Bethany Softball Rolls to Doubleheader Sweep Against Franciscan

April 13 – STEUBENVILLE, Ohio – The Bethany College softball team cruised to a doubleheader sweep against Franciscan University on Wednesday afternoon. The Bison won the first game by a score of 14-0 before earning a 7-1 victory in game two.

In the opener, eight different Bison drove in runs as the offense exploded for 14 runs and ended the game in five innings.

Sophomores Cassie Weiss (Washington, Pa./McGuffey) and Gabrielle Goudy (Powhatan Point, Ohio/River) combined for a two-hit shutout against the Barons. Weiss started and pitched the first two innings, while Goudy threw three scoreless innings of relief.

Senior Kayla Kelly (Pasadena, Md./Institute of Notre Dame) set the tone right away, leading the game off with a solo shot to spark the Bison offense. The Bison added one more run in the top half of the first to take a 2-0 lead.

Bethany extended their lead with two more runs on two hits in the second. Sophomore Jasmine Fuqua (Washington, Pa./Trinity) started off the inning reaching first after getting hit by a pitch. Fuqua advanced to third before she driven in by a grounder from senior Ashley Brill (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster). Kelly singled to restart the offense, and she scored after a triple from sophomore Aubrey Baehr (Evans City, Pa./Seneca Valley) to make it 4-0.

The Bison remained aggressive at the plate, opening up a double-digit lead after scoring two runs in the third and four more in the fourth inning.

Junior Sarah Coss (Bowie, Md./Bishop McNamara) and Fuqua recorded back-to-back extra-base hits before senior T.J. Solomon (Beltsville, Md./Elizabeth Seton) added a RBI single to total two runs in the third.

Bethany used two hits and an error by Franciscan to collect four runs in the fourth. Senior Marissa Bosley (New Martinsville, W. Va./Magnolia) and Solomon both singled as the Bison continued to move around the base paths.

The Green & White tallied four more runs in the fifth inning, highlighted by a two-run double from junior Kylee Clark (Heath, Ohio/Lakewood) and two RBIs on a ball hit hard to left field by freshman Emily Folk (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown).

Bethany recorded nine hits in the game, led by Kelly and Solomon with two.

Clark had a team-high three RBIs while Solomon, Folk, Brill, and Fuqua each drove in two runs.

In game two, Bethany was led by freshman Fran Capaldi (Steubenville, Ohio/Central Catholic), senior Sam Newfrock (Endwell, N.Y./Endicott), and Clark with three hits apiece. The Bison couldn't be slowed down, amassing 14 hits in the 7-1 victory.

The Green & White took an early lead after using three hits to score a run in the second inning. Brill singled with two outs to drive in Newfrock.

Bethany went on to blow the game wide open in the third inning. The Bison scored three runs on two hits, taking a 4-0 lead over the hosts. Freshman Ashley Narigon (Washington, Pa./McGuffey) drove in one run on a single and scored later on in the frame.

Franciscan got on the scoreboard with one run in the bottom of the third, but the Bison offense continued to extend their lead over the Barons.

Bethany scored another run in the fourth inning on a RBI-double from Mihalco. The Bison added two more runs in their next at bats as Clark, Capaldi, and Newfrock all had hits to make it 7-1 in the fifth inning.

Sophomore Samatha Binkley (Ontario, Canada/St. James) held the Barons scoreless in the sixth and seventh innings to help the Bison preserve the six-run (7-1) victory.

Goudy started the second contest, tossing two more scoreless innings while only allowing one hit. Binkley pitched the final five innings, yielding one run on two hits while striking out four.

The Bethany softball team will be back in action on Saturday, April 16 when they travel to Waynesburg University for a Presidents' Athletic Conference matchup at 1:00 p.m.