B-CU’s baseball team celebrates after winning the SWAC regular season crown. B-CU won the opening game of the SWAC tourney on May 21, defeating Texas Southern 5-3.
B-CU ATHLETICS PHOTO
The Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats are playing in the SWAC tournament at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama from Wednesday, May 21 through Sunday, May 25.
The top-seeded Wildcats opened the baseball tournament against the eight-seeded Texas Southern University Tigers (15-15) on Wednesday morning.
B-CU took two of three games from TSU from May 15-17 and leads the all-time series 3-1, including an 16-0 win in last year’s SWAC tournament.
Bethune-Cookman (33-21 overall, 24-5 in SWAC) are the SWAC regular season champs. It is their first regular season SWAC crown since joining the conference for the 2022 baseball sea- son. They also enter the tournament having gone 19-6 in their last 25 games.
The Wildcats want the tournament crown more than anything.
“It is great to be regular season champions for the first time since joining the SWAC. It solidified the top seed but for us, it’s about winning the conference tournament. We have a big week ahead of us. The hope is to carry that momentum over into the tournament and can bring that championship home,” responded Johnny Hernandez, B-CU’s head coach.
Winner goes to NCAA Regional Tournament
B-CU and TSU are in bracket A with third-seeded Alabama State (21-9) and sixth-seeded Jackson State (16- 12). Over in bracket B is second-seeded Florida A&M (24-6), fourth-seeded Arkansas Pine-Bluff (17-9), fifth-seeded Grambling State (18-11) and seventh-seeded Southern (15-13).
“I think it is going to be a balanced conference tournament. I think at the start of it anybody has an opportunity to win it,” expressed Hernandez.
The winner of the SWAC tournament earns a trip to the NCAA Regional Tournament. The Wildcats last won a conference tournament and made the NCAA tournament in 2017 as members of the MEAC.
“For us, we just have to worry about Bethune-Cookman. We can’t worry about how anyone else is doing or how the bracket looks. We have to control what we can. We are excited. It is going to be tough, but I am looking for our guys to take advantage of the opportunities,” emphasized Hernandez.
B-CU has catcher Jorge Rodriguez (.382BA, 12HR, 36RBI) and first baseman Andrey Martinez (.352BA, 19 HR, 59RBI, 63H, 53R) pacing their offense.
Infielders Jeter Polledo (.309BA, 6HR, 45RBI) and Jesus Venegas (.303BA, 16HR, 47RBI) has also had solid seasons.
They’ll need other talented players like outfielder Darryl Lee (.292BA, 9HR, 43RBI, 21SB), outfielder Sergio Rivera (.297BA, 3HR, 30RBI, 31SB), catcher Irvin Escobar (.281BA, 1HR, 20RBI), out-fielder Armani Newton (9HR, 22RBI) and company to rise to the occasion.
On the mound the Wildcats have starters Joel Cordare (5-1), Edwin Sancez (8-1, 3.06ERA) and Tanner Boccabello (7-1) while Jean Carlos Zambrano anchors the bullpen.
Note: Team records are SWAC win and loss totals.
For more on Bethune-Cookman University sports, teams, schedules, stats and more, visit www.bcuathletics.com.