SALISBURY, Md. - Alex Seibold struck out 10 batters over six-plus innings to lead Bethune-Cookman to a 12-1 win over Norfolk State in an elimination game of the MEAC Baseball Championship on Friday morning at Perdue Stadium.
The Spartans' most successful season in their Division I era ends with a 27-16 record, while B-CU (18-39) remains alive in the elimination bracket. The game was shortened to eight innings due to the 10-run rule. Bethune-Cookman advances to meet Delaware State in an elimination game at 2 p.m.
Seibold allowed just three hits and one run while fanning 10 Spartans. He did not allow a hit until the fourth inning.
The game began as a pitcher's duel between Seibold and NSU senior right hander Stephen Butt. B-CU scored the game's first run in the top of the fourth. Bryant Munoz led off with a double to left field. The next batter, Nathan Bond, flew out to right field and Munoz tagged up. Spartan right fielder Angel Rosario's throw to third looked like it may be in time, but it bounced off Munoz's back and into the NSU dugout to allow Munoz to score.
The Spartans didn't get their first hit until Rosario's two-out single in the fourth, but he was thrown out at second trying to stretch the hit into a double.
B-CU scored three insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Austin Garcia hit a one-out solo home run. Jameel Edney added a sacrifice fly and Munoz an RBI single later in the inning to make it 4-0.
The Spartans scratched across a run in the bottom of the seventh. Syeed Mahdi was hit by a pitch, and Rosario and Roger Hall singled to load the bases. Pinch hitter Robbie Depp's groundout allowed Mahdi to score. But B-CU reliever Clint Clymer struck out Ryan Kilmon and Omar Hotusing to end the threat.
B-CU tacked on eight runs in the top of the eighth to break the game open.
Butt (5-2) ended his stellar career at NSU by taking the hard-luck loss. He allowed just three hits but surrendered four runs (three earned) in 6.1 innings. He walked three, hit three and struck out two.
Rosario led NSU with a 2-for-4 day. Munoz went 3-for-5 with two RBI for the Wildcats.