Walk-Off Winner Highlights Doubleheader Split Against Geneva
March 24 – BETHANY, W. Va. – The Bethany College baseball team split a Presidents' Athletic Conference doubleheader with Geneva on Thursday afternoon. The Bison used a walk-off single from Hyte Eurich (Cabot, Pa./Knoch) in extra innings to defeat the Golden Tornadoes, 4-3, after falling in game one by a score of 9-1.
With the late-game heroics from Eurich in the second contest, Bethany (5-7, 2-1 PAC) won the season series against Geneva, two games to one. Pitcher Joe Hoffman (Allison Park, Pa./Deer Lakes) earned the win after he came on in relief in the seventh inning, throwing four scoreless innings as the Golden Tornadoes failed to record a hit off the senior reliever.
Geneva (5-9, 1-4 PAC) struck first in game two of the doubleheader, taking an early 2-0 lead after putting together three hits in the top of the first.
The Bison narrowed the deficit in the bottom of the inning, scoring one run on a two-out double from Matt Shaffer (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry) as Ryan Nickerson (Huntington Beach, Calif./Huntington Beach) came around to score.
Once again, Geneva responded to the Bison offense by adding to their advantage in the second inning. The Golden Tornadoes tallied another run with two outs, making it 3-1.
Starting pitcher Nick Gross (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) settled down after the first two innings and found his groove on the mound. Gross didn't allow another runner to cross home as he lasted six innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits to go along with three strikeouts.
The Bison offense came alive in the sixth inning as John Lee (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) led off the inning with a single. After Adam Becker (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) walked, Nickerson laid down the sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third. Zack Miller (West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin) then drove Lee in on a grounder to second base and Bethany found themselves trailing 3-2 heading into the seventh inning.
After Hoffman mowed down the Golden Tornadoes in the seventh, Bethany needed a rally to tie the game up. Sage Micomonaco (Middletown, Ohio/Madison) walked in order to put the tying run on base. Jacob Stemmerich (Greensburg, Pa./Greater Latrobe) was called upon as a pitch hitter, and he delivered with a single to right field. With two outs remaining, Lee provided the clutch single down the right field line to drive in pinch runner Brandon Wagner (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills), and the Bison tied the game at 3-3.
Hoffman continued to hold the Geneva offense at bay, and the Green & White remained aggressive at the plate. The Bison put together two hits in the ninth inning, including singles from Ryan Bisi (Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe) and Lee. Geneva, however, managed to escape the inning with the game still tied.
Bethany then rallied again in the 10th inning as Nickerson singled to start the inning. Miller followed by drawing a walk, and Matt Schaffer (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry) laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners over. The stage was set for Eurich, who came through with a RBI single through the left side of the infield to drive in Nickerson for the game winner.
The Bison offense recorded nine hits in the contest, led by Lee and Nickerson with two, each.
In the opener, Bethany got on the board first, stringing together two hits in the bottom of the second. Lee provided a two-out RBI double to drive in Bisi and give Bethany a 1-0 advantage.
The Golden Tornadoes answered in their next at bats, totaling four runs on two hits. Geneva used a leadoff walk to start the inning as they managed to take a three-run lead over Bethany (4-1).
The visitors added to their lead in the fourth inning, scoring four more runs on four hits and two errors in the frame. An error with two outs allowed two more base runners to cross the plate, and the Golden Tornadoes capitalized by taking an 8-1 lead.
Bethany's offense was held in check throughout the remainder of the contest as they failed to record a hit in the final four innings.
Cody Gross (West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin) started on the mound for the Bison. Gross went 3 2/3 innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits, before he was replaced by Alex Fenstermaker (Kirtland, Ohio/Kirtland). Fenstermaker threw 1 1/3 innings of relief, allowing one run on two hits to go along with two strikeouts.
Ken Ryan (Brownsville, Pa./Brownsville) and Hunter Kashke (Moundsville, W. Va./Bishop Donahue) both looked solid as they were called upon for an inning of relief, each. Neither pitcher allowed a hit as they both threw one inning of scoreless work.
Miller led the Bison offense, finishing 2-for-3 at the dish. Bisi and Lee both went 1-for-2 in the game.
The Bethany College baseball team will return to the diamond on Monday, March 28 when they travel to take on Pitt-Greenburg in a nine-inning contest slated for a 2:00 p.m. start time.
