Bethune-Cookman Splits a Pair with Cornell in Softball Doubleheader

March 22, 2007

Daytona Beach, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman University and Cornell battled to a stalemate on Thursday as both teams took a game to earn a split in a softball doubleheader held at Sunnyland Park in Daytona Beach, Fla. The Wildcats won the first game, 6-4, but Cornell took the nightcap affair, 11-2.

Cornell (16-3) jumped ahead 2-0 in the first inning of the first contest as third baseman Elise Menaker blasted a two-run, two-out homerun to right field to plate Alyson Intihar on the play as well.

B-CU (11-20) battled back in the bottom of the frame to tie the score as Tameika Jonas led things off by being hit with a pitch, and third baseman Breanna Shaw followed that up with a single to put a runner in scoring position. Holley Bussey's single to center field plated Jonas, while Shaw came in to score courtesy a double steal attempt by first-year head coach Chris Cochran.

With the score tied a 2-2 after one inning of play, the Cornell Big Red broke open the deadlock with two more runs in the top of the second inning.

Meghan Risica singled up the middle to score Devon March, and shortstop Samantha Hare registered a sacrifice fly to centerfield to bring in Dana Robbins from third base. Robbins reached earlier in the inning with a walk.

B-CU cut into the lead at 4-3 in the bottom of the inning as Shaterra Davis collected her first homerun of the year straight over the left field fence to lead off the inning.

The Wildcats would take the lead for good in the third inning when they struck the Big Red for three more runs to lead 6-4.

Breanna Shaw collected her third homer of the season, and Christina Trimble posted an RBI triple that scored Bussey on the play. Junior first baseman Brandi Holley followed that up with an RBI single to right center that picked up Trimble for the score.

The Big Red of Cornell were limited to just one (1) hit the rest of the way as B-CU starting pitcher Lanaya Jenkins shutdown the competition in order to earn the win.

With the win, Jenkins moved her record to 6-13 on the year, while Cornell's Jen Meunier dropped her mark to 8-3. Jenkins was touched just eight times on the day for four (4) earned runs and collected three strikeouts. Meunier collected six strikeouts on the other side of the circle.

Breanna Shaw and Holly Bussey each collected three hits in the first game with Bussey going a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate. Shaw scored two runs as well for the Wildcats.

In the second game of the day, it was all Cornell right from the start. Jenkins, pitching the entire way for both games, was roughed up in the second inning before settling in for a while.

Cornell designated player Sarah Ruben singled to deep center field to plate Elise Menaker and Jenna Campagnolo for the quick 2-0 lead. An error charged to the Wildcats infield allowed pinch runner Liz Larkin to score, and later first baseman Lauren Battaglia scored on a fielder's choice for an unearned run as well.

With Cornell leading 7-0 through five inning of softball, the Big Red tacked on four insurance runs in the sixth frame.

The first four batters reached base safely, including one by an error and a fielder's choice. Menaker collected a sacrifice fly RBI late in the frame as she pushed across Hare on the deep fly-out.

Cornell led 11-0 going into the bottom of the sixth inning.

B-CU tried to rally as Shaw reached on a fielding error and Christina Trimble doubled to left center to put runners on second and third with one out. Shaterra Davis collected her third RBI of the game with a single to left field to plate Trimble and Davis ... and appropriately, cut the lead to 11-2. But that's where the final score would be as a run-rule contest came into effect, 11-2 after six innings.

The win went to Cornell's Haley Mirrer who kept her record clean for the season at a perfect 7-0, while Jenkins dropped to 6-14 for the `Cats. Mirrer allowed just six hits for B-CU in the nightcap.

Holly Bussey collected a multi-hit game for B-CU in the nightcap with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate. As for Cornell, it was Menaker going 2-for-3 with three RBI and one score that led all Big Red players.

Bethune-Cookman steps into Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference [MEAC] play this weekend when they travel to South Carolina State on Saturday in a doubleheader affair set to begin at 1 p.m. in Orangeburg, S.C.