Bethune-Cookman, Stetson off to promising conference starts in college baseball season

DAYTONA BEACH — Bethune-Cookman celebrated local bragging rights Tuesday in a battle pitting Volusia County's two Division I baseball programs head-to-head.

Hylan Hall had three of the Wildcats' 15 hits, Malik Stephens knocked in four RBIs from the 9-hole and B-CU rolled to a 13-5 victory over the Hatters at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Stetson has won 69 of the 90 all-time games between the two schools, but B-CU has emerged victorious in three of the last four, dating back to the start of the 2022 season.

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A Tuesday night non-conference tilt in late March, however, does not define the entire season. It's all about league play for the two mid-majors, and both Stetson and Bethune-Cookman got off to promising starts last weekend.

Just over a month into the campaign, let's check in with both squads and see what has gone right, and what hasn't, so far.

Bethune-Cookman (11-10, 2-1 SWAC)

The Wildcats prevailed in a three-game series with defending SWAC champion Alabama State, rallying from three runs down in the opener and holding on for a 6-5 win in the Sunday finale, aided by Jeremy Garcia's three-run homer.

Resilience at the plate, coach Jonathan Hernandez says, has been a hallmark for the Wildcats. They displayed that bounce-back ability again versus Stetson, responding to the Hatters' three-run top half of the fourth with eight unanswered runs over the ensuing two innings.

"Any time a team scores, we find a way to score again," Hernandez said. "I think those guys are tough-minded. The (at-bats) have been extended just because of the overall depth we have on the offensive side."

Senior infielder Luis Tuero is tied for the second in the SWAC in hits (29), tacking on another pair from the leadoff spot in Tuesday's win. Washington State transfer Hall ranks fourth in the league with a .397 average, and Robert Moya is tied for the top spot in doubles (nine), posting a team-best 1.044 OPS.

Nolan Santos anchors the pitching staff, and the junior is one of the most prolific punchout artists in the country thus far. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound junior right-hander has fanned 46 batters in 30 innings, topping 10 strikeouts in three of his five starts.

Both Santos and Daniel Gaviria have notched two wins apiece with sub-4 ERAs at the top of the weekend rotation.

As for points of emphasis on improvement, Hernandez points out the team's defense. The Wildcats have made 28 errors in 21 games, and their .961 fielding percentage ranks in the bottom third of Division I.

B-CU's win over Stetson was its first midweek triumph in five tries, taking previous losses to Florida International, UCF, Florida State and Jacksonville. The Wildcats were swept in a weekend road series against nationally ranked South Carolina and still have significant non-conference trips to Florida and Miami, a home-and-home with South Florida and a return trip to Stetson in addition to its SWAC slate.

"Coach Johnny speaks on not being complacent. We've had some struggles early on, but we've also had a lot of success," Hall said. "We're just trying to stay hungry. At the end of the day, we've got one goal, and that's to win the SWAC."

Stetson (14-9, 3-0 ASUN)

Tuesday's loss might have been a disappointment for Stetson, but it should hardly dampen the mood after an impressive home sweep of defending champ Kennesaw State to open ASUN play.

The Hatters rallied from five down with 10 unanswered runs to secure the series win Saturday as Andrew Estrella and Cam Hill launched crucial home runs. Daniel Paret and Jonathan Gonzalez combined to toss a two-hitter Sunday, while David Bermudez provided his second walkoff moment of the weekend with a game-ending solo shot.

Stetson's uptick in power has been monumental. The Hatters have already belted 29 home runs in 23 games, compared to 31 as a team for the entirety of the 2022 season (54 games). Melching Field's reduced dimensions, part of the $8 million ballpark renovation project, can be at least partially attributed, but the Hatters' lineup appears as formidable as it has in years.

Daniel Labrador went deep twice on a breezy night at the Jack, and he was the Hatters' only player to notch multiple hits Tuesday.

Stetson coach Steve Trimper is trusting in youth with his everyday lineup. True freshmen Landon Moran, Evan Griffis and Jayden Hylton have each made 22 starts, and Lorenzo Meola has made 19 appearances. Moran — formerly a Florida commit — leads the team with a .369 batting average, and Griffis is a perfect 12-for-12 on stolen bases.

"On the whole, I think we upgraded our talent," Trimper said. "One of our biggest concerns was when you play a lot of young guys, you go through these ups and downs. But I am convinced 100% that it is better for the longevity of our program.

"I'm watching these guys have really good, competitive at-bats and take advantage of mistakes."

Estrella tops the slugging chart with a .640 percentage, bashing eight doubles and six home runs. Junior catcher Christian Pregent, an Atlantic High grad, already has four homers with a team-best 1.021 OPS.

Stetson typically prides itself on pitching, producing Cy Young Award winners Jacob deGrom and Corey Kluber as well as first-round MLB draft pick Logan Gilbert in days gone by. However, the Hatters' staff has a combined for a pedestrian 5.16 ERA, striking out 233 batters and issuing 100 walks across 199 innings.

Junior ace Austin Amaral delivered the goods on opening night with five scoreless frames against Manhattan, and he tossed a complete-game shutout against Mount St. Mary's. For the year, the DeBary native is 2-2 with a 4.26 ERA.

Paret appears fully recovered from his 2020 shoulder surgery; the redshirt senior left-hander is yet to allow a run over 9⅔ innings with 17 strikeouts and an opponents' batting average of .129. Nick Durgin has adapted well to high-leverage relief situation, picking up one save and keeping Kennesaw State scoreless in four innings Friday.

"I feel really confident with about six arms," said Trimper, including starters Gonzalez and Anthony DeFabbia in the group. "Freshman Brendan Walker has been outstanding, especially for a young guy, and will be a major piece going forward as well."

Finding another few reliable pitchers could be the key to Stetson's ASUN ambitions. Nick Guzzi and Jack Owens each posted their share of zeroes out of the bullpen, and Trimper hopes to see continued consistency from them.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: College baseball: Bethune-Cookman beats Stetson in midweek matchup