Bison fall late at Thomas More, 7-3

Andrew Woodley, Sports Information Director

CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. (May 6) - The Bethany College baseball team were defeated 7-3 in the opening game of a three-game series at Thomas More Saturday afternoon.

The Bison fall to 13-21-1 overall, 7-13 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC). Meanwhile, the Saints improve to 14-6 in league play, 25-9 overall.

The two teams were scoreless through four innings. Thomas More manufactured the game's first run in the fifth inning on a pair of singles, a sacrifice bunt and an RBI ground out to take a 1-0 lead.

Bethany, who was held to two hits through the first six innings, broke through in the seventh inning for three runs to take a 3-1 advantage. Senior Zack Miller (West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin) delivered a huge two-out RBI-double that tied the game and set the Bison up with runners at second and third. After a walk loaded the bases, senior Zach Schlotter (Twinsburg, Ohio/Gilmour Academy) stepped in a singled to score two runs and give Bethany a 3-1 lead.

Thomas More responded in the bottom half of the seventh. The Saints loaded the bases on a trio of singles and tied the game up with a two-out RBI-single, chasing freshman starting pitcher Tyler Alworth (Brackenridge, Pa./Highlands). Thomas More then went ahead with a two-RBI double to close the seventh with a 5-3 lead.

The Saints added to their lead in the eighth inning with two more runs on two-out base hits to wrap-up the 7-3 win.

Alworth (2-5) was tagged with the loss after allowing five runs on nine hits with three strikeouts over 6.2 innings.

Schlotter led the team at the plate with two hits and two RBI, while junior Ryan Nickerson (Huntington Beach, Calif./Huntington Beach) added a pair of base hits.

The Bison will conclude the 2017 regular season tomorrow, Sunday, May 7 when they play a doubleheader against Thomas More at noon.