break through the rest of the game, while the Red Birds continued to add to their lead.

Bethune-Cookman finished the game with six hits while the Red Birds had 12.

 


B-CU will be back in action tomorrow morning against the Kanas Jayhawks at 9 a.m. They will then turn their attention to Michigan at 12:30.
 


Follow Bethune-Cookman Softball on X/Twitter (@BCUSoftball) and Instagram (@BCUSoftball) for all of the latest news and updates. For all Bethune-Cookman Athletics news, follow us on Twitter (@BCUAthletics), Instagram (@BCU_Athletics) and BCUathletics.com.