Bethune-Cookman Baseball Opener at Major League Baseball Urban Classic In California

B-CU will play Cal State Northridge, UCLA, and Southern University at Classic on February 19, 2010. This is Wildcats third straight year at MLB Classic.

The 2010 baseball edition of B-CU returns six returning starting players including team hitting leader (C. J. Lauriello, .403, 4 HR, 36 RBI), team home run, RBI leader Ryan Durrence (11 HR, 48 RBI), and freshman All-American catcher Peter O'Brien (.314, 30 RBI). Also returning is a talented group of pitchers led by freshman All-American sophomore lefty Ali Simpson (9-2, 3.23 ERA, 79 K's). Coach Mervyl Melendez expects junior OF Matt Wright (transfer from Daytona State College) to be a starter in the outfield and four-year OF Justin Hoyte (.270, 32 starts in 2009) returns for his senior season. Transfer OF DJ Leonard adds depth to the B-CU outfield and will battle for a starting spot.

"Our team returns most of the position players from our NCAA regional team," said Coach Melendez. "C.J. (Lauriello) is a very advanced hitter will have a tremendous year for us. He is a very tough out and hits well in big games. We have high expectations as a team. We want to play for championships and have won four straight and nine of out the last 10 MEAC championships and NCAA regionals. We want to go out and play hard and out-play our opponents. I am excited about our team. We have the pieces in place to be a very good team."

The starting left side of the infield returns - in sophomore SS Alejandro Sanchez (.299, 2 HR, 24 RBI) and the teams' second leading hitter in 2009 - Jr. 3B Emmanuel Castro (.345, 4 HR, 36 RBI). Hard-hitting Sr. 1B Alejandro Jimenez looks for a solid final season with the Wildcats. Jimenez led the `Cats with 22 stolen bases last year and he hit .330 with 9 HR and 32 RBI. Jimenez did have surgery again following the 2009 season to repair the bone chips in his non-throwing elbow. Valuable infielders Sr. 3B Jeremy Davis (.333, 1 HR, 20 RBI) and So. 2B-SS-3B - Jairo Acevedo return in 2010. Both were impressive offensively in the Fall season and are solid veteran players.

The 2009 season was highlighted by winning the fourth straight MEAC championship and earning B-CU's ninth NCAA regional appearance in 10 years. Winning milestone game number 300 for Coach Mervyl Melendez, at Maryland-Eastern Shore in late April, was icing on the cake for the Wildcats.

Sophomore LHP Ali Simpson, last year's MEAC Rookie of the Year, will be the number one starter in 2010. His role expands from last year as the number three starter behind senior 1-2 aces Hiram Burgos and Eric Thomas. Simpson was tabbed the pre-season 2010 MEAC Pitcher of the Year in February balloting and he hopes to add to his Freshman All-American status of last year. Jr. LHP Joseph Munoz (3-6, 5.14) will be a specialist in the bullpen in 2010 and his new role bolsters the B-CU relief pitchers.

Sophomore RHP Rayan Gonzalez hopes for an injury free season and Jr. LHP Roman Lancara will be in his third year of pitching for the Wildcats. Both Gonzalez and Lancara are projected into the starting rotation as the season opens in February. Returning relievers RHP Andrew Tilka and LHP Justin Dahl (coming back off of knee surgery during the off-season) both return in 2010. Dahl had four saves and was the B-CU closer in the early season before his injury in March. The 2010 roster includes eight new pitchers all vying for innings and starts. Six are freshman and two are JC transfers (Jr. RHP Julio Morales and Jr. RHP/3B Juan Perez). Perez is the projected closer entering 2010 Spring practice after an impressive Fall practice season on the mound.

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Bethune Cookman University 2010 Baseball Schedule
Date Opponent Event Location Time

February
Fri., Feb. 19 vs. vs. Cal State Northridge @ MLB Urban Classic Compton, California 2:00 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 20 vs. vs. UCLA @ MLB Classic Compton, California 6:00 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 21 vs. vs. Southern Univ. @ MLB Classic Compton, California 2:00 p.m.
Mon., Feb. 22 at UC-Riverside Riverside, California 3:00 p.m.
Thu., Feb. 25 at Texas Tech Lubbock, Texas 4:00 p.m.
Fri., Feb. 26 vs. Washington State Lubbock, Texas 1:00 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 27 vs. Washington State Lubbock, Texas 1:00 p.m.
at Texas Tech Lubbock, Texas 5:00 p.m.

March
Tue., Mar. 2 vs. Stetson Daytona Beach, Fla. 6:00 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 3 vs. Jacksonville Daytona Beach, Fla. 6:00 p.m.
Fri., Mar. 5 vs. Troy Troy, Alabama 6:00 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 6 vs. Troy Troy, Alabama 6:00 p.m.
Sun., Mar. 7 vs. Troy Troy, Alabama 1:00 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 10 vs. Wagner Daytona Beach, Fla. 6:00 p.m.
Fri., Mar. 12 vs. Wagner - B-CU Invitational Daytona Beach, Fla. 2:30 p.m.
vs. VCU - B-CU Invitational Daytona Beach, Florida 6:00 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 13 vs. Wagner - B-CU Invitational Daytona Beach, Florida 6:00 p.m.
Sun., Mar. 14 vs. VCU - B-CU Invitational Daytona Beach, Fla. 12:00 p.m.
Tue., Mar. 16 vs. Stetson Daytona Beach, Fla. 6:00 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 20 at Florida A&M * Tallahassee, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
at Florida A&M * Tallahassee, Fla. 4:00 p.m.
Sun., Mar. 21 at Florida A&M * Tallahassee, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
Mon., Mar. 22 vs. Ohio State Daytona Beach, Florida 3:00 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 24 vs. North Florida Daytona Beach, Florida 6:00 p.m.
Thu., Mar. 25 vs. Dartmouth Daytona Beach, Fla. 6:00 p.m.
Fri., Mar. 26 vs. Dartmouth Daytona Beach, Fla. 6:00 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 27 vs. Dartmouth Daytona Beach, Fla. 12:00 p.m.
Tue., Mar. 30 at UCF Orlando, Florida 6:30 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 31 vs. UCF Daytona Beach, Fla. 6:00 p.m.

April
Wed., Apr. 7 at Stetson DeLand, Fla. 6:30 p.m.
Sat., Apr. 10 vs. North Carolina A&T * Daytona Beach, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
vs. North Carolina A&T * Daytona Beach, Fla. 4:00 p.m.
Sun., Apr. 11 vs. North Carolina A&T * Daytona Beach, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
Tue., Apr. 13 at North Florida Jacksonville, Fla. 7:00 p.m.
Wed., Apr. 14 at Florida International Miami, Fla. 6:00 p.m.
Sat., Apr. 17 vs. Norfolk State * Daytona Beach Fla. 1:00 p.m.
vs. Norfolk State * Daytona Beach Fla. 4:00 p.m.
Sun., Apr. 18 vs. Norfolk State * Daytona Beach, Florida 1:00 p.m.
Tue., Apr. 20 at Miami Coral Gables, Fla. 6:00 p.m.
Wed., Apr. 21 at UCF Orlando, Fla. 6:30 p.m.
Sat., Apr. 24 at Coppin State * Baltimore, MD 1:00 p.m.
at Coppin State * Baltimore, MD 4:00 p.m.
Sun., Apr. 25 at Coppin State * Baltimore, MD 1:00 p.m.
Tue., Apr. 27 at Stetson DeLand, Fla. 6:30 p.m.
Wed., Apr. 28 at Florida Atlantic Boco Raton, Fla. 4:00 p.m.
Fri., Apr. 30 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore * Daytona Beach, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
vs. Maryland Eastern Shore * Daytona Beach, Fla. 4:00 p.m.

May
Sat., May 1 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore * Daytona Beach, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
Tue., May 4 at Florida Gainesville, Fla. 6:30 p.m.
Wed., May 5 vs. Florida International Daytona Beach, Fla. 6:00 p.m.
Sat., May 8 at Delaware State * Dover, Delaware 1:00 p.m.
at Delaware State * Dover, Delaware 4:00 p.m.
Sun., May 9 at Delaware State * Dover, Delaware 1:00 p.m.
Tue., May 11 at West Virginia Morgantown, WV 7:00 p.m.
Wed., May 12 at West Virginia Morgantown, WV 7:00 p.m.
Thu., May 20 vs. MEAC Tournament * Daytona Beach, Fla. TBA
Fri., May 21 vs. MEAC Tournament * Daytona Beach, Fla. TBA
Sat., May 22 vs. MEAC Tournament * Daytona Beach, Fla. TBA