ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman saw its early 3-0 lead fade as Delaware State eliminated the Wildcats from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament with a 9-5 decision Friday morning.

The Hornets went on to face Norfolk State, an 8-7 winner over Florida A&M, in the elimination bracket Friday afternoon.

The Wildcats saw their three-year run as conference champions end with an 18-35 record.

Jessica Madrid and Ashley Bennett each homered and drove in a combined six runs as Delaware State scored four in the fifth and three in the sixth to take the lead.

B-CU scored a run five of the first six innings.

Aurelia Gamch scored on Kelsey Rodney’s sacrifice fly in the first, and Calesha Shelley scored on Simone Ceasar’s single in the second and Gamch’s single in the fourth.

Michelle Banuelos-Smith tied the game in the fifth when she scored on a Shamaria Engram single and Shelley plated on the sixth on an error.

Shelley finished 3-4, while Ceasar had two hits.