Bethune-Cookman bounced back on Sunday afternoon with an emphatic 10-4 win over Southern University in the final game of the inaugural MLB Urban Invitational Tournament held at the Urban Youth Academy in Compton, Calif.

B-CU starting pitcher Eric Thomas was nearly flawless for the second consecutive week as he mowed down the hot-hitting Southern (0-4) bats. The hard-throwing right-hander was touched just twice on the day and allowed one earned run. He struck-out six batters and was almost untouchable with the awesome B-CU defense right behind him whenever he got himself into trouble with six walks issued on the day in unusual fashion.

B-CU broke open the scoring first as they finally got to SU starter Jarrett Maloy in the home-half of the fourth inning.

Centerfielder Jos? Ortiz started things off with a single to center field, followed by a walk to shortstop Jos? Lozada. That’s when B-CU slugging first baseman Osvaldo Torres blasted a two-run scoring double to right field to put the Wildcats (3-3) on top 2-0 after the frame.

The Wildcats continued their newfound scoring outburst in the MLB Urban Invitational Tournament in the next inning as senior Neal Jones walked and eventually scored on a wild pitch from Maloy to put the Wildcats up, 3-0.

Southern finally got to Thomas in the top-half of the sixth inning when right fielder Brad McDavid collected a solo shot to right center to bring the Jags back to within 4-1.

However, the answer homer from McDavid was answered back quickly by B-CU junior catcher Drew Clark registered his first career homerun with a one-out solo shot to right field to bolt the ?Cats out to a 4-0 advantage at that point.

The ?Cats bats stayed blistering hot in the bottom of the seventh inning when they struck for three runs off Maloy. Lozada was able to plate senior Mark Brooks and Ortiz on a double to left field, while later scoring himself courtesy a Torres sacrifice fly. Lozada got himself into position for the sac fly when Maloy was charged with a balk looking the speedy senior from Las Piedras, Puerto Rico back to second.

B-CU continued their hot hitting in the eight when the bullpen for the Jaguars was once again called upon to try and shut down the Wildcats. This time it was Kyle Wahl being asked to do the task for the boys from the Bayou.

But despite a having probably one of the hottest hitting teams in all of Black College Baseball, nothing the Jaguars were offering seemed to be able to hold back the Wildcats today.

B-CU freshman Emmanuel Castro led off the inning reaching base on an error charged to the Southern infield, and later advanced himself to third with one out. That’s when sophomore Justin Hoyte collected his first-ever collegiate homerun with a two-run scoring shot to left center that blew the doors off the game altogether for the ?Cats with a 9-2 advantage at that point. The scoring was not over, however, as the ?Cats would cross the plate once more when Neal Jones scored off another wild pitch from the Southern pitching staff.

The B-CU bullpen was touched a bit in the ninth as the Jags tried a last-second attempt for a rally with a two-run homerun off Felix Machado by first baseman Calvin Anderson. He also plated designated hitter Victor Franklin on the play.

The win went to Eric Thomas of the Wildcats who improved his record to 2-0 on the season, going to seven complete innings with the two hits allowed and one run scored. The loss went to Southern’s Maloy who dropped to 0-2 on the year. He was tagged for three earned runs on five hits through five innings on the bump.

The Maroon and Gold was led by Ortiz with a 2-for-4 day at the dish and scoring two runs. Beside him was Lozada with a 1-for-2 day with two RBI and a score. Clark and Hoyte’s highlight of first career homeruns rounded out the day. Neal Jones was also a perfect 2-for-2 at the dish with two runs scored and a RBI to boot.

Southern was led offensively by five batters with just a hit a piece, but it was Anderson’s two-run shot in the ninth that gave the Jags their final score of the game.