DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. | Grambling State baseball struggled to slow down Bethune-Cookman's offense on Thursday night as the Tigers fell 23-1 at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
Grambling State fell to 20-29 overall and 17-11 in SWAC play with the loss.
Bethune-Cookman (36-17, 22-6 SWAC) erupted for five runs in the first inning, added three more in the second and broke the game open with a 10-run third inning.
The Wildcats finished with 16 hits and drew 10 walks while also taking advantage of six hit batters and two Grambling errors.
GSU threatened in the top of the first inning after Cameron Hill worked a walk and Aidan Lopez was hit by a pitch, but the Tigers were unable to capitalize.
Bethune-Cookman seized momentum immediately in the bottom half of the inning. Maikol Lucena delivered a two-run double before Jeter Polledo added a two-run double of his own to help the Wildcats build a 5-0 advantage.
The Wildcats extended the lead to 8-0 in the second inning behind RBI hits from Lucena and Jose Fernandez.
BCU then erupted for 10 runs in the third. Michael Rodriguez highlighted the inning with a two-run triple while Darryl Lee smacked a three-run triple and Andrey Martinez capped the outburst with a two-run homer to left field.
Grambling State broke through in the fifth inning. Martavius Thomas doubled to right field before Ryan Davis followed with a bunt single. Thomas later scored on a wild pitch to account for the Tigers' lone run.
Thomas, Davis, Charles Ashe III and James Woody each recorded one hit for Grambling State. Thomas also tallied the Tigers' only extra-base hit with his fifth-inning double.
Keyon Guillory (3-4) took the loss after allowing eight runs, seven earned, on six hits in 1.1 innings. Hampton Phillips, Jacobie Smith, Mohamed Harati and Nick Robinson also saw action on the mound for the Tigers.
Edwin Sanchez (11-1) earned the victory for Bethune-Cookman after tossing four scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
Lee paced the Wildcats offensively, going 4-for-6 with four RBIs and three runs scored. Martinez drove in four runs, while Lucena added three RBIs and Rodriguez contributed two RBIs.
UP NEXT
Grambling State continues its series at Bethiune-Cookman on Friday night. First picth is scheduled for 6 p.m. EST/ 5 p.m. CST at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
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