HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Alabama A&M (9-20, 4-10 SWAC) took the early lead but could not hold it past the fourth as they dropped a 12-2 decision to Bethune-Cookman (14-22, 9-6 SWAC) in an NCAA Division I softball game on Saturday, April 9.
 
The Bulldogs took down B-CU in order in the first inning after a walk before freshman outfielder Tatianna Roman (Cypress, Calif.) singled to center with one out in the home half.
 
Following a line out to right, it would be runners on first and third with two outs after senior first baseman Rachael McKinney (Birmingham, Ala.) reached on an error. Junior catcher Brooklyn Wallace (Hartselle, Ala.) then singled down the right field line before for a 1-0 lead before getting thrown out at second trying to advance.
 
With a 1-2-3 inning in the second, the Bulldogs tacked on another run as sophomore shortstop Lauryn Gross (Huntsville, Ala.) delivered a two-run single with runners on first and third. The Wildcats would get out of the jam with the third out coming on the bases before getting a runner of their own to third in the third inning.
 
That rally would get squelched with a groundout but they would keep the pressure on in the fourth. That frame would see Carrington Robinson get on with a leadoff single and advance to third on a sacrifice bunt. Briana Paysinger then singled up the middle to put runners on the corner before Desirae Martinez beat out an infield single to cut the lead to 2-1 before A&M got out of it with a strikeout.
 
Bethune-Cookman would set the Bulldogs down in order in the bottom of the fourth before going to work in the fifth. A pair of singles with a sac bunt sandwiched in between would put traffic on the bases and lead to two runs coming home on an errant throw to third.
 
It would not stay a 3-2 Wildcat advantage for long, however, as the sixth would see them pound out four hits for three runs to stretch to a 6-2 margin. They would then put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh with six more runs on as many hits. A 1-2-3 bottom of the inning would then lock down the 12-2 victory and series sweep.
 
Essence Gibbs and Paysinger led B-CU with 3-for-4 days that included two RBIs and a run while Jasmeen Rivera was 2-for-2 with two runs and three RBIs off the bench. Martinez added a pair of RBIs and Elise Gibbs one. In the circle, Hannah Ortega started her third game of the series but went just two innings before Halyne Gonzalez threw the last five. In that time she allowed just two hits and no runs while striking out six to improve to 3-9.
 
Gross led Alabama A&M, going 1-for-2 day with an RBI while Wallace was 1-for-3 with the other RBI. Roman rounded out the top hitting performances with a 2-for-2 day that included a run and a walk. Freshman pitcher Paige Scott (Surrey, British Columbia, Canada) went 4.1 innings in the circle, allowing three runs – just one earned – but suffered the loss to fall to 2-7 on the year.
 
The Bulldogs hit the road for the next three weeks, a stretch that begins with a three-game series at Florida A&M from April 15-16. That set will kick off with a single game at 4 p.m. Central on the first day and a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on the finale.