April 14, 2007

Box Score

Lexington, S.C. - Bethune-Cookman University found it hard without a normal starting pitcher on Saturday, but the Wildcats were still able to pull-out a split of two games on the second day of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Round-Up. B-CU downed Maryland-Eastern Shore, 5-4 in the first game before falling late to Howard, 8-7 in the second contest.

After suffering an injury to her non-throwing hand yesterday, B-CU (18-26, 5-3 MEAC) freshman pitcher Lanaya Jenkins was forced out of the lineup today for both games. In her place, starting catcher Andrea Thomas saw action in the pitcher's circle for the first time in her collegiate career.

In the first contest, B-CU jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third inning when Ariel Robinson singled, advanced on an error and eventually found her way to third on a wild pitch ... all to start off the inning. Breanna Shaw brought her in two batters later with a single to shortstop, while Shaw was plated by Holly Bussey's double through the left side.

Today's catcher Brando Holley singled to score Bussey from third for the 3-0 Wildcats lead.

Maryland-Eastern Shore (2-21, 0-7 MEAC) finally got to Thomas in the top-half of the fourth inning when Jaleesa Lewis walked and shortstop Kendra Saunders cleared he bases with a two-run homer to left field ... cutting the Wildcats lead at 3-2.

B-CU answered back in the bottom-half of the inning when Andrea Thomas reached on an error and eventually scored on a series of Lady Hawks errors and a stolen base.

B-CU led 4-2 after five innings of softball.

The Lady Hawks of UMES tied the game up with two runs in the sixth inning, aided by a Mishayla Truttman homerun to left field that also scored left fielder Tiana Strother.

B-CU collected the win in a last at-bat in the bottom of the seventh frame as Holley Bussey and Christina Trimble singled to put runners on first and second with two outs. That's when yesterday's big hitter, Shaterra Davis, collected yet another he hit for the weekend with a run-scoring single shot back up the middle to score Bussey for the 5-4 victory.

Andrea Thomas collected the win for B-CU in her first-ever pitching performance, allowing four earned runs on three hits. She also struck-out four batters and walked four batters in the contest. The loss went to UMES' Kristen Greenwood who went the distance for the Lady Hawks, allowing five runs (four earned) on nine hits while striking out four batters as well.

Robinson, Bussey and Trimble each collected multi-hit performances for the Wildcats, while no Lady Hawks batter collected more than one hit.

In the second and final game of the day for the Wildcats, Northern Division foe Howard University proved to be as good as advertised.

Leading 5-3 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, B-CU found it hard to get the Lady Bison out of the inning without going unscathed.

Howard (24-13, 8-1 MEAC) used five runs to take the lead, and ultimately the game against the Wildcats.

Lady Bison pitcher Christina McCoy's one-out double to left field scored Gutierrez, while Tracy Javier singled past the glove of B-CU first baseman Shaterra Davis to bring around Sukia Curtis-Contreras for the tying score at 5-5.

Shortstop Candice Tatum then singled to score two more runners on the play to put the Lady Bison on top for good at 7-5. Courtney Young later doubled to plate Tatum for an 8-5 Howard advantage after six innings away.

B-CU tried to rally in the top-half of the seventh frame as Andrea Thomas scored both Trashonda Coven and Davis with a deep single to center field that brought the `Cats to within 8-7. Coven reached courtesy a double to left while Davis was walked.

The game ended, however, with two Wildcats left on base when Shaw popped up to second base.

The loss went to Thomas who evened her short pitching season record at 1-1, while Howard's McCoy took the win to improve to 9-4 on the year. Dale McNeal collected the save, her first of the year, for the Lady Bison with two innings of work.

B-CU was led by Bussey, Trimble, Coven and Thomas with two hits each, respectively. The Lady Bison were led at the plate by Tracy Javier and Tatum with two hits each. HU's catcher Semplecia Scott added a 2-for-3 performance at the plate in the process.

Bethune-Cookman will finish up their stint in the MEAC Round-Up tomorrow when they take on Delaware State and Hampton on what could be considered "Black Sunday" for the Wildcats, who are probably without the services of pitcher Lanaya Jenkins once again.