Bison Softball Drops Two in Doubleheader

March 11 – CLERMONT, Fla. – The Bethany College softball team closed out their annual spring break trip with two close decisions on Friday. The Bison were defeated by Penn State Behrend, 2-0, before falling to Arcadia University by a score of 3-0.

Bethany (4-8) opened the doubleheader action against Penn State Behrend (4-5). Sophomore Cassie Weiss (Washington, Pa./McGuffey) started on the mound for the Bison, pitching six innings and striking out four. 

The contest began as a pitching duel, with both hurlers holding the opposing offense off the board until the fifth inning.

Penn State Behrend used a leadoff single to start their rally. After two sacrifice bunts, the Nittany Lions had consecutive base knocks, including an RBI triple, to take a 2-0 advantage.

The Bison offense struggled to drive in base runners, stranding five over the first four innings. Penn State Behrend held the Green & White in check during the later innings, preserving a 2-0 shutout win.

Bethany finished the contest with five hits, led by senior Deanna Mihalco (Patterson, N.Y./Brewster) with two.  Senior Marissa Bosley (New Martinsville, W. Va./Magnolia), junior Sarah Coss (Bowie, Md./Bishop McNamara), and freshman Emily Folk (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) added a hit, each.

In game two, the Bison found themselves in another defensive battle with Arcadia University (7-1).

Sophomore Samantha Binkley (Arthur, Manitoba, Canada/St. James) held the Knights scoreless for five innings, while Bethany continued to have trouble on the offensive end. The Bison collected two hits in the first and fourth innings but failed to tally a run.

Binkley retired the first two batters in the sixth inning before the Knights finally broke through. Arcadia drew two walks and hit consecutive singles to take a two-run lead.

Arcadia then added to their advantage in the top of the seventh with another run to make it 3-0.

Coss doubled to start the bottom of the seventh, recording her second hit of the game. Bethany failed to advance her any further as the Knights defense held for the final margin, 3-0. 

Binkley pitched all seven innings, allowing just five hits and striking out five batters. 

Offensively, Mihalco recorded another two-hit game while Kayla Kelly (Pasadena, Md./Institute of Notre Dame) collected a base hit as well. 

Bethany College softball returns to the diamond on Tuesday, March 22 when they travel to Marietta, Ohio to take on Marietta College at 3:00 p.m.