12-Run Explosion Highlights Bison Baseball's Split with Saint Vincent
April 2 – LATROBE, Pa. – The Bethany College baseball team opened a three-game series with Saint Vincent College on Saturday afternoon, splitting a doubleheader with the Bearcats in Latrobe. The Bison captured game one by a 12-6 score before dropping game two, 2-0.
The Bison broke out the bats in game one of the doubleheader, striking for a season-high 12 runs while collecting a total of 17 hits.
Ryan Bisi (Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe) posted his first multi-hit game of the season to lead the way for the Green & White. The junior tallied three hits in the outing, while driving in a trio of runs.
Other three-hit performances were turned in by junior Zack Miller (West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin) and freshman Kevin Marthinsen (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair). Miller's was his second of the season, while Marthinsen posted three hits for the first time in his Bethany career.
The Bison got to Saint Vincent ace Tyler Frankel early in the game posting a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. With Miller and Ryan Nickerson (Huntington Beach, Calif./Huntington Beach) aboard, senior Matt Shaffer (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry) singled to right field, driving in both runners to give Bethany a 2-0 lead.
The Green & White tacked on two more runs in the third inning, taking advantage of Bearcat miscues. Miller reached base on an error and was moved to second on a single by Jake Stemmerich (Greensburg, Pa./Greater Latrobe). After getting to third, Miller was driven home for the second time, this time on a RBI double from Marthinsen.
On the next play, Marthinsen was able to score from second base thanks to a throwing error on the Bearcat first baseman, making the tally 4-0 in favor of the Green & White.
After surrendering runs in both the bottom of the third and fifth innings, the Bison broke the score open by posting four runs in the top of the sixth. Miller drove in his first run of the game before sophomore Ben Gavlik (Hong Kong, China) drew a bases-loaded walk. Bisi then drove in a pair of runs to give Bethany an 8-2 lead.
Saint Vincent would respond to the Bethany outburst, hanging a four-spot of their own in the home half of the sixth inning to pull the score to 8-6.
The Bison would once again have the answer, striking for four more runs in the top of the seventh to put the game out of reach at 12-6. Freshman Neil Woods (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) posted a pinch-hit, two-RBI single in the frame, with two more runs coming across on a wild pitch and a walk.
Offensively, Bisi led the way with his first three-RBI game of the season. Along with the three-hit performances from Miller and Marthinsen, both Adam Becker (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) and Stemmerich totaled two hits.
On the mound, junior Joe Giles (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox) improved his season record to 3-1 on the year, working five innings while allowing three earned runs and striking out three.
In game two, Bethany found itself on the wrong side of a pitchers dual, as the Bison dropped a 2-0 decision to split the twin bill.
Saint Vincent struck for singular runs in the first and third innings but would get no more off of freshman Nick Gross (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny), who threw a complete game performance. The freshman threw six solid innings, allowing just the pair on nine hits while striking out two.
The Bison and Bearcats will play the rubber match of their three-game series on Sunday, April 3 at Bison Stadium. Bethany will go for the series win in the nine-inning game which is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.
