Of course, it came down to Andrey Martinez.
The SWAC Co-Hitter of the Year walked up to the plate with Bethune-Cookman down by a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth.
With two runners on base, Martinez took a Carson Kelly offering over the centerfield wall for a dramatic 3-run home run to give the Wildcats an 11-9 win over Florida A&M on Sunday to win the program’s first-ever SWAC championship.
“I just wanted to put a good swing on the ball and help my team win,” Martinez said amid a jubilant on-field celebration. “This is what we’ve worked for all year.”
The championship game lived up to its billing as an all-Florida showdown between the top-seeded Wildcats (now 38–21) and the defending champion Rattlers (33–25).
Bethune-Cookman, under SWAC Coach of the Year Jonathan Hernandez, capped a record-setting season with its first SWAC regular season title and a tournament 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) May 25, 2025
The Wildcats jumped out to an early lead, but Florida A&M’s potent lineup, led by Freshman of the Year Garrett Workman and All-SWAC catcher Broedy Poppell, battled back to tie the game in the eighth inning.
Both teams leaned on their bullpens in the late innings, with Bethune-Cookman’s relief corps—anchored by Jean Carlos Zambrano—holding the line to set the stage for Martinez’s walk-off moment.
Martinez, who entered the game with a .349 average and a SWAC-leading 19 home runs, had already made his presence felt throughout the tournament. But it was his final at-bat that will live forever in Wildcat lore.
Bethune-Cookman’s championship run was defined by resilience. The Wildcats survived a 10-inning thriller against Alabama State in the semifinals and swept Florida A&M during the regular season, but Sunday’s finale was their toughest test yet.
The victory not only avenges their 2023 SWAC title game loss to Florida A&M but also cements Bethune-Cookman’s status as the conference’s new powerhouse.
The Wildcats’ deep lineup—featuring Martinez, Jesus Vanegas, and Jorge Rodriguez—proved too much for the Rattlers, while their rested bullpen delivered in the clutch.
With the win, Bethune-Cookman secures the SWAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, where they will look to continue their magical postseason run. For now, the Wildcats can savor a championship earned in the most dramatic way possible: a walk-off home run by their brightest star.
“This is a dream come true for our players, staff, and the Bethune-Cookman community,” Coach Hernandez said. “Andrey’s home run is a moment we’ll never forget.”
Bethune-Cookman baseball, champions of the SWAC, on a day and a swing that will echo for years to come.
