Kansas State Series Finale Called in Seventh, B-CU Falls, 6-3
MANHATTAN, Kan.- Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (12-14) played at Kansas State (16-8), but found themselves trailing 6-3 when the game was called for snow at Tointon Family Stadium, despite an improved hitting performance.
With temperatures hovering around the freezing mark, the snow began to fall just before the opening frame; B-CU’s first encounter with wintry precipitation in seven seasons. However, the Wildcats overcame the elements early, bringing the bats from the very first pitch.
Designated hitter Josh Johnson squared up the initial pitch with a base hit up the middle. After stealing second, Johnson reached third on a Brandon Turner backside single, and crossed the dish with assistance from Eros Modena’s sacrifice fly to center. Turner added a stolen base as well, reaching third on David Lee’s full-count single.
Cleanup batter Anthony Stokes reached on an error by the KSU shortstop, allowing Turner to come home for the 2-0 B-CU lead after the first frame.
Kansas State responded in the home half of the third, taking advantage of B-CU miscues, with Tanner Witt putting up a single, and reaching third after a walk and an infield error, scoring on a second Wildcats’ error. A third and final B-CU error allowed two more unearned runs to cross the plate, and a balk advanced a runner home to grant KSU a 4-2 lead.
After scoring the initial B-CU run, Johnson added an RBI single to shortstop in the top of the fourth, beating the throw, using consecutive singles by Chris Biocic and Shaun McCarty to set the table, narrowing the deficit to a single run.
The snow began to intensify late in the contest and KSU tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the fourth and the sixth, taking a 6-3 lead over B-CU.
Johnson led the Wildcats at the plate, batting 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored. Modena and Stokes added RBI.
Starter Scott Garner (2-3) took the loss, pitching 5 1/3 innings.
For the complete story, visit www.bcuathletics.com
Spartans, UMES Split 2 1-Run Games
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – Freshmen Kyle Vaas and Robert Barefoot combined for four runs batted in to help Norfolk State split a MEAC Northern Division doubleheader and snap a six-game losing streak with a 7-6 win over Maryland Eastern Shore in the nightcap of Saturday’s double-dip at Hawks Stadium. Host UMES rallied from a 5-2 deficit to win game one, 6-5.
The Spartans are now 6-15 overall, 1-4 in the MEAC North. UMES is now 5-18, 2-3.
Barefoot, making the start at second base in the nightcap, hit the go-ahead RBI single in the top of the sixth inning. Vaas gave NSU some cushion with a two-run double in the seventh that put the Spartans ahead, 7-4.
NSU would need those runs as the Hawks scored twice with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Brandon Schott hit a run-scoring single, and he scored when NSU mishandled Tre-von Johnson’s single, getting the Hawks within 7-6.
NSU reliever Ray Morton came on with two outs and Johnson on second, and was able to retire Connor Breslin on a come-backer to the mound to save the win for the Spartans. It was Morton’s first save of the season.
UMES jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning of game two off Spartan starter Richie Salter. Schott hit a two-run double to score Stephen Bull and Mike Escanilla.
But the Spartans answered right back with four runs in the top of the second off UMES starter Will Turley. Barefoot and Justin Lee hit RBI singles, and Chase Kyriacou added a two-run single to give the Spartans the 4-2 edge.
That’s how the score remained until the bottom of the fifth. Byron Campbell led off with a single and Jeffrey Fleetwood followed with a two-run homer to tie the game at 4-all.
But the Spartans would not be denied, scoring three times in their final two frames to earn their first conference win of the season.
Salter got the win, his team-leading third of the year, despite allowing 12 hits and six runs (five earned) in 6.2 innings. He walked two and struck out three to improve to 3-2 on the season. Kyriacou was 3-for-4, Barefoot 2-for-3 with two RBI and Vaas 1-for-2 with two runs scored for the Spartans.
Zachary Saca allowed one unearned run in one inning of relief to take the loss for the Hawks. Schott, Johnson and Escanilla had two hits apiece for UMES in the nightcap.
Game one was a back-and-forth affair. The Spartans took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third as Cameron Day hit a run-scoring single and Vaas added a sacrifice fly. But Schott doubled in two runs in the bottom of the third to tie it.
NSU appeared to regain control in the top of the eighth. Zach Markel hit a two-run double and Day added an RBI double of his own to put the Spartans in front, 5-2.
But the Hawks again had the answer, scoring three runs of their own in the bottom of the seventh. Bull and Fleetwood both singled and Campbell walked to load the bases. Bull scored on a passed ball, then Johnson hit a two-run single to tie the game once more.
The Hawks then took a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the eighth. Joshua James doubled off Spartan reliever Troy Applin (1-1) to start the inning. James advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on another wild pitch by Applin to give the Hawks a 6-5 advantage.
Devin Repine worked a scoreless top of the ninth for his third save of the season for the Hawks.
Applin took the loss after allowing two hits and one run in 1.2 innings of relief. He struck out three. Saca pitched 1.1 innings to earn the win for UMES.
Escanilla and Johnson had two hits in each game for UMES. Schott knocked in five runs in the doubleheader.
Kyriacou went 4-for-8 with three runs scored and two RBI in the two games for the Spartans. Vaas was 3-for-5 with three RBI, and Markel and Day had three hits each for NSU.
For the complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com or www.umeshawks.com
EAGLES SWEEP RATTLERS, EXTEND WINNING STREAK TO SEVEN
DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central junior Troy Marrow’s RBI single to left field drove-in senior Luis Diaz from second base in the bottom of the ninth as the Eagles earned the series with the 5-4 victory over the Rattlers from Florida A&M.
With the win the maroon and gray extend their current winning streak to seven games, one short of tying the modern era record in 2007 of eight games in-a-row. Also, the Eagles have beat Florida A&M nine straight times dating back to last season.
Jared Walker reached on an infield hit to begin the ballgame, advancing on a Carter Williamson throwing error and scoring on a Terry McNabb wild pitch allowed Walker to score to give FAMU a 1-0 lead.
NCCU responded in the bottom of the first with a rally of their own thanks to an Akeem Hood single to left field, which was followed up by Diaz’s fifth double of the year scoring Hood and tying the game at 1-1. After Marrow reached on a throwing error by FAMU’s shortstop Kendal Weeks, Williamson helped load the bases on an infield hit down the third base line. Junior second baseman helped plate the final two runs of the frame on two-RBI single up the middle to put the maroon and gray ahead 3-1.
In the top of the second Florida A&M got some help from some costly NCCU miscues that was highlighted by Bryce Farrar’s double down the left field line that scored catcher Garrett Johnson and Weeks to tie the game at 3-3.
The bottom-half of the second saw NCCU put runners on second and third with one out only to see the next two batters falter leaving two runners stranded in the frame.
FAMU took a 4-3 lead in the top of the fourth on a two-out RBI single by Walker driving-in Johnson and put the Rattlers out in front.
NCCU left two more runners stranded in scoring position in the bottom of the fourth after junior Ryan Collins ripped his double of the year down the right field line.
Both offenses were shut down until the bottom of the seventh inning when Williamson crushed a double down the right field line scoring Diaz and tying the game at 4-4.
After issuing a walk to start the eighth to Bennie Robinson, the Eagle defense stepped up and turned double play No. 22 on the year, then followed that up with McNabb’s eighth strikeout of the day to end the Rattler threat.
Junior reliever Jacob Russell was inserted into the ballgame in the top of the ninth mowed down the first batter and recorded a groundout and a fly out to keep FAMU off the board to set the stage for the dramatic ending.
Diaz started the bottom-half of the ninth with his sixth double of the year off the wall in right field with one out on the board, which gave Marrow the chance to win the game with his RBI single.
Russell (2-1) earned the win with his one solid inning off work, while Brandon Fleming (0-1) took the loss for Florida A&M.
FAMU (1-24, 1-8 MEAC) was led by Walker’s 2-for-4 effort at the dish with a run scored and an RBI, while Farrar went 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs in defeat.
NCCU (16-9, 8-4 MEAC) was led by the trio of Diaz (2-for-4 with two doubles, three runs scored, and an RBI), Marrow (2-for-5 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI), and Williamson (2-for-4 with a double and an RBI) who combined for six hits, and four of the five doubles on the day.
McNabb allowed only five hits, surrendered no earned runs, and recorded a season-high eight strikeouts.
For the complete story, visit www.nccueaglepride.com