ITTA BENA, Miss. – Desirae Martinez plated two runs while five Wildcats in-total registered a multi-hit performance Tuesday afternoon in helping Bethune-Cookman to a 6-0 win at Mississippi Valley State. In the win, the Cats claimed the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) series – their fifth league series win of the 2023 campaign.
 
Bethune-Cookman (12-25, 10-5 SWAC) kicked things off in the top of the first inning when back-to-back- singles from Haley Parks and Joslynn Davis allowed both batters to reach safely. The Maroon and Gold pushed across the game's opening run three plays later when Desirae Martinez recorded a sacrifice fly to right field, allowing leadoff hitter Parks to score from third.
 
Mississippi Valley State (1-27, 1-13 SWAC) threatened in the home-half of the fourth when the Delta Devils loaded up the bases. However, a fielder's choice grounder to third from Kaitlyn Harper saw BCU third baseman Samantha Kelley cut down Isabella Robinson at the plate for the final out of the inning.
 
BCU would make it 2-0 in the top of the fifth inning.
 
Shortstop Kayla Traylor delivered an RBI groundout to second base, pushing across pinch runner Katelynn Perez – running for Jordyn Villanueva who singled for the Wildcats to begin the frame.
 
The Cats widened the lead to 4-0 with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth.
 
Ciera Clark and designated hitter Jordynn Lawrence each tallied sac flies, respectfully, in order to cross teammates Essence Gibbs and Kelley.
 
Another two runs in the top-half of the seventh inning completed the game's scoring.
 
Another Martinez sacrifice fly – her second of the contest, scored Parks, while Traylor scored on an error charged to the MVSU infield off the Kelley at-bat.
 
Bethune-Cookman's Halyne Gonzalez grabbed the win to improve her record to 10-11 on the year, pitching all seven innings, scattering three hits in the shutout, adding 10 strikeouts and walking just one batter. The loss went to Delta Devils starter Morgan Gutierrez, dropping her to 1-9 on the year in throwing all seven innings in the circle, giving up six runs (five earned) on 12 hits and one walk.
 
MVSU was led offensively by Isabella Robinson, Keisha White and Shelby Carson with a hit apiece.
 
The Wildcats were charged at the dish by five (5) players collecting a multi-hit game, including Parks' 2-for-3 effort with two runs. Clark was 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Joslynn Davis, Essence Gibbs and Kelley were each 2-for-4 at the plate.
 
BCU returns to the field Friday, April 14, as the Maroon and Gold travel to Jackson, Mississippi for a three-game series with Jackson State beginning at 5 p.m.
 
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