Bison split with Pitt.-Greensburg on Senior Day

Andrew Woodley, Sports Information Director

BETHANY, W.Va. (May 5) - The Bethany College baseball team rebounded from a 12-10 loss to claim a 13-4 win over Pitt.-Greensburg Sunday evening on Senior Day at Bethany Park.

THE MATCHUP

• Game 1 Final: Pitt.-Greensburg 12, Bethany 10 (Box Score)
• Game 2 Final: Bethany 13, Pitt.-Greensburg 4 (Box Score)
• Records: Bethany 12-23 | Pitt.-Greensburg 24-11
• Location: Bethany Park | Bethany, West Virginia

GAME 1: Pitt.-Greensburg 12, Bethany 10

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Bison trailed 6-3 after four frames, despite posting runs in each of the first three innings.
• A RBI-double by senior Andrew Gilliland (Gahanna, Ohio/Bishop Hartley) and a wild pitch with a runner on third helped Bethany narrow the deficit to one run, 6-5.
• The Bison put two on with one out in the sixth inning, when sophomore Kevin Marthinsen (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) delivered a pinch-hit RBI-double to tie the game up at 6-6.
• Bethany took the lead two batters later when junior Neil Woods (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) singled in two runs to make the score 8-6.
• Consecutive RBI-triples from seniors Ryan Nickerson (Huntington Beach, Calif./Huntington Beach) and Saige Micomonaco (Middletown, Ohio/Madison) would make the score 10-6 entering the final frame.
• Pitt.-Greensburg managed to rally four six runs on four hits in the top of the seventh to reclaim the lead at 12-10.
• Bethany had the potential game-winning run at the plate with two outs in the bottom of the frame, but a game-ending 5-4-3 around the horn double play ended the game.

GAME NOTES

• The Bison finished the game with 16 hits, including three-hit games by both Micomonaco and freshman Kyle Goodwin (Parkersburg, W.Va./Parkersburg).
• Micomonaco, Woods and Gilliland each finished with two RBI to lead the team.

GAME 2: Bethany 13, Pitt.-Greensburg 4

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Bobcats took the lead first with two runs in the second inning on four hits.
• Bethany answered back in the bottom of the second with seven runs on eight-consecutive hits to take a 7-2 lead.
• The Bison added to their lead in the fourth inning with three more runs, including two on a two-out two-RBI double by Woods, to take a 10-2 advantage.
• Pitt.-Greensburg looked poised to get back into the game when they drew two walks and collected two hits to start the fifth inning, but a great throw from right field to third base by senior Jacob Miller (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington North) got the first out of the inning and left the Bobcats with just a runner on first base.  
• Bethany got consecutive outs to end the fifth inning and maintain a 10-4 lead.
• The Bison rebuilt their lead to 13-4 in the sixth inning. The big hit in the inning came off of the bat of Nickerson, who drove home a run with a double to right field.
• The Bethany bullpen tossed a pair of scoreless innings on the back-end to close out the win and secure a split on Senior Day.

GAME NOTES

• Bethany finished game two with 14 hits, led by junior Brandon Wagner (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills), who was a perfect 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
• Goodwin, Marthinsen, Woods and Miller all had two hits, with the first three all driving in two runs.
• Gilliland improved to 1-1 on the mound this season after holding Pitt.-Greensburg to four runs on seven hits with one strikeout over five innings of work.
• Prior to the doubleheader, the Bison honored its nine senior student-athletes for their contributions to the program.

UP NEXT:

• Bethany will close out the season on Tuesday, May 8 when it hosts Penn State Behrend for a non-conference game at 1 p.m.
• The two squads will play a junior varsity game afterwards.