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Wildcats Tip Hats in 8-3 Win over 18th-Ranked Stetson (DeLAND, Fla. – ) The Bethune-Cookman University baseball squad used hot hitting and scorching pitching to shut down Stetson University—ranked #18 in two of this week’s college baseball polls, on Tuesday night with a score of 8-3 to break a 25-game losing skid at Melching Field in nearby DeLand, Fla. B-CU (18-22) may have used the “rain day” this past Sunday in a scheduled MEAC contest at Norfolk State to get healthy and recovered from a 13-hour bus trip … or they may have just been up to the task Tuesday night. The Wildcats used sophomore Joseph Gautier on the mound against Stetson (30-10) as it would be his second start against the Hatters this season. The Hatters, meanwhile, looked towards right-hander Robbie Donovan in the start. With the game tied at 1-1 after three innings of baseball, Bethune-Cookman broke open the fourth frame with a leadoff homerun from Angel Mercado to take a 2-1 lead. For Mercado, it would be his sixth homerun of the year, and the third leadoff round-tripper for him on the campaign. But in the fifth inning, the Wildcats went for the jugular as a costly error and poor fielding techniques cost the Hatters three runs … allowing B-CU to jump out to a shocking 5-1 advantage. “That was a huge inning,” commented B-CU head coach Mervyl Melendez. “I still don’t really know what to say right now because this is my first win down here and I … I just don’t know what to say or feel right now. I do not believe the way we played, or the way we came out firing against a great program like Stetson.” After catcher Drew Clark walked to start off the top-half of the inning, leadoff hitter José Ortiz-Rivera doubled to right field to put two men in scoring position with one out in the inning. Left fielder Neil Jones then collected an RBI ground-out to plate Clark, followed by a RBI bunt single by third baseman Luis Gonzalez to score both men in back-to-back at-bats. The bunt wad placed perfectly by Gonzalez as it was one of two perfect bunts by the Wildcats that forced the Hatters defense to try and make a play with nobody on the bag either time at first base. Gonzalez later scored from first base on a dropped fly ball by the Stetson outfielder on a Mercado fly to deep left field. That run by the ‘Cats would chase Donovan from the mound for the Hatters. He was replaced by David Burns as Donovan allowed five runs (three earned) on five hits. A Chris Henault solo homerun in the sixth put the ‘Cats up 6-1, as Henault collected his team-leading seventh homer of the year. Both Mercado and Angel Negron now have six for the season in this year’s incredible team homerun race. The homerun was also a leadoff homer for Henault. Justin Bass hit a two-run shot over the left field wall in the bottom-half of the inning to bring the Batters to within 6-3. Freshman relief pitcher Felix Machado came on in the top-half of the seventh to try and hold the game and collect a save. Machado was simply amazing as he never let the ball leave the infield, outside of two pop fouls, as he fanned two batters and allowed just one hit in his three frames on the hill. “The pitching was key because Stetson is a great hitting club, and for us to hold them like we did is just phenomenal,” exclaimed Coach Melendez. “Our pitching hasn’t been the best lately, but tonight we are hoping is the comeback for our bullpen and starters as we get ready to make a push for the MEAC title.” B-CU scored two more insurance runs in the ninth inning. José Almonte singled through the left side, and Neil Jones took a two-out double down the right field line to score Almonte all the way from first. Jones scored one batter later when Gonzalez collected both his second hit and second RBI to center field for the final 8-3 score in favor of the visitors from Daytona Beach. Gautier collected the win for the Wildcats to improve to 3-2 on the year. The last time B-CU took down the Hatters was in the first-game of the series in Daytona Beach last year where Gautier was the winning pitcher for the ‘Cats. Gautier went six innings on the mound, allowing three runs on four hits. Machado collected his first save of the year. The B-CU pitching staff shutdown the Hatters in their lowest hitting performance of the year with just five in the game. The loss went to Stetson’s Donovan who fell to 1-2 on the year. Stetson’s Justin Bass was a highlight reel of his own with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate with a run and two RBI. As for the Wildcats, they got a great team effort all-around in the hitting and defensive phases of the game. Angel Mercado was the high-man statistically with a 3-for-5 performance, including the solo homerun. Meanwhile, Luis Gonzalez continues to scorch at the plate with a 2-for-5 performance with two RBI and one run. Almonte seemed to come out of his current funk with a 2-for-4 showing at the plate and one run scored. “Everyone played well, and we just got the best out of everyone tonight,” added Coach Melendez. “This is just the way we wanted to play the previous three times, and tonight we were clicking on all cylinders.” The ‘Cats are now going to prepare for their next series of games set to begin this weekend with a three-game Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference slate against Coppin State University. The Wildcats and Eagles tried to play twice last year, but were rained out in both contests held in Maryland. The action begins on Saturday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach. --BCU--
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