Bethany earns shutout win over Grove City, 1-0

Andrew Woodley, Sports Information Director

BETHANY, W.Va. (April 5) – Behind seven innings of shutout ball from sophomore Nick Gross (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny), the Bison held on for a 1-0 win over Grove City in a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) game Wednesday.

The Bethany College baseball team improves to 8-11-1 overall, 3-5 in the PAC. Meanwhile, the Wolverines fall to 6-3 in league play, 9-10 this season.

The Bison got on the board in the first inning when sophomore John Lee (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) singled, stole second and scored on a RBI-single by sophomore Tyler Frazee (Markleysburg, Pa./Uniontown) that put Bethany ahead 1-0.

The early run support proved to be enough for Gross. He held the Wolverines to five singles, over seven innings of work, with four strikeouts and two walks.

Gross was aided by steller defense that kept Grove City off of the board. The Wolverines had a runner on second with two outs in the fourth, when senior shortstop Zack Miller (West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin) ranged towards second to make a diving stop-and-throw to first to prevent a run.  

Grove City loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh inning with one out, but Gross forced an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play that kept him in line for his first-collegiate win on the mound.

Freshman Isaac Wengert (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon) and sophomore Neil Woods (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) came out of the bullpen and shut the door on the Wolverines with a pair of perfect innings in relief to secure the win for the Bison.

A trio of Bethany batters finished with multiple hits, led by Frazee who finished with two hits and the game's lone RBI. Lee and Miller both also finished with two hits in the win.

The Bison are back on the Bethany Park diamond on Saturday, April 8 when they host league-foe Saint Vincent for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.