DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – B-CU held the Jackson State offense in check Saturday afternoon, holding the Tigers to just two runs in a double-header sweep at Sunnyland Park. The wins clinched the series for the Cats, their fourth series victory in SWAC play.

Game 1: B-CU 4, JSU 1

The two offenses struggled to get anything going early in the game as neither team scored until the fifth inning. Jackson State (19-18, 11-5) put runners at first and second in the first but were unable to drive them in.

Emma Bradley-Tse singled to begin the bottom of the frame for Bethune-Cookman (15-25, 11-7), and she eventually made her way to third. But the Wildcats grounded out twice without bringing the run home.

Jackson State put runners in scoring position in the second, third, and fourth innings, but Sofia Coleman and the Wildcats were able to come up with crucial outs to keep the Tigers scoreless.

JSU finally broke through in the top of the fifth. The Tigers led off with a single and Jace Jackson later brought in the run on an RBI single to make it 1-0.

After not recording a hit during innings two through five, the Wildcats offense exploded in the sixth. B-CU led off the inning with two singles and a walk. They grabbed their first run on an RBI groundout by Zariah Billinger to tie the game.

Kween Tauala then came up with the biggest hit of game one, a two-RBI single to give the Wildcats a 3-1 advantage. Jessica Alaan capped the inning off with another run-scoring knock to push the lead to 4-1.

JSU made it interesting in the bottom of the seventh, putting two runners on with a chance to tie the game. But Mia Gonzalez came in to get the final out and seal the win for B-CU.

The Tigers out-hit the Wildcats 9-5 but left nine runners on base. Sofia Coleman picked up her fourth win of the year, allowing just one run in 6.2 innings.

Game 2: B-CU 8, JSU 1

JSU again began the game with a first-inning threat, putting runners at second and third. But Jessica Alaan came up with another stellar defensive play to end the scoreless inning.

B-CU hit back-to-back singles in the bottom of the first with one out but were also unable to push the runs across.

In the second, the Tigers hit a single and walked with two outs, but the Wildcats got the third out on runner's interference by JSU.

Jackson State moved a runner to third base in the third inning, but Mia Gonzalez forced a ground ball out to keep it tied at zero.

The Wildcats then broke the game open in the bottom half. After a leadoff single, B-CU scored its first run on a Jackson State throwing error to go ahead 1-0. Janell Morrisey and Kween Tauala then collected RBI base hits to extend the lead to three.

Jasmine Manebo came up with the biggest hit of the inning with the bases loaded, smacking a bases-clearing double to left-center field to put B-CU up 6-0.

The Tigers had a chance to get some runs back in the fourth, but a crucial base-running mistake cost them a run before Gonzalez forced the final two outs to keep JSU scoreless.

Jackson State finally put a run on the board in the fifth, generating a bases-loaded walk to make it 6-1. Despite walking in the run, Aimi Tohara-Yshiki got the final two outs to end the frame, including another base-running mistake by the Tigers for out number three.

Manebo came up big once again in the bottom half. After a leadoff single from Mia'Lani Mayo, Manebo crushed her first home run of the season to make it 8-1 Wildcats.

JSU threatened during the final two innings but were unable to score, as B-CU picked up the win to sweep the twinbill.
 

The Wildcats travel to Alabama for a weekend series with the Alabama State Hornets, who B-CU swept earlier in the season. Game one is set to begin at 6 p.m. EST.



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