In fact, it got here right down to Andrey Martinez.
The SWAC Co-Hitter of the Yr walked as much as the plate with Bethune-Cookman down by a pair of runs within the backside of the ninth.
With two runners on base, Martinez took a Carson Kelly providing over the centerfield wall for a dramatic 3-run residence run to present the Wildcats an 11-9 win over Florida A&M on Sunday to win this system’s first-ever SWAC championship.
“I simply needed to place an excellent swing on the ball and assist my workforce win,” Martinez stated amid a jubilant on-field celebration. “That is what we’ve labored for all yr.”
The championship sport lived as much as its billing as an all-Florida showdown between the top-seeded Wildcats (now 38–21) and the defending champion Rattlers (33–25).
Bethune-Cookman, beneath SWAC Coach of the Yr Jonathan Hernandez, capped a record-setting season with its first SWAC common season title and a match run marked by late-inning heroics and clutch hitting.
THAT’S HOW YOU WIN A @theswac TITLE!!! ANDREY MARTINEZ WALKS IT OFF!!! B-CU WINS, 11-9! pic.twitter.com/O0XwVcqIoY
— ⚾️Bethune-Cookman Baseball (@BCUDiamondCats) Might 25, 2025
The Wildcats jumped out to an early lead, however Florida A&M’s potent lineup, led by Freshman of the Yr Garrett Workman and All-SWAC catcher Broedy Poppell, battled again to tie the sport within the eighth inning.
Each groups leaned on their bullpens within the late innings, with Bethune-Cookman’s reduction corps—anchored by Jean Carlos Zambrano—holding the road to set the stage for Martinez’s walk-off second.
Martinez, who entered the sport with a .349 common and a SWAC-leading 19 residence runs, had already made his presence felt all through the match. But it surely was his ultimate at-bat that may dwell without end in Wildcat lore.
Bethune-Cookman’s championship run was outlined by resilience. The Wildcats survived a 10-inning thriller towards Alabama State within the semifinals and swept Florida A&M in the course of the common season, however Sunday’s finale was their hardest check but.
The victory not solely avenges their 2023 SWAC title sport loss to Florida A&M but additionally cements Bethune-Cookman’s standing because the convention’s new powerhouse.
The Wildcats’ deep lineup—that includes Martinez, Jesus Vanegas, and Jorge Rodriguez—proved an excessive amount of for the Rattlers, whereas their rested bullpen delivered within the clutch.
With the win, Bethune-Cookman secures the SWAC’s automated bid to the NCAA Match, the place they may look to proceed their magical postseason run. For now, the Wildcats can savor a championship earned in probably the most dramatic approach potential: a walk-off residence run by their brightest star.
“This can be a dream come true for our gamers, employees, and the Bethune-Cookman neighborhood,” Coach Hernandez stated. “Andrey’s residence run is a second we’ll always remember.”
Bethune-Cookman baseball, champions of the SWAC, on a day and a swing that may echo for years to return.
