Bethune-Cookman Wildcats Knockoff Boston College

Photo Courtesy: BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida – Nate Sterijevski's RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning allowed Bethune-Cookman to complete a come-from-behind season opening win over visiting Boston College with a 2-1 score line Friday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

One pitch after redshirt junior shortstop Demetrius Sims (Ann Arbor, Mich.) scored Danny Rodriguez (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) for the tying run courtesy a standup triple to deep right centerfield, sophomore second baseman Nate Sterijevski (Clermont, Fla.) laced a first pitch fastball from Boston College (0-1) reliever Bobby Skogsbergh through the hole at second base to bring Sims home for the game-winning run.

Trailing 2-1 entering the bottom of the ninth, Bethune-Cookman (1-0) sophomore first baseman Danny Rodriguez – the 2017 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Preseason Player of the Year, delivered a single to deep left field with one out. Two batters later, Sims got into scoring position with his standup triple – the second triple of the game for the Wildcats.

The game began with a true pitcher's duel between Bethune-Cookman starter Tyler Norris (Coral Springs, Fla.) and Boston College's Jacob Stevens. The two right-handers went toe-to-toe for six innings, as neither allowed a run in his time on the bump.

Norris scattered two hits around a walk and fanned a career-best tying 11 batters. He matched his 11 strikeouts from a season ago in the season-opening win over Murray State at home. Meanwhile, Stevens countered for the Eagles with four hits allowed, one walk and nine strikeouts on the mound.

However, it would be Boston College to break the scoreless deadlock in the top of the seventh inning.

Catcher Gian Martellini recorded a one-out double off the wall in left center while facing Bethune-Cookman reliever Alexis Herrera (Miami, Fla.). That allowed Brian Dempsey to pinch hit for Anthony Maselli in the seven spot, with Dempsey delivering with a run-scoring single to center field that allowed Maselli to come around from second.

At that point, Boston College led, 1-0.

Joseph Calamita (Lake Worth, Fla.) would come in for Herrera to get the final two outs of the seventh inning for the Wildcats.

Ivan Coutinho (Winter Park, Fla.) would collect the win, working 0.2 innings out of the bullpen in the ninth, striking out one batter in the process. The loss went to Boston College reliever Skogsbergh in what was also the Eagles' season opener for the 2017 campaign.

The Bethune-Cookman offense was led by third baseman Jameel Edney (West Palm Beach, Fla.) with a 2-for-3 night at the plate, followed by five Wildcats with a hit apiece – including the RBI from Sims. One of Edney's hits was a triple in his first at-bat in the first inning.

Boston College was led at the plate by Martellini with two hits in four at-bats, all while adding a run.

Bethune-Cookman and Boston College continue their three-game series Saturday at 1 p.m., back at Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

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