Bethune-Cookman baseball opened up the 2008 season on Sunday with a doubleheader affair with visiting Temple University at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach, Fla. The Wildcats split the two-game swing with a 5-1 win in the opener, followed by the 9-6 loss to the Owls in the nightcap.
The Wildcats (1-1) jumped on top first as newcomer Mark Brooks walked and stole second to get himself into scoring position right off the bat.. That was immediately followed up by an RBI single to centerfield for shortstop Jos? Lozada to plate Brooks for the 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning.
Temple bounced back in the top-half of the second inning when the Owls got their only run of the game off Wildcat starting pitcher Hiram Burgos as catcher Kyle Obal tripled to right center to score Matt Heltz who walked to start the frame. That was one of two triples on the day for the Owls in the doubleheader. After the triple, Burgos fanned the next two batters in order to retire the side.
B-CU collected another run in the home-half of the third frame when Lozada posted his second hit of the day with a double to start the inning. Lozada appropriately came in to score on an Osvaldo Torres RBI single through the right side to put the Wildcats up 2-1. B-CU scored another run in the seventh frame when Temple relief pitcher Matt Blackburn allowed the bases to load-up, and then walked Jos? Ortiz to move the Wildcats ahead, 3-1.
The Wildcats scored two more insurance runs in the eighth inning as catcher Drew Clark performed a picture-perfect squeeze bunt to plate third baseman Emmanuel Castro from third. Justin Hoyte then tacked on another RBI as he scored Chris Brown from third on a bunt attempt. B-CU led 5-1, eventually being the final score.
The pitching duo of Concepcion Guzman and Phil Enright closed out the game for the Wildcats with just two hits allowed in the last two frames. Guzman collected the save for the Wildcats, while Burgos picked up the win in his season debut. The los went to Temple’s Tom Dolan who dropped to 0-1 on the campaign.
The Wildcats were led by Lozada with a 2-for-3 day at the plate in the first game with an RBI and two walks. The Owls were paced by six different hitters with a hit apiece, including Heltz with the Owls’ lone-scoring run.
In the second game, the Wildcats wasted little time getting on the board as they crossed the plate three times in the opening frame off Temple starter Matt Mongiardini. Three walks and a wild pitch loaded the bases before the Owls (1-1) knew what hit them. Torres then doubled for the Wildcats to clear the bases for the 3-0 B-CU lead.
But the Owls waited patiently as they got to B-CU starting hurler Joseph Gautier in the top-half of the second inning. A single, a double and an error allowed Mark Ortega and designated hitter Byron McKoy to put the Owls back in striking distance at 3-2 with no one out. Heltz, the Owls only source of real offense in the first game, then smashed his first homerun of the year over the right field wall to tie the game at 3-3.
A real pitcher’s duel ensued for the next four frames as both pitchers settled down nicely. B-CU rallied in the sixth inning to break open the tie at 4-3. Lozada hit his second double of the day, and centerfielder Jos? Ortiz picked him up two batters later with a sacrifice fly to left. The Wildcats scored another run in the seventh as Brooks scored freshman Devin De La Rosa for the 5-3 advantage. De La Rosa pinch ran for Jeremy Ruperto who was hit by a pitch earlier in the inning.
With a seemingly comfortable lead at 5-3 in the top=half of the eighth inning, B-CU turned towards sophomore Felix Machado to try and close things out. But the Owls seemed to be playing possum as they would strike for six runs in the frame to go on top 9-5.
Ortega tripled and scored, Lenny Del Grippo hit a two-run single, and teammate McKoy blasted a three-run homer to right center to cap the scoring for the Owls.
B-CU tried to rally in the bottom-half of the inning with a solo shot from Chris Brown to earn his first homer of the year. That was the final score of 9-6.
The two teams will meet back at Jackie Robinson Ballpark tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. for the rubber match of the three-game swing. The Wildcats last non-conference series win at home came last year against Savannah State where they defeated the then top-ranked team in Black College Baseball 8-0 in a Sunday afternoon contest.