ITTA BENA, Miss. — Mississippi Valley State hit three home runs and totaled 12 hits in an 8-6 victory over Bethune-Cookman at Magnolia Field.
Bethune-Cookman (23-11, 10-3) got the scoring started in the opening frame. The Wildcats picked up back-to-back base hits to open the game before Andrey Martinez hit an RBI double to give his team the 2-0 advantage.
After a scoreless first, Mississippi Valley State (11-19, 7-6) tied the game in the second. After a single from Gabe Huelsing, Jaxson Haynes smacked a two-run homer to left to knot the game at two.
The Delta Devils hit another home run in the third. MVSU led off the inning with another single before Chris Soeder hit his fourth long ball of the season to give the Devils the 4-2 lead.
B-CU tied the game in the fourth. The Wildcats got runners to first and second following a hit and a walk and Andrey Martinez brought them home on a double to make it 4-4.
MVSU would take the lead for good in the top of the fourth. A single and a stolen base put a runner in scoring position before Tanner Aoki came up with a base hit to put the Delta Devils ahead 5-4.
In the fifth, Kendall Brookins led off with a double for the Delta Devils and Tom Early immediately drove him in on a single to put Valley up by two.
The offense for MVSU continued in the sixth as Eric Williams hit a triple and later scored on a sac fly to make it 7-4.
The Delta Devils hit their third home run in the eighth inning as Ty Burns came through as a pinch hitter to push the lead to four.
The Wildcats attempted to rally in the ninth. Martinez and Jeter Polledo both hit solo home runs, but B-CU could not get anyone else on base, coming up short in game one.
- MVSU hit three home runs, tying the most they've hit in any single game this season. They finished with six extra-base hits.
- Andrey Martinez finished 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, three RBI, and two runs scored.
- Erick Almonte went 3-for-4 with a double and two driven in.
- The Wildcats had 12 hits but left nine runners on base.
The series concludes tomorrow with a double header that begins at 2 p.m. EST.
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--#HailWildcats--