Bethune-Cookman baseball beats Florida after upsetting LSU

Bethune-Cookman baseball is on a roll this season. Recently, they made headlines after beating Top 25-ranked LSU, who also reigned as the defending College World Series champions. Now, the Wildcats have taken down another SEC program.

Following a triple-header against Mississippi Valley State University, where they won 2 games and lost 1, Bethune-Cookman traveled to Gainesville, Florida, to face the University of Florida. Similar to LSU, Florida was ranked heading into the matchup, surging into the Top 25 after previously being unranked in the last poll.

But Bethune-Cookman was once again undeterred and pulled off another huge upset. The Wildcats used steady offense early and a decisive seventh inning to pull away for a 13–7 win over Florida. The Wildcats opened the scoring in the first inning when Andrey Martinez launched a solo home run. Florida quickly responded in the bottom half of the frame, stringing together three straight hits, including an RBI single from Cade Kurland, to even the score at 1–1.

Bethune-Cookman regained the lead in the second inning after loading the bases with a walk and two hit batters. Darryl Lee drove in a run with a single, and Martinez followed with a two-run double to push the Wildcats ahead 3–1. Florida cut into the deficit later in the inning on a sacrifice fly by Kyle Jones. The Wildcats continued to add pressure offensively, as Jose Fernandez opened the fourth inning with a home run and Jeter Polledo added a sacrifice fly in the fifth to extend the lead.

Florida battled back in the sixth inning, tying the game at five behind RBI hits from Kurland and Blake Cyr. Bethune-Cookman answered in a big way in the seventh, putting together a seven-run inning. A sacrifice bunt forced a throwing error that brought in a run before Jorge Rodriguez delivered a two-run single. Lee added an RBI hit, Martinez doubled in two more runs, and Michael Rodriguez drove in another run. Lee later added a solo homer in the ninth, while Justin Morales closed out the game on the mound.

Now all eyes are on the Wildcats as they gear up to face another FBS program in the University of Central Florida, which is currently ranked 21st in the Top 25.

The post Bethune-Cookman baseball beats Florida after upsetting LSU appeared first on ClutchPoints.