Bison Softballs Split Against Waynesburg
April 16 – WAYNESBURG, Pa. – The Bethany College softball team split a pair of games in a conference matchup with Waynesburg University on Saturday. The Green & White captured game one by a 6-1 score, before dropping the second game, 1-0.
In game one, Bethany backed ace Cassie Weiss (Washington, Pa./McGuffey), as she threw a complete game, evening her record to 8-8 on the season.
The Bison put together offense early in the outing, notching a pair of runs in the opening frame. Kayla Kelly (Pasadena, Md./Institute of Notre Dame) led off the game with a double, and was moved to third on a ground out by Deanna Mihalco (Patterson, N.Y./Brewster). The next batter was Marissa Bosley (New Martinsville, W. Va./Magnolia), who doubled home Kelly to make the score 1-0.
Kylee Clark (Heath, Ohio/Lakewood) followed Bosley with an infield single, and Bosley came around to score on an error by the Yellow Jacket second baseman, giving the Green & White a 2-0 cushion.
The score would be more than enough for Weiss, who brought her "A" game in the matchup. The sophomore went the distance, allowing just four hits and one earned while striking out nine.
Bethany would add insurance runs in the third, fourth and seventh innings to push their lead to 6-0 in the late stages of the contest.
Sarah Coss (Bowie, Md./Bishop McNamara) drove in Jazmine Keller (Glen Easton, W. Va./John Marshall) with a sacrifice fly in the top of the third to make the score 3-0.
In the fourth inning, Kelly once again got the Bison rolling, this time with two outs. The senior doubled to left field and was immediately brought around to score on a single from Aubrey Baehr (Evans City, Pa./Seneca Valley). Baehr took second on the throw home, and was rewarded for the aggressive base running as Mihalco brought her home with a single to right center, making the score 5-0.
The Green & White would tally their final run of the game in the seventh inning as Bosley set the table with her second extra-base hit of the game. After tripling to right-center, the senior catcher was brought home on a RBI single from Coss.
Weiss pitched masterfully through the first six innings, allowing just one hit while striking out nine batters. In the seventh, Waynesburg totaled three of their four hits, getting one run across. However, Weiss was able to slam the door, improving her record to 8-8 on the season.
Offensively in game one, Bethany totaled 11 hits, led by two apiece from Kelly, Coss, Bosley and Mihalco. Coss added a pair of RBIs, while Kelly and Bosley finished with a double and a triple, each.
In the second game, the Bison found themselves on the wrong side of a pitchers' duel as Bethany's Sam Binkley (Ontario, Canada/St. James) took on the Yellow Jacket's Courtney Messenger. Combined, the pair of hurlers allowed just three hits through 3.5 innings before the hosts got on the board.
Waynesburg tallied the only run of the game in the bottom of the fourth on a pair of singles, making the score 1-0.
Throughout the remainder of the game, the Green & White managed a pair of hits, which included threatening in the top of the sixth inning.
With one out in the sixth, Kelly tripled to straight-away center, putting herself into scoring position. However, Kelly was erased on the next play as she was thrown out at home on a fielders' choice, ending the lone threat for the Green & White.
Weiss once again pitched well in game two, entering in the bottom of the fourth and allowing just one base runner on an error while striking out two.
Bethany will be back in action on Wednesday, April 20, as they play host to Thiel College at the Bethany Softball Diamond. The matchup with the Tomcats is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. start.
