Haley Parks, Haylene Gonzalez and Kayla Traylor made All-SWAC teams.
Three Wildcats were named 2023 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) All-Conference on Monday.
Sophomore pitcher Haylene Gonzalez was named All-SWAC First Team.
She went 14-13 and finished seventh in the SWAC in earned run average (2.95) and fourth in opposing batting average (.241).
Gonzalez leads the SWAC in strikeouts (170), pitched 13 complete games and had four shutouts. She was the SWAC Pitcher of the Week, a league-high four times.
Senior outfielder Haley Parks earned AllSWAC Second Team.
She led the team with a .290 batting average and played in all 46 games, starting in 45.
Parkes led the team with 42 hits (10th best in the SWAC) and was fourth in the league in triples (4). She also was tied for the team-lead in steals (17), adding 60 putouts and four assists for a .970 fielding average defensively.
Fifth-year senior Kayla Traylor also was named All-SWAC Second Team.
She was fourth in the SWAC for walks drawn (24), tied for sixth in the league in sacrifice bunts (7), all while batting .205 for the Wildcats.
Traylor started in all 46 games, had 25 hits, 11 RBIs, scored 16 runs, posted a.960 fielding average with 68 putouts and a team-high 51 assists on defense.
“Getting all-conference recognition for our players is great because of the hard work they’ve put in throughout the season. Halyne [Gonzalez], Haley [Parks] and Kayla [Traylor] have been tremendous for us,” responded Watten.
“And Kayla, I tell you… she’s just a leader. The leader every team needs. Haley gives her all every at-bat. And Halyne has been a warrior in the circle.”
Note: Stats was pre-SWAC Tournament.
Wildcats’ baseball back on track
On the diamond, Bethune Cookman (25-22) got back on track by sweeping the Alabama A&M Bulldogs in a four-game series at Jackie Robinson Ballpark from Mat 5-7.
One of the games was a makeup game from the series in Huntsville, Alabama last month.
“We got some guys back who were injured last month. Our starting pitching was able to go deep in three games. We played well and got some much-needed wins,” responded B-CU Head Coach Jonathan Hernandez.
In the series against the Bulldogs, Hyland Hall (6-for-14, 3 runs, 7RBIs); Robert Moya (7-for-16, 6 runs, 5 RBIs); Malik Stephens (four hits, 6 runs, 2RBIs); Colton Olasin (7-for-14, 7 runs, 5RBIs); Boris Pena (7-for-19, 3 runs, 2RBI) were among many Wildcats who shined offensively.
Nolan Santos (1 win, 7IP, 0R, 3H, 12SO), Danile Gaviria (1 win, 9IP, 7H, 2R, 5SO), Santiago Gomez (7IP, 4R, 3ER, 9K), Joan Gonzalez (2IP, 3K, 1R, 1H, 1 save) and Dale Michaud (1 win, 2.3IP, 2H, 3K, 0R) shined on the mound.
The Wildcats are 16-7 in the SWAC East Division behind Alabama State (21-3) and ahead of Florida A&M (17-8).
B-CU came into the AAMU series having lost five of their previous nine games.
“A combination of being on the road for 17-games and we just didn’t play up to our potential contributed to the slide. I’d rather it happens now instead of in the SWAC tournament when it counts,” said Hernandez.
B-CU’s Tuesday night matchup with Stetson University was canceled.
The Wildcats have seven games remaining, including one three-game home conference series, one three game road conference series and a midweek non-conference game at UCF.
Hernandez expressed, “We just have to continue to execute, play clean defense and have our hitters take advantage of any opportunities they get with runners in scoring position.”
B-CU travels to Florida A&M in a key SWAC East Series from May 12-14.
On the mound, Gavira (4-3, 3.65ERA) and Santos (4-3, 3.80ERA, 103SO, 71IP) led the rotation while Gonzalez (4-1, 3.52ERA, 6 saves) leads the bullpen for B-CU.
Hall (.349BA, 4HR, 39RBI, 58H, 43R), Moya (.335, 6HR, 38RBI, 43R) and Luis Tuero (.347BA, 20RBI, 52H) pace the Wildcats’ offense.
They also have Garrett Chung (.310BA, 14RBI, 48H, 36R), Pena (.294BA, 3HR, 34RBI), Jeremy Garcia (.279, 1HR, 27RBI) and Irvin Escobar (.308, 3HR, 21RBI) and others.
B-CU’s Hopkins wins SWAC pole vault title
Bethune-Cookman’s had three men’s athletes win individual titles at the SWAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Prairie View, Texas from May 4-6.
Michael Hopkins (14’11”) won the pole vault, Emmanuel Corral (9:30:12) won the 3000 steeplechase and Isaiah Johnson (6,381 points) won the decathlon for B-CU.
The Wildcats men’s team finished fifth in the team standings.
On the women’s side, Amenda Saint-Louis led the way for B-CU finishing third in the 4000-meter dash.
Bethune-Cookman’s women finished 11th in the team standings.
Alabama State’s men and Prairie View’s women took home team titles.
For more information on Bethune-Cookman University Athletics, visit www.bcuathletics.com.