When Stetson sophomore shortstop Jorge Arenas lifted a fly ball to center field in the bottom of the first inning Saturday afternoon, few of the fans in attendance at Melching Field expected the ball to leave the park. Fewer still expected that to be the only run the Hatters would need in a 2-0 win over Volusia County rival Bethune-Cookman.
 
Both came to pass as the Arenas fly ball used solid back spin and a little help from mother nature to escape the park just past the outstretched glove of Wildcats center fielder Zach Spivey.
 
That blast, an a second Hatters run in the third inning off BCU starter Anthony Maldonado (2-2) was almost all the offense Stetson was able to generate on a rainy day. Maldonado held the Hatters to just those two runs on four hits over seven innings of work with three walks and eight strikeouts.
 
Still, it was enough for Stetson as junior starter Logan Gilbert (6-0) won his 16^th consecutive game, striking out nine over six innings while allowing four hits and four walks. Senior Ben Onyshko allowed a pair of hits in his one inning of work and then senior closer Brooks Wilson earned his 11^th save of the year with two innings of work.
 
The combined shutout for Stetson (22-5) was the seventh of the year, surpassing the total from 2017. Bethune-Cookman fell to 10-17 with the loss.
 
None of the Stetson hurlers had an easy time against the Wildcats, who stranded at least one runner in every inning but the first, and only then when Spivey was thrown out at home trying to score from second on a ground out.
 
Overall, the Wildcats left 13 runners on base in the game.
 
The two biggest scoring threats for Bethune-Cookman can in the fourth and eighth innings. In the fourth, Gilbert allowed a pair of walks with a single in between, but struckout Adonis Lao to get out of the inning.
 
In the eighth, Wilson was one pitch away from an immaculate inning after striking out the first two batters on six pitches and then going 0-2 on Kyle Corbin. But, after fouling off a pitch, Corbin caught a splitter up in the zone for a single to right. Chase DeBonis followed with an infield hit before Wilson hit Lao with a 3-2 pitch. He was able to escape the frame with a routine fly to left.
 
Besides the home run from Arenas, Nico Torino scored the second Stetson run after reaching on a double into the left field corner. After a walk put runners at first and second, Austin Bogart hit a ground ball to short for what looked to be a sure double play, but Nate Sterijevski's throw to first was wild, allowing Torino to score.
 
The Hatters never really threatened to score again.
 
In three games since moving into the third spot in the batting order, Arenas is 6-for-15 (.400) with five RBI, including his two hits on Saturday.
 
The big negative for the Hatters in the game was the loss of sophomore outfielder Andrew MacNeil, who appeared to injury his shoulder on a pickoff attempt at first base. One day after junior Mike Spooner left a game early when he aggravated an already sore wrist, Stetson will have to look to a younger player to step up on Saturday.
 
The series finale is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.