Final Stats

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – Alexis Bermudez threw the first Bethune-Cookman no-hitter in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) tournament play and her second of the season as the Wildcats downed Coppin State 8-0 in the tournament opener Wednesday at Ormond Beach Sports Complex.

The sophomore from Sante Fe Springs, Calif., who received her 2019 MEAC Pitcher Of The Year award in a pre-game ceremony, retired the first 11 Coppin State batters before giving up the first of two walks in the fourth. She struck out six.

Brianna Paysinger and Brianna Sanders each drove in three runs, and Kaira Cabato smacked a solo home run to left to lead off the sixth for the offense the Wildcats (23-28) needed to run-rule the Eagles (9-31) and advance to Thursday's 3 p.m. game against either North Carolina Central or Howard.

Paysinger's two-run single and a bases-loaded Sanders double highlighted Bethune-Cookman's five-run outburst with two outs in the second.

Sasha Killings singled home Cheyenne Smith in the fourth while Paysinger's third single of the day plated Carrington Robinson to make it 7-0 after five.

Smith and Robinson each finished with two hits for the Wildcats.

Bermudez became the first B-CU pitcher since Lauren McCoy in 2004 to have two no-hitters in the same season. McCoy also did it in 2003.