MADISON, Ala. - Alabama A&M (5-24, 3-12 SWAC) could not withstand an offensive barrage by Bethune-Cookman (16-19, 10-5 SWAC) and dropped a 7-2 decision in an NCAA Division I baseball game on Saturday, April 16.
After a scoreless first inning the Wildcats would get on the scoreboard in the top of the second as Malik Stephens hit a sac fly to bring home Brian Perez for a 1-0 lead. The score would remain that way until the bottom of the third inning as AAMU would answer loudly as graduate right fielder
Tim Dixon (Debary, Fla.) homered to left center to even the game, 1-1.
Pitching would rule until B-CU responded in the bottom of the fifth inning as Stephens hit a home run to left center before Mathew Garcia singled to left center and Colton Olasin scored. Franki Febles would add the last run of the inning to push the advantage to 4-1.
Pitching would rule until the Wildcats would answer in the top of the eighth inning as Gaylen Rutledge flied out to right field to bring home Irvin Escobar to lead by four. The Bulldogs would then respond in the bottom of the inning as junior designated hitter
Tommy Easley (Acworth, Ga.) singled to left center and allowed Dixon to come home to cut the deficit to 5-2.
B-CU would then respond in the top of the ninth and final inning as Jeremy Garcia doubled to left center and Febles scored before Garcia came home for the final run of the game to close out the 7-2 victory and win the series.
Stephens led the Wildcats with a 1-of-2 day, two RBIs and a home run while Garcia was 2-of-5 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored and Febles added a pair of runs to round out the top performers. Hector Vazquez started and threw seven innings, striking out six and only allowed one earned run to move to 3-3.
Dixon led the Bulldogs with a 2-of-4 day, an RBI, one home run and two scored runs while Easley was 2-of-4 with an RBI. Graduate pitcher
Noah Whitted (Beaumont, Texas) threw 7.1 innings allowing four earned runs and striking out three to fall to 1-3.
AAMU will return to the field on Tuesday, April 19 as they take on LeMoyne-Owen. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. at James Clemens High School located at 11306 County Line Road, Madison, Alabama.
