Softball scores 19 runs in sweep of Franciscan

Andrew Woodley, Sports Information Director

BETHANY, W.Va. (April 20) – The Bison connected on 19 hits in two games to sweep Franciscan by scores of 5-1 and 14-0 Thursday evening at Bison Field in non-conference play.

The wins improve the Bethany College softball team to 14-18 overall, while the Barons fall to 10-16 this season.

GAME 1: Bethany 5, Franciscan 1

A strong outing from junior pitcher Cassie Weiss (Avella, Pa./McGuffey) and five Franciscan errors helped propel the Bison to a 5-1 win in game one.

Bethany opened the scoring in the first with a run on a designed run-down play. With runners on first and third, junior Jazz Fuqua (Washington, Pa./Trinity) allowed herself to get into a run down from first base, allowing freshman Erica Amoroso (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) to score from third and make the score 1-0.

The Bison took advantage of a pair of errors in the third inning to score four more runs and put the game out of reach. Fuqua doubled in two runs and later scored on an errant throw by the third baseman. A RBI-double by freshman Sammie Weiss (Avella, Pa./McGuffey) put the finishing touches on the inning to make the score 5-0.

Franciscan's best opportunity came in the fifth inning when they loaded the bases with one out. Cassie Weiss limited the Barons to one run on a sacrifice fly and forced a second fly ball to end the threat.

Cassie Weiss tossed a complete-game, allowing one run on six hits with six strikeouts and zero walks to improve to 9-11 on the season.

Fuqua led the team with the two RBIs, while junior Aubrey Baehr (Evans City, Pa./Seneca Valley) ended the game with two hits, including a double.

GAME 2: Bethany 14, Franciscan 0 (Final/5 Innings)

The Bison batters smacked 14 base hits and junior pitcher Sam Binkley (Kenilworth, Ontartio/St. James) twirled a one-hit shutout as Bethany completed the sweep with a 14-0 run-rule shortened game two win over Franciscan.

The Green & White scored in all four innings at the plate, including a quartet in the first inning to race out to a 4-0 lead. Senior Sarah Coss (Bowie, Md./Bishop McNamara) got the frame going with a two-RBI single and scored on a double-steal to push the lead to 3-0. A RBI-single by sophomore Emily Folk (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) drove in another run to make the score 4-0 after one inning.

Coss and freshman Kaitlyn Mills (New Lexington, Ohio/Crooksville) each connected on RBI singles in the second and third innings, respectively, to extend the lead to 6-0, before an eight-run fourth inning put the game completely out of reach for the Barons.

The Bison sent 11 batters to the plate and connected on six hits to make the score 14-0 after four innings. After Bethany loaded the bases with no outs, freshman Casey Hite (Bentleyville, Pa./Bentworth) delivered a bases-clearing triple over the center fielders head that scored all three runners. The Green & White scored three more runs to make the score 12-0, before freshman Tyra Bell (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) launched a ball over the center field fence for her first-career home run to put the finishing touches on the eight-run inning.

Binkley improved to 4-7 this season after holding the Barons to one hit over five innings of work with four strikeouts.

Coss had a fine day at the plate, finishing 4-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored to lead the Bison offense. Amoroso, Sammie Weiss and Folk each finished with two hits, apiece, while Hite matched Coss with three RBI.

Bethany returns to the Bison Field diamond on Saturday, April 22 when they host Geneva for a conference doubleheader at 1 p.m.