Bethune-Cookman eliminated 12-6 in Gainesville Regional by FAU

GAINESVILLE, FL — Sean Bukovich and Anthony Mesa drove in three runs apiece and Florida Atlantic eliminated Bethune-Cookman from the NCAA tournament with a 12-6 victory. The Owls (36-23) pounded out 18 hits, including eight for extra bases, and advanced to play Oregon State or Florida in the Gainesville regional Sunday. The Wildcats (35-22), back on the field about 12 hours after losing in the opening round, stranded five runners in scoring position and hit into two double plays. They fell to 1-20 in regional play.

After not getting key hits in Friday’s opening 6-4 loss to the Beavers, Saturday everyone was hitting with men on, as eight Owls had at least one RBI in the game. The Owls are now 57-15 all-time versus the Wildcats, and Bethune still has just one win in its 11 regional appearances. Hats off to starter Ryan Garton, who did not wilt in the scorching heat of a 1 p.m. start, going 7 innings and giving up 5 runs on 11 hits to preserve the bullpen for Sunday’s must-win game. Climbing out of loser’s bracket will be tough. If Florida wins, the Owls would need to beat the Beavers and then beat the Gators in two straight games.

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Florida downs Bethune-Cookman, 7-3

Coach Mervyl Melendez and the Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats fall to 1-19 all-time in NCAA Tournament play.

Gainesville, FL -- Freshman right-hander Hudson Randall (Atlanta, Ga.) notched a career-high 10 strikeouts over 7.1 innings as top-seeded Florida (43-15) defeated fourth-seeded Bethune-Cookman (35-21), 7-3, on Friday night at McKethan Stadium. In his NCAA Regional debut, the rookie (8-3) did not allow a hit until the fifth inning in picking up his sixth-straight victory. The fourth-ranked Gators will meet third-seeded Oregon State (32-22) in a winner’s bracket game at 7 p.m. tomorrow live on Sun Sports, while the Wildcats face second-seeded Florida Atlantic (35-23) in an elimination game at 1 p.m. The Beavers edged the Owls, 6-4, earlier this afternoon.

“Hudson Randall was outstanding on the mound,” third-year head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “We knew Bethune-Cookman would be a tough opponent. We jumped out to a 4-0 lead, but like we expected, they battled and gave it everything they had. It was hard to pull away from them. Bethune is always tough and they proved it again tonight.” The Wildcats used a two-out RBI single by sophomore Alejandro Sanchez (2-for-4) to narrow the gap to 4-1 in the fifth. Leonard had come through with Bethune-Cookman’s first hit with a one-out double just out of the reach of senior center fielder Matt den Dekker (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.). Although Randall had junior Emmanuel Castro fly out, Sanchez lined a single into left field that eluded a diving Pigott to score Leonard.

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Bethune-Cookman draws Florida Gators in NCAA Regionals

B-CU draws UF in regionals

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- Just as the NCAA baseball selection show was coming on Monday afternoon, the satellite dish at the local restaurant went on the blink due to a weather disturbance. "Don't they know that's the reason we're here," Bethune-Cookman coach Mervyl Melendez joked. But the satellite reception resumed just as the Gainesville Regional teams were being announced and the Wildcats lifted their heads from their conversations and meals long enough to find out their first regional opponent will be the Florida Gators for the second year in row.

Then they returned to their chicken wings and fries. No hoots, no cheers no applause. "We're used to it by now," senior pitcher Andrew Tilka said. "We expect to be someplace watching it every year. And we knew we'd be going to either Florida or Miami." The Wildcats will be playing in the regionals for the fifth straight year and for the 11th time in the past 12 years, but they are still looking for their first win over a No. 1 seed. They've never come closer than last year when they led 7-5 going into the bottom of the ninth where the Gators scored three runs to stave off the upset with an 8-7 win.

Gainesville Regional team capsules

Bethune-Cookman University, 2010 record: 35-20

Players to watch: C Peter O'Brien, 1B Ryan Durrence, OF DJ Leonard, P Roman Lacara

Of note: Sophomore ace Ali Simpson (6-1, 4.66 ERA) was suspended three games by the MEAC in the semifinals vs. North Carolina A&T for an in-game shoving incident. If the suspension holds, Simpson isn't eligible to pitch until game three of the regional as he sat out one game (the MEAC final).

Quotable: O'Sullivan on B-CU — "Obviously, we're real familiar with Bethune. We got rained out against them this year and they gave us everything we could handle last year (in the Gainesville Regional). They're very, very well coached and they're a good club and we'll have to play well (to beat the Wildcats Friday)."

Of note: This is Florida's 26th NCAA Regional appearance and the Gators have claimed seven titles. Five of those titles came while hosting in Gainesville. The Gators are a combined 37-6 all-time against FAU and Bethune-Cookman, including a 23-0 record against B-CU. If Oregon State and Florida meet, it will be the first time the two programs have played against each other.

Quotable: Florida coach Kevin O'Sullivan: "We figured we'd be one of the eight (national seeds). That was the goal from the beginning of the season so we can host regionals, super regionals. It's awfully nice to play at home.“

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