SALISBURY, Md., May 20, 2017—Bethune-Cookman University won the 2017 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) baseball championship on Saturday afternoon at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium, thanks to an 11-1 seven-inning win over Norfolk State in a match-up of top seeds.

Bethune-Cookman won its second straight title and its third in the last four years. The Wildcats have 18 titles overall.Bethune-Cookman University
2017 MEAC Baseball Champions
courtesy:MEAC Media Relations

“This never gets old,” head coach Jason Beverlin, the tournament’s Outstanding Coach, said. “Just to see the joy on [the players’] faces, that’s what makes moments like this so special.”

The Wildcats (33-23) receive the MEAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Baseball Championship; the Selection Show will air on ESPNU on Monday, May 29 at 12 p.m.

Even though the Spartans (26-22) struck first on an Alex Mauricio sac fly in the top of the first, Bethune-Cookman responded by pushing across three runs in the bottom of the frame. After Demetrius Sims led off the inning with a single and Adonis Lao walked, Jameel Edney tied the game at 1-1 with an RBI single.

Danny Rodriguez, the tournament’s Outstanding Performer, then followed with a two-run single up the middle to put the Wildcats on top 3-1.

Chase DeBonis led off the second inning with a double down the left field line, which kicked off a four-run frame for the Wildcats. Sims then doubled him home, growing the lead to 4-1, before advancing to third on a Lao single and then scoring on a wild pitch.

Edney then singled home another run, before an Austin Garcia double brought him home and gave B-CU a 7-1 lead.

RBI singles from Sims and Lao in the third put the Wildcats up 9-1.

B-CU then scored twice in the bottom of the sixth; the first run came courtesy of Edney, who swiped home on a double steal, before Nate Sterijevski singled home Kyle Corbin to bring the game to its final margin.

Sims went 3-for-4 in the championship game with a pair of RBIs, while Edney was 2-for-3 and Rodriguez went 2-for-4. Both of those players also drove in two runs.

Donte Lindsay struck out six in seven innings of four-hit ball to pick up his third win of the season.

Outstanding Performer: Danny Rodriguez, Bethune-Cookman
Outstanding Coach: Jason Beverlin, Bethune-Cookman

2017 MEAC Baseball All-Tournament Team