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May 17, 2007
NORFOLK, Va. - Top-seeded Bethune-Cookman University scored 10 runs over the course of three innings to break open what was a tight game and defeat sixth-seeded University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, 13-2, in the first round of the 2007 MEAC Baseball Tournament on Thursday afternoon at Marty L. Miller Baseball Field in Norfolk, Va. Just as last year, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament is being hosted by Norfolk State University. The game was the first of the MEAC Tournament, originally scheduled for a 10 a.m. start, but eventually pushed back to a 12:30 pm first-pitch due to a heavy storm cell covering the entire Tidewater area. UMES (9-44) started off the game with a walk issued to shortstop Eric Gaines reached base safely, followed by a sacrifice bunt that maneuvered him into scoring position from teammate James Walls. Gaines eventually scored the game's opening run on a wild pitch delivered from MEAC Pitcher of the Year Francisco Rodriguez. Bethune-Cookman (31-24) tied the game up in the bottom of the frame when leadoff batter José Ortiz-Rivera walked and stole second to get himself into starting position. Ortiz-Rivera came in for the tying run with an RBI double off the left field wall from senior Angel Mercado knotting the score at 1-1. The Wildcats jumped on top in the third inning when Mercado collected his second RBI of the game with a single through the left side that scored left fielder Neal Jones on the play. Jones collected a single earlier in the inning and advanced on a passed ball. That run put B-CU on top, 2-1. B-CU had one of their two big innings on the day in the fourth when they plated four runs to go out in front, 6-1.
Ortiz-Rivera grabbed one of his three hits on the day with an RBI double to centerfield scoring Alejandro Jimenez on the play. Neal Jones followed that up in the next spot with a sacrifice fly to left that drove in catcher Drew Clark. Third baseman Luis Gonzalez then took a Tyler Winch "2-2" pitch to centerfield for a two-run scoring double that pushed in Jones and Ortiz.
B-CU jumped on the board again in the fifth with another four runs scored to advance the Wildcats lead out to 10-1. Alejandro Jimenez, serving as the designated hitter for the Wildcats, blasted his fifth homerun of the year over the Norfolk State version of the "Green Monster" with a rocket to right that plated Henault on the play as well. B-CU's Gonzalez collected his second hit of the day off Winch that drove across Ortiz and Jones for the 10-1 advantage. That two-run double would force UMES head coach William Gardner to relieve his starter for Brian White out of the Fighting Hawks bullpen. UMES struck again in the top-half of the sixth inning to cut the margin to 10-2. B-CU relief pitcher Arles Rivera-Cola took over on the mound for Wildcats starter Francisco Rodriguez after Rodriguez went five complete innings, allowing one earned run and spreading out four hits and striking out three batters. After Walls singled to left, All-MEAC outfielder Joel Gonzalez took a Rivera-Cola fastball down the left field line to bring in Walls for the UMES score. Gonzalez finished as the only UMES player with a multi-hit outing as he went 2-for-3 with one RBI. However, it would be the defending champs [B-CU] striking again for two more runs in the bottom of the frame to go out, 12-2. Daniel Sterling toed the mound as the third Hawks to enter the game for UMES, and he immediately allowed the first three batters to reach safely on two walks and a hit-by-pitch. Ortiz-Rivera drove in two runs via a down the line to left that scored first baseman Angel Negron and Henault. B-CU added another run in the eighth to reach the final margin of 13-2. Concépcíon Guzman finished out the game for the Wildcats in the ninth, while the Hawks left one on base to end the game in the ninth. Rodriguez collected his 10th victory of the year for the Wildcats, while Winch dropped to 1-7 for the Hawks in a losing effort on the mound. Winch worked 4.2 innings allowing 10 runs (nine earned) on 12 hits and walking four batters. UMES was led at the plate by Gonzalez, while Eric Gaines added a 1-for-3 outing with a run scored. Walls scored the other run for the Hawks. B-CU was led by two players with three hits, respectively, in José Ortiz-Rivera and Angel Mercado. Ortiz-Rivera drove in four runs, while Mercado and Luis Gonzalez posted three RBI each. Jimenez registered two RBI on the two run homer. UMES will now face the loser of the second game today which matches Norfolk State (#5) and Florida A&M (#2) against each other today at 4 p.m. The Hawks will face the loser of that game at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning. Bethune-Cookman will now have an off day tomorrow before taking on an opponent to be determined later on Saturday at 2 p.m. back at Marty L. Miller Baseball Field in Norfolk, Va. For more information on this game and all other MEAC Baseball Tournament action, please log on to the MEAC website at www.MEACsports.com. Release appears compliments of Bethune-Cookman-University's Media Relations guru Bryan Harvey |
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