DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Interstat) — In a wild, back-and-forth affair that defied pregame projections, the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats erupted for a 10-run middle-inning rally to overcome an early six-run deficit and defeat the Delaware State Hornets 14-8 on Sunday afternoon in the first game of a doubleheader.

The game, which began in the afternoon and concluded in the evening, featured 25 combined runs and 25 hits, a stark contrast to the Interstat game simulator’s projection of a 6-0 Wildcats shutout. Despite the lopsided final score, the Hornets, now 0-11, mounted their most significant offensive challenge of the young season against a Bethune-Cookman team that improved to 9-3.

Delaware State stunned the home crowd early, batting around in a relentless first inning. They capitalized on two walks and three singles, scoring twice without the benefit of an extra-base hit. The Hornets added another run in the second on a sacrifice fly by Rosnell Lewis, who finished the day 4 for 5 with an RBI, to build a seemingly commanding 3-0 lead.

The most important part of the game, however, unfolded from the bottom of the second through the bottom of the sixth innings, as Bethune-Cookman systematically dismantled the Hornets’ pitching and erased the deficit with relentless pressure. The Wildcats began their comeback in the second, cutting the lead to 3-2 on a fielder’s choice by Sergio Rivera before shortstop Erick Almonte delivered a crucial two-run single to give Bethune-Cookman a 4-3 advantage.

Delaware State briefly reclaimed the lead at 5-4 in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Alec Rodriguez, but the Wildcats immediately answered in the bottom half on an RBI single from Darryl Lee. The game then turned decisively in the fifth and sixth. Bethune-Cookman sent nine men to the plate in the fifth, scoring four times on just two hits, aided by two Delaware State errors, a wild pitch, and a walk to take a 9-5 lead.

The Hornets clawed back with two runs in the top of the sixth, highlighted by Rodriguez’s second RBI double, to close to 9-8. Any momentum was swiftly extinguished in the bottom of the frame, as the Wildcats put the game out of reach with a five-run explosion. Jorge Rodriguez and Maikol Lucena delivered run-scoring hits before Almonte capped the onslaught with another two-run single, his fourth and fifth RBIs of the game, to make it 14-8. Wildcats reliever Andris Barroso earned the win with 3 1/3 innings of work, allowing two earned runs on four hits.

Delaware State’s Sean Ely provided a rare bright spot on the mound for the visitors, entering in the sixth and recording 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief with no hits allowed. Jaryn Sample hit a solo home run in the ninth for the Hornets’ final run.

The victory extended Bethune-Cookman’s dominance in the recent series, following wins of 14-7 and 15-0 over Delaware State just one day prior. The Wildcats’ offense proved too potent, overcoming an early offensive surge from a Hornets team still searching for its first win of the 2026 campaign.