An HBCU baseball program walked into one of college baseball’s toughest venues and left with a statement victory, as Bethune-Cookman knocked off No. 24 LSU 10-7 on Tuesday night at Alex Box Stadium.
Bethune-Cookman used timely hitting, patience at the plate, and clutch relief pitching to earn the biggest win of its season. The Wildcats finished with 10 runs on 12 hits and handed LSU a damaging home loss. It marked Bethune-Cookman’s first win over LSU in program history and its first victory over a ranked opponent since 2017.
Bethune-Cookman answers every LSU punch
LSU came out fast and grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning. But Bethune-Cookman refused to let the moment get too big. The Wildcats answered with three runs in the second inning as Erick Almonte, Christopher Watson, and Darryl Lee all delivered RBI hits.
LSU tied the game in the second, then moved back ahead in the third and again in the fourth. Each time, Bethune-Cookman had a response.
Jorge Rodriguez tied the score in the fourth with his first home run of the season. Michael Rodriguez evened things again in the fifth with a clutch double. After LSU took a 6-5 lead in the sixth on a solo home run by Jake Brown, Bethune-Cookman finally delivered the knockout blow.
HBCU squad break it open in the sixth
The decisive inning belonged to Bethune-Cookman. Darryl Lee sparked the rally with a triple and later scored on a single by Andrey Martinez. The Wildcats then took advantage of LSU’s shaky pitching and defense.
LSU walked in two runs during the inning and also allowed two more on an error at second base. By the end of the frame, Bethune-Cookman had turned a one-run deficit into a 10-6 lead.
That proved too much for LSU to overcome.
Zambrano slams the door
Jean Carlos Zambrano was the difference late for Bethune-Cookman. He pitched the final three innings and allowed no earned runs on just one hit while striking out three. His biggest moment came in the seventh, when LSU loaded the bases with no outs. Zambrano struck out the side to keep Bethune-Cookman in control.
Darryl Lee finished 2-for-4 with a double, a triple, and an RBI, while Almonte and Watson drove in two runs each.
The HBCU squad will now head to Mississippi Valley State for a three-game series, carrying major momentum after stunning LSU.