Ryan Durrence hit a home run and tallied five RBI and Peter O'Brien was 4-5 with a home run and two RBI to lead the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats to a 15-5 opening game win over Maryland Eastern Shore in the second game of the 2010 MEAC Baseball Championship Tournament at the Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
 

B-CU (33-20), the tournament's top seed, exploded for a seven-run sixth inning to break open a 3-2 game. In the inning, Emmanuel Castro hit a two-run single, Alejandro Sanchez had a two-run triple and Durrence had an RBI triple.

#6 Maryland Eastern Shore (8-42) starter Donnie Haines pitched five strong innings limiting the Wildcats to only four hits in the opening five frames. In total, he pitched 5.2 innings, allowing 11 hits, 10 runs, and striking out three batters. Cameron Zimmerman and Carl Huber pitched the final two innings for UMES.

 The Hawks closed to within 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning on a double play groundout by Lucas Koenig. The game remained a one run contest until the B-CU sixth.

Bethune-Cookman freshman starter Patrick Goelz (5-2) pitched 6.1 innings and earned the win allowing seven hits, five runs and striking out three. Relievers Chris Anselmo and Joseph Munoz pitched the final two innings for the Wildcats.

The 15-hit B-CU offensive attack was led by Durrence (3-5) and O'Brien with shortstop Alejandro Sanchez contributing three hits and two RBI.

UMES will meet Coppin State tomorrow at 10 a.m. in the double-elimination bracket. Bethune-Cookman advances to Saturday's semifinal at 2 p.m.

The 2010 MEAC Baseball Championship Tournament continues with #3 Norfolk State taking on #4 Delaware State in final game of the day beginning at 6 p.m. The action continues on Friday and Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. A complete bracket is available on www.MEACsports.com

The championship finale is set for Sunday, May 23 at 2 p.m. and will air on ESPNU in a tape-delayed format on May 24 at 5 p.m.  The broadcast will be the MEAC's first televised baseball championship.   

Admission for the 2010 MEAC Baseball Championship is $4 for children (13 and under), students and seniors and $8 for adults.  Discounted ticket packages are available for all three days at a cost of $12 for children, students and seniors and $20 for adults.  Tickets can be purchased at the Jackie Robinson Ballpark, 105 E. Orange Ave., Daytona Beach, Florida beginning on May 20. 

For more information on MEAC Baseball, visit www.MEACsports.com