Bethune-Cookman scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth to rally and defeat North Carolina A&T 6-4 in the MEAC Baseball Championship Game at Norfolk State’s Marty L. Miller Field. Bethune-Cookman’s Angel Mercado earned Outstanding Performer accolades, while Head Coach Mervyl Melendez was named the Outstanding Coach.
The win earned the Wildcats their ninth MEAC Championship in the last 10 seasons as they will represent the MEAC in the NCAA Regionals for the seventh time in the last eight seasons. Jose Almonte led the Wildcats with three hits and two RBI. Luis Gonzalez added two hits, two RBI and he scored twice. Angel Mercado was the tournament’s MVP as he hit .529 with four RBI in four tournament games played.
Bethune-Cookman (33-25) came into the championship round undefeated in tournament play and needing only one win to earn the title. But N.C. A&T forced a second game by defeating the Wildcats 4-3 in the opening game. The Aggies held a 4-2 lead going into the bottom of the eighth in Game No. 2.
Gonzalez started the Wildcats rally by singling through the right side to score Patrick Jones. Angel Negron tied the game at 4 all with another single, and Chris Brown gave the Wildcats their first lead of the game when he singled off of Aggies reliever Ron Phelps. After C.J. Beatty led off the ninth with a walk, the Wildcats brought in MEAC Pitcher of the Year Francisco Rodriguez to close things out.
Rodriguez retired the next three Aggies to seal the victory and earn his first save of the season. Francisco Gomez earned the win (1-2), while Marquis Frink (1-1) took the loss.
“We were down after the first game, no doubt about it,” said Bethune-Cookman coach Mervyl Melendez. “The coaches did a good job of getting the guys prepared and trying to get the guys ahead early in the second game. We weren’t able to do that, but the kids did an excellent job of staying focused.”
The Aggies were led by Charlie Gamble who recorded three hits, while Joe McIntyre added two RBI. The Aggies season comes to an end at 28-31.
“Coming out of the loser’s bracket is taxing on your pitching staff, but that’s what happens in a baseball tournament,’’ said N.C. A&T head coach Keith Shumate. “I’m proud of our guys, they showed mental toughness, we used guys over and over again and they pitched well, but we just lost to a deserving champion tonight.”
Joining Mercado on the All-Tournament team were teammates Alejandro Jimenez and Jose Ortiz-Rivera. Charlie Gamble and John Primus were named to the all-tournament team for the runner-up Aggies, who won three straight games in the tournament to set up Sunday’s title game. North Carolina A&T ends its season at 28-31
2007 All-Tournament Team:
Ernie Banks, Norfolk State
Eric Allen, Delaware State
Justin Hoban, Maryland Eastern Shore
Charlie Gamble, North Carolina A&T
Joel Gonzalez, Maryland Eastern Shore
John Primus, North Carolina A&T
Angel Meracado, Bethune-Cookman
Darryl Evans, Florida A&M
Charles LaLane, Norfolk State
Thaddeus McBurrows, Florida A&M
Dustin Longchamps, Maryland Eastern Shore
Alejandro Jimenez, Bethune-Cookman
Jose Ortiz-Rivera, Bethune-Cookman
2007 Runner-Up Team, North Carolina A&T Coached by: Keith Shumate
Outstanding Performer: Angel Mercado, Bethune-Cookman
Outstanding Coach: Mervyl Melendez, Bethune-Cookman