Gonzalez, Wright lift Bethune-Cookman over Southern University

Coach Mervyl Melendez and Bethune-Cookman ends MLB Urban League Invitational with only one win--over Southern, dropping games against Cal State Northridge and UCLA.

COMPTON, Calif. -- Ryan Gonzalez pitched six strong innings and Matt Wright homered and had five RBIs to lead Bethune Cookman to a 13-8 victory over Southern University on Sunday at the Major League Baseball Urban Classic. Gonzalez (1-0) gave up three runs on three hits and struck out six for the Wildcats (1-2). Joey Sharkey and Justin Dahl combined to pitch the final three innings to secure the win.

Wright's three-run homer, his second of the weekend, sparked an eight-run fifth inning that propelled B-CU to a 12-1 lead. Justin Hoyte had two hits, including a two-run triple in the Wildcats' four-run third inning. Ryan Durrence had three hits and Emmanuel Castro went deep for the Wildcats. "We needed to win this game after losing the first two," said Gonzalez, a sophomore form Arecibo, Puerto Rico. "My fastball and curveball were working well and I felt like I was attacking the zone. I was motivated today to help my team win."

This weekend marked the third consecutive season that B-CU has opened its campaign at the MLB Urban Classic on the outskirts of Los Angeles. The third annual three-day event, which also featured No. 23 ranked UCLA, Southern University and Cal-State Northridge, helps spotlight Historically Black Colleges and Universities by giving them national exposure.

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Southern Jaguars 12, Cal State Northridge 9

Jaguars rebound for 12-9 triumph

COMPTON, Calif. — Silenced and humbled in its season opener, the Southern baseball team responded well Saturday. The Jaguars rallied twice, and they won. On the second day of the Major League Baseball Urban Invitational, Southern scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning against Cal State Northridge, and reliever Brian Foster held off the Matadors in the top of the ninth for a 12-9 victory. “We played much better today,” SU coach Roger Cador said. “We needed something from the bottom of our lineup and we got it. We needed something from Doc (Foster), and we got it from him too.”

The Jaguars’ win came less than 24 hours after UCLA roughed them up 16-2 in the season opener Friday night in Los Angeles. In that game, the Bruins scored nine runs in the first inning, and SU never recovered. On Saturday, Cal State Northridge jumped on starter Jarrett Maloy for four runs in the top of the first. The Jaguars rallied and took a 7-5 lead into the top of the seventh, when Northridge scored three times off SU reliever Joshua Rochelle.

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Cal State Northridge rolls to win over Bethune-Cookman

COMPTON, Calif. -- Cal State Northridge kicked off the third annual Urban Invitational presented by the U.S. Army in a big way, beating Bethune-Cookman, 18-4, on Friday at the Urban Youth Academy. The three-day tournament, which also includes UCLA and Southern University and helps spotlight Historically Black Colleges and Universities by giving them national exposure, began Friday with a game billed as a pitchers' duel between the club's aces on the first day of the college baseball season.

It appeared that way for Bethune-Cookman left-hander Ali Simpson, as his club led, 4-0, after three innings with a pair of two-runs homers by Peter O'Brien and Matt Wright against Northridge right-hander Ryan Juarez. But Northridge overcame that early 4-0 deficit by breaking out in the sixth inning with nine runs and added five more in the seventh inning to put the game out of reach. All told, 12 different players had a hit for the Matadors as they club pounded out 20 hits.

"It was a little dicey there at the beginning because we made some mental mistakes," Northridge coach Steve Rousey said. "So early on, we weren't playing well, but I don't know if the guys loosened up or what, but it turned around."

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