Bison swept by Washington College to close Florida trip

Andrew Woodley, Sports Information Director

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (March 16) - The Bethany College baseball team was swept by Washington College, 5-4 and 13-0, Friday afternoon to conclude the team's spring break trip to Florida.

THE MATCHUP

• Game 1 Final: Washington College 5, Bethany 4 (Box Score)
• Game 2 Final: Washington College 13, Bethany 0 (Box Score)
• Records: Bethany 2-8 | Washington College 12-3
• Location: Lawnwood Complex | Fort Pierce, Florida

GAME 1: Washington College 5, Bethany 4

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Bison had their rally fall just short in the seventh inning in the team's 5-4 loss in game one of the doubleheader.
• After Bethany was retired in order in the first two innings, Washington College scored four runs on six hits in the bottom of the second inning to take the lead.
• The Bison managed to cut the deficit in half in the third inning. Junior John Lee (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) smacked a two-out RBI-triple into right field and would score when the next batter, senior Kelean Welch (Follansbee, W.Va./Brooke), reached on an error to make the score 4-2.
• Bethany had a chance to score again in the fifth inning when it had runners at first and second with no outs, but a fielder's choice and a double play ended the threat.
• Bethany starting pitcher Isaac Wengert (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon) struck out the side in the bottom of the fifth to keep the Bison within two runs.
• The Bison drew closer when Welch led off the top of the sixth with a triple and scored on an infield ground out to make the score 4-3.
• The Shoremen collected a trio of hits in the bottom of the sixth to score once, but Wengert stranded runners on second and third to limit the damage and keep the Bison within two runs at 5-3.
• Bethany led the seventh inning off with consecutive singles and pushed the game-tying run into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt.
• Senior Nate Marko (McKees Rocks, Pa./OLSH) drove in one run with an RBI-ground out, but the Bison were unable to plate the game-tying run and ended the game on a ground out.

GAME NOTES

• Wengert (1-2) was saddled with the loss after he allowed five runs on nine hits with four strikeouts.
• Six different Bison finished with hits, including Lee and Welch who each tripled in the game.
• Neither team was issued a walk in the game.

GAME 2: Washington College 13, Bethany 0

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Bison offense was no-hit in the second game of the day to close out the team's Florida trip. 
• Bethany had its best opportunity to score in the third inning when Washington College committed two errors that allowed runners to be on first and third, but the Bison were unable to push any runs across.
• Junior starting pitcher Tyler Frazee (Markleysburg, Pa./Uniontown) limited the Washington College lineup to two hits through three innings, before the Shoremen managed to break through in the fourth with three runs on two hits to take a 3-0 lead.
• Washington College added two more in the fifth and another run in the sixth to march out to a 6-0 lead. The Shoremen put the game out of reach with a seven-run seventh inning in which the Bison pitching staff issued six walks.

GAME NOTES

• Frazee (1-1) took the loss on the bump after giving up five runs (four earned) on six hits.
• The Bison were held without a hit by Shoremen pitcher Nick Roberti. Roberti struck out four and only yielded base runners on three Washington College errors.

UP NEXT:

• Bethany will play at Muskingum in a doubleheader Tuesday, March 20 at 2 p.m. in a doubleheader that was originally scheduled to be played at Bethany Park.
• Fans can follow a live statistical feed of the game, courtesy of Muskingum, by visiting the schedule page for links.