Baseball: Second-game struggles prevent Bison from winning series against Panthers

Drew VonScio, Student Assistant for Athletic Communications 

BETHANY, W.Va. – The Bison hosted Pitt-Bradford for another doubleheader this afternoon at Bethany Park. After hanging on for dear life in game one, Bethany was unable to claim the series victory as the pitching staff ran out of gas which resulted in the four-game series being split between the sides.

Game one started in a deadlock through three innings of play until the Panthers struck first in the top of the fourth inning. Luke Beatty quickly responded with a sacrifice fly that brought home CJ Owens. The Bison first baseman drove in two more with a double to left the very next inning scoring Colton Stoneman and Nick Roell. Bethany kept the momentum going with Derek Black singling to center that brought in Beatty and Owens. Grant Schaffner capped off the five-run inning with an RBI groundout to shortstop which allowed JT Hubert to score.

Pitt-Bradford was down, but not out with three outs to work with in the top of the seventh. The Panthers fought back with five runs of their own in the inning before closer Zach Nolf was able to slam the door and retire the side with the tying run 90 feet away in order to give the Green and White the series lead heading into the last game against the Panthers.

Alec Berg got the win on the mound pitching 6.2 innings as he tried to go the distance. Berg conceded five runs (four earned) while striking out and walking four batters. Nolf was credited with the save as he recorded the final out. The senior closer is now tied for fourth all-time in Bethany history with nine saves. The Bison were very aggressive on the bases in game one swiping four bags.

Game two told a much different story for the Bison, one that did not have a fairytale ending. Pitt-Bradford fed off of their momentum swing late in the first half of the doubleheader by posting four first-inning runs before adding four more in the third inning. Bethany did not get on the board until the bottom of the third when Stoneman singled to right and brought home

Devin Toothman which slightly shrunk the deficit for the hosts. Any ounce of Green and White momentum was swept away when the Panthers went out in the top of the fourth and added three more.

Bethany responded with four of their own as pinch hitters were called upon and made an immediate impact; Payton Zupko tripled to left and scored Ethan McHugh and Jake McGlumphy. Fox then singled in Zupko before Colin Thomas scored Toothman. Pitt-Bradford added three more over the final three innings while catcher Hayden Fox went yard with a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth. Logan Bennett provided some composure out of the bullpen as he conceded a lone run over 2.1 innings pitched.

After splitting the season series with the Panthers 2-2, the Bison have one more doubleheader before heading to Myrtle Beach for Spring Break. Bethany hosts Penn State-Fayette in a doubleheader at Bethany Park on Saturday, March 4. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.