DeLand, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman snapped Stetson's 10-game winning streak with an 8-3 victory at Melching Field Tuesday night. Justin Bass stroked three hits and his fourth home run of the year in a losing cause for the Hatters (30-10). Angel Mercado and Chris Henault each went deep for the Wildcats (18-22), who beat Stetson for just the 10th time in 65 lifetime meetings.Â
A three-run fifth inning broke it open for B-CU. With the Wildcats already leading 2-1, Drew Clark scored on a ground out. Luis Gonzalez followed with an RBI single and a dropped fly ball in left scored another to make it 5-1.Â
Henault's home run leading off the sixth was his team-high seventh of the year and put Bethune-Cookman on top 6-1.
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Bass answered with a towering two-run blast over the left field wall that brought Stetson within three runs.Â
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Neal Jones doubled in an insurance run and Gonzalez singled in another in the ninth to cap the 8-3 victory.
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Joseph Gautier (3-2) went six innings for the win. The left-hander allowed three runs on four hits and no walks with six strikeouts. Felix Machado followed with three scoreless innings for his first save of the year.Â
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Robbie Donovan (1-2) took the loss for the Stetson. The freshman went 4 2/3 innings, allowing five runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts.Â
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Of Stetson's five hits, Bass had three. Kevin Johnson and Casey Frawley had the other two. Braedyn Pruitt was hit by two pitches, bumping his school-record career total to 43.Â
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The Hatters return to the road with a weekend series at Jacksonville beginning Friday night at 6:30 p.m.
