The Bethune-Cookman softball team will host the Chinese National team in an exhibition doubleheader Sunday afternoon at Sunnyland Park in Daytona Beach.
Game times are 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Admission is free.
Both baseball and softball will be added back to the Olympic program for the 2020 games in Tokyo. The Chinese team has based itself in Vero Beach’s Dodgertown this month, taking on several college teams in the state to prepare for 2020 qualifying. Its coach, Teresa Wilson, is an American who has taken three teams — Washington, Oregon and Minnesota — to the College World Series.
“This is an exciting opportunity for us,” B-CU head coach Laura Watten said. “It will greatly benefit us as a program to be able to compete against such a highly skilled team prior to our upcoming series next weekend at Florida A&M."
Next weekend’s regular season finale for B-CU (24-24, 9-3 MEAC) at Florida A&M will determine the MEAC Southern Division’s No. 1 seed for the conference tournament May 10-12 in Ormond Beach.
The Wildcats are ranked second in the nation in stolen bases (2.75 per game). Sophomore Ryan Jackson is ninth in the nation in home runs (15) and total bases (112).
Stetson drops 2
Host Stetson (24-19, 2-9 ASUN) lost 10-4 and 6-5 to USC Upstate (31-16, 10-6) on Saturday. Devin Lewis (3-for-5, double, homer, four RBIs) and Ashly Smith (4-for-7, homer, three runs scored) led the Hatters.
BASEBALL
Stetson 2, NJIT 1
Jack Perkins (6-2) gave up one run on 10 hits and struck out nine as Stetson (30-10, 6-2 ASUN) won at NJIT (15-16, 3-8) on Saturday. Austin Bogart had three hits.
B-CU wins 2
Tyler Norris, Jordan Pinto and Anthony Maldonado combined for 16 shutout innings and 20 strikeouts as host Bethune-Cookman (16-24, 10-7 MEAC) won 5-0 and 6-0 over North Carolina Central (22-20, 7-10) on Saturday. Norris struck out 11 and gave up seven hits in eight innings. Maldonado pitched a complete-game three-hitter, striking out eight. Michael Deeb had three RBIs for B-CU in the opener, while Adonis Lao posted three RBIs in the second game.
Seminole St. 10, DSC 8
David Maberry had three RBIs as Daytona State (23-10, 8-15) ended its season with a loss at Seminole State on Saturday.
UF splits with Kentucky
Jack Leftwich gave up two hits in six shutout innings but No. 1 Florida (34-8, 14-4 SEC) lost 3-2 at Kentucky (26-14, 8-10) on Saturday. Jackson Kowar (7-1) pitched seven shutout innings and Wil Dalton had six RBIs as Florida won 9-4 over Kentucky late Friday.
FSU wins 2
Steven Wells was 4-for-5 and Cobi Johnson had three RBIs as No. 18 Florida State (28-12, 10-9 ACC) won 13-7 at Boston College (13-25, 5-15) on Saturday. FSU, which got four RBIs from Jackson Lueck, scored three runs in the 11th inning in a 13-12 win at Boston College late Friday.
UCF 1, USF 0
Cre Finfrock (4-0) and Thad Ward combined to throw a one-hitter with 12 strikeouts as UCF (27-12) won at USF (24-14) late Friday.
TRACK AND FIELD
ERAU men, women win conference championships
ERAU's men won by 29.5 points over host UNC Pembroke in the Peach Belt Conference Championship on Saturday. Zach Farner won the hammer throw (54.02 meters) and Lelei Kipngetich (15:10.88) won the 5,000 meters. ERAU's women won by 57 points over Nova Southeastern. Merari Coronado (14.48 meters) won the shot put and Kristen Metcalfe won the 400 meters (55.23), 800 meters (2:19.00) and 1,500 meters (4:36.91).
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Stetson advances to ASUN semifinal
Top-seeded and host Stetson (28-8) won 5-0 over over fifth-seeded Jacksonville in the ASUN Championship. The Hatters, who won all 10 sets, play UNF in a semifinal at 9 a.m. Sunday.
MEN'S TENNIS
Stetson makes ASUN final
William Shkrob's three-set victory at No. 6 singles gave No. 2 Stetson (18-3) a 4-3 win over No. 4 seed Florida Gulf Coast (9-12) in the ASUN Conference Tournament semifinals in Jacksonville on Saturday. The Hatters faces No. 1 seed North Florida at 10 a.m. Sunday.
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Stetson makes ASUN final
Stetson's Lucie Renault and Brooke Milner each won three-set matches to lead fourth-seeded Stetson (13-8) to a win over No. 1 seed Florida Gulf Coast in the ASUN Conference Tournament semifinals in Jacksonville on Saturday. The Hatters play in Sunday against Lipscomb or North Florida.
MEN'S GOLF
Brennan leads B-CU
B-CU (301-302-291; 30-over) finished 33 shots back in second at the MEAC Championships on Saturday in Savannah, Georgia. The Wildcats' Daniel Brennan (77-71-72—220; +4) was fifth.
WOMEN'S GOLF
B-CU wins MEAC Showcase
Yudika Rodriguez (73-77-68—218; +2) claimed the individual medalist award as B-CU (316-300-306—922; +58) won the MEAC Showcase on Saturday in Savannah, Georgia.
DSC wins
Daytona State (311-297—608) won the NJCAA Region 8 Championship by 14 shots on Saturday. The Falcons' Grace St. Germain (76-73—149) was the individual winner.
Stetson's Schart honored
Stetson senior Carolin Schart (3.94 GPA in Economics) earned ASUN Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
MEN'S LACROSSE
Fla. Southern 15, ERAU 3
Kyle Dalrymple had two goals but host ERAU (1-12, 0-7 Sunshine State) ended its season with a loss to Florida Southern (8-7, 3-2) on Saturday.
WOMEN'S LACROSSE
(16) Tampa 23, ERAU 8
Mya Watson had three goals and two assists but ERAU (7-10, 1-5 Sunshine State) ended its season with a loss at Tampa (12-5, 4-2) on Saturday.