MADISON, Ala. - Alabama A&M (5-22, 3-10 SWAC) could not withstand an offensive barrage by Bethune-Cookman (14-19, 8-5 SWAC) and dropped an 8-4 decision in an NCAA Division I baseball game on Thursday, April 14.
The Wildcats would get on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning as Irvin Escobar singled to right center to bring home Jeremy Garcia for a 1-0 lead. The score would remain that way until the top of the third inning as B-CU would extend their advantage as Garcia scored on a passed ball before Brian Perez doubled to left center and Christopher Patterson scored for a 3-0 lead.
Pitching would rule until the Bulldogs responded in the bottom of the sixth inning with junior short stop
CJ Mervilus (Brooklyn, N.Y.) homering to left field to cut the deficit to 3-1. The Wildcats would then answer in the top of the seventh as Colton Olasin scored to push the advantage to 4-1.
B-CU would then take their biggest lead of the evening in the top of the eighth inning with four runs off three hits including Franki Febles tripling to right center for two RBIs to increase the score to 8-1.
The score would remain that way until AAMU would then respond in the bottom of ninth and final inning. Junior third baseman
Jared Tribett (Lumberton, Miss.) would answer loudly as he homered to left field and brought home graduate right fielder
Tim Dixon (Debary, Fla) and Mervilus to close the gap by four as the Wildcats closed out the 8-4 decision.
Mathew Garcia led B-CU with a 3-of-4 day, two RBIs, with a pair of RBIs and two scored runs while Febles went 2-of-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Perez went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored to round out the top performers. Louis Lipthratt started and threw eight innings, striking out 10 and allowing four earned run to move to 3-3.
Tribett led the Bulldogs with a 1-of-4 day, three RBIs, one home run and a scored run and Mervilus was 2-of-2 with an RBI and a pair of scored runs. Junior pitcher
Josue Torres (Cidra, Puerto Rico) threw 6.2 innings allowing four earned runs and striking out three to fall to 0-3.
AAMU is back in action tomorrow, Friday, April 15 for the second game of the series against Bethune-Cookman. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at James Clemens High School located at 11306 County Line Road, Madison, Alabama.
