Wildcats Remain Unbeaten 12-0 In MEAC, Beat Coppin State 3-1 Sunday

In a pitcher's dual, Bethune-Cookman's Patrick Goelz, Joseph Munoz and Juan Perez bested Coppin State's John Bergwall's complete-game five hitter to beat the Eagles 3-1 Sunday. B-CU swept the weekend series vs. CSU 3-0 and lifts its MEAC record to 12-0. The Wildcats are now 26-16 overall entering Tuesday's 6:30 p.m. game at Stetson.

An RBI single by Byron White tied the game at 1-1 in the sixth inning and pinch runner David Lee scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch to make the score 2-1.

Ryan Durrence hit a solo home run, his 11th on the year, second on the squad behind team-leader Peter O'Brien (16) to give the Wildcats a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth. Justin Hoyte's running catch to end the eighth inning saved two runs and kept the B-CU lead at 2-1 before Durrence's insurance run round-tripper.

Goelz earned the pitching win throwing six innings and Joseph Munoz pitched 1.1 innings in relief and Juan Perez 1.2 innings in the 8th and 9th innings for his record-tying 8th save of 2010. Perez' 8th save ties the B-CU school record for saves in a season, held by Phil Enright (2008 season).

The Wildcats (26-16) play two mid-week games on Tuesday at Stetson and Wednesday at FAU in Boca Raton before hosting UMES in MEAC Conference play at Jackie Robinson Ballpark Saturday and Sunday.

Hairston's Double Lifts NSU to Series Win at DSU, 13-12

Brandon Hairston hit a two-out, RBI double in the top of the 10th inning Sunday as Norfolk State won the rubber game of a weekend MEAC series at Delaware State, 13-12.

Hairston's heroics capped a 3-hour, 40-minute marathon. The Spartans (14-19-1, 6-9 MEAC) once led it 6-0, only to lose the lead and have to score twice in the ninth to send the game into extra innings.

John Lynch was 3-for-6 with a homer and three stolen bases for NSU. He gave NSU a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer in the top of the first, his second bomb of the series. A Ryan Wiggins squeeze bunt and John Rasberry two-run double in the second made it 5-0. In the third, Lynch singled, stole second and third bases, and scored on a passed ball to stretch NSU's lead to 6-0.

But DSU (12-22, 8-4) quickly rallied to tie the game. Keith Hernandez hit a two-run homer in the third and Jose Portela did likewise in the fourth to help the Hornets knot the score at 6-all.

NSU took a short-lived 8-6 lead in the fifth on the strength of RBI singles by Sammy Serafine and Zaine Jack . But the Hornets scored four runs in their next three times up to take a 10-8 lead. Brandon Crist's two-run single in the seventh was the go-ahead hit.

The Spartans tied the game at 10-all in the eighth without benefit of a hit. A walk, DSU three-base error and an RBI groundout by Rasberry again tied the score, but the Hornets answered in the bottom of the eighth to go back up by two. Abe Eubank hit an RBI double and Tony Gatto delivered a run-scoring single to put DSU ahead 12-10.

Down to its final three outs, NSU would have the answer. Hairston reached base on a Hornet error and advanced to third on a double by Chris Warren. Serafine knocked in Hairston with a sacrifice fly, and Warren advanced to third on the play. Warren then scored on a wild pitch by DSU reliever Ryan Haas.

After NSU reliever Ryan Shook pitched out of a one-out, two-on jam in the ninth, Lynch reached on a two-out single in the 10th. He stole second and scored on Hairston's double.

Shook retired the Hornets in the 10th to preserve the win for NSU. He improved to 2-1 on the year by pitching the final 1.2 innings. Mike Rizzuto (0-1) took the loss for DSU, allowing two hits and a run in the 10th.

Lynch scored three times and knocked in two. Rasberry went 2-for-6 with three runs batted in, while Serafine added two RBI. Warren and Jack also had two hits each for NSU.

The Hornets lost despite out-hitting the Spartans 20-12. Gatto went 4-for-6, while Eubank, Crist and Peter Broehl added three hits apiece.

For the complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com or www.dsuhornets.com

Maryland Eastern Shore Downs Rattlers, 17-10

Maryland Eastern Shore  took two -out-of-three from Florida A&M as they defeated the Rattlers, 17-10 Sunday afternoon at Moore-Kittles Field.

UMES (4-34, 3-11 MEAC) finished the game with game high 17 hits paced by Bryan Chaikowsky, who went four-for-six from the plate, scoring one run with three RBIs.

FAMU (8-26-1, 1-11 MEAC) garnered 12 hits and four players to finish with two hits each.

Karim Gonzalez (1-7) picked up the win for the Hawks as he gave up seven hits, five earned runs and striking out three in six innings on the mound. 

Steven Dollar (3-6) received the loss for the Rattlers allowing 10 hits, six earned runs and striking out three in five and two-thirds innings of work.

UMES took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Phil Vaughn scored on a J.J. Corriveau sacrifice fly to right field.

UMES increased their lead to 5-0 in the top of the fifth as Lucas Koening doubled to center field scoring Chaikowsky.  Donnie Haines would then score on a Shaquille Bagwell sacrifice fly to right field, followed by a Vaughn single to left field scoring Koening.

FAMU put a run on the board in the bottom of the fifth as Daniel Lee scored on a Justin Abney sacrifice fly to right field, cutting UMES' lead to 5-1.

The Hawks turned eight hits and one FAMU error into seven runs to take a 12-1 lead in the top of the sixth inning.

In the top of the seventh inning, UMES added to their lead as they scored four runs on three hits, giving them a 16-4 lead.

A Shaw double to left field scored both Jeffries and Darryl Evans. Then Shaw would score on a Washington single to centerfield in the bottom of the seventh inning, cutting the UMES' lead to 16-7.

Lorenzo Christy made the score 17-7 in favor of the Hawks as he scored on a Chaikowsky double to right field in the top of the ninth inning.

FAMU plated three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning as Reginald Grant singled up the middle scoring Lee.  Then both Grant and Abney would score on an Evans triple to right center for the 17-10 final.

For the complete story, visit www.famurattlersports.com or www.umeshawks.com