Softball claims split with Westminster on Senior Day

Andrew Woodley, Sports Information Director

BETHANY, W.Va. (April 21) - The Bethany College softball team rebounded from a 6-1 loss in game one to earn a 3-2 walk-off win in game two against Westminster in a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) doubleheader on Senior Day Saturday afternoon. The game two win snapped the Titans' 19-game winning streak.

THE MATCHUP

• Game 1: Westminster 6, Bethany 1 (Box Score)
• Game 2: Bethany 3, Westminster 2 - Final/8 Innings (Box Score)
• Records: Bethany 14-14, 7-7 PAC | Westminster 21-6, 12-1 PAC
• Location: Bison Field | Bethany, West Virginia

Game 1: Westminster 6, Bethany 1

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Westminster got on the board early with the help of four hits in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead.
• The Titans added to its lead with a run in the fourth, but the Bison answered in the bottom half of the inning.
• Sophomore Erica Amoroso (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) took advantage of a bad hop in right field to lead off the inning with a triple. Bethany hit a pair of fly balls, but neither was far enough to let Amoroso tag from third.
• Westminster appeared as if it would escape the inning unscathed, but a dropped pop-up by the second baseman allowed Amoroso to score and make it a 3-1 game.
• The Titans got the run back in the fifth inning, but an error on the Bison allowed two more Westminster runs to come across and put the game out of reach at 6-1.

GAME NOTES

• Senior pitcher Sam Binkley (Kenilworth, Ontario/St. James) took the loss after allowing six runs (four earned) on 10 hits with six strikeouts over seven innings.
• Junior Fran Capaldi (Steubenville, Ohio/Catholic Central) led the team with two hits in the loss.
• Westminster's Jazmyn Rohrer struck out 10 batters to earn the win for the Titans. 

Game 2: Bethany 3, Westminster 2 - Final/8 innings

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Bison took advantage of a leadoff error in the first inning, before senior Ashley Narigon (Washington, Pa./McGuffey) singled through the middle with a runner in scoring position to give Bethany a 1-0 lead.
• Binkley, who also started game two, was cruising along until the fourth inning. She retired the first 11 Titan batters in-order, but allowed a two-out base runner when she hit a batter. The next person up hit a game-tying RBI-double to break-up the no-hit bid and tie the game at 1-1.
• The contest remained tied entering the bottom of the sixth inning, when sophomore Tyra Bell (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) hit an opposite-field home run to give Bethany a 2-1 lead.
• Westminster led the top of the seventh off with a single and advanced the runner to third on a ground out and passed ball.
• With one out, the Titans hit a ground ball to second base. The runner at third broke for the plate, but turned back and was caught in a run down. After a few exchanges, the runner avoided a tag and scored to tie the game up at 2-2.
• Bethany freshman Gabby Capaldi (Steubenville, Ohio/Catholic Central) led the bottom of the seventh off with a bunt single and advanced to third on a pair of sacrifice bunts, but was unable to score when Westminster pitcher Jazmyn Rohrer recorded the final out.
• Westminster threatened in the top of the eighth, but a fly ball out and a strikeout by Binkley kept the game tied up at 2-2.
• Bethany sophomore Kayla Dinsmore (Beavercreek, Ohio/Beavercreek) drew a one-out walk to reach base in the bottom of the eighth. 
• After a sacrifice bunt by Bell moved her into scoring position, Narigon hit a ball to the left side of the infield. The Westminster shortstop came up with the ball, but over-threw the first baseman, allowing Dinsmore to score from second and give Bethany a 3-2 walk-off win.

GAME NOTES

• Binkley improved to 8-9 this season after limiting Westminster to two runs on four hits with six strikeouts. She moved into sixth place all-time at Bethany with 233 career strikeouts, surpassing former Bison Jodi Jackfert (1995-98).
• Narigon led the offense with three hits, including her infield single that setup the winning run. Dinsmore paced Narigon with two hits, while Bell had the sixth inning solo home run.
• The Bison softball team held a pre-game ceremony to honor its four seniors. Narigon, Binkley, Jazz Fuqua (Washington, Pa./Trinity) and Cassie Weiss (Taylorstown, Pa./McGuffey) were all presented with their uniform and gifts prior to game one.
• Weiss threw out the ceremonial first-pitch. She is Bethany's all-time strikeout leader, but suffered a season-ending injury in a game versus W&J earlier this season.

UP NEXT:

• The Bison, who are right in the middle of the PAC Tournament race, have a very important doubleheader at Saint Vincent on Tuesday, April 24 at 3:30 p.m.
• The Bearcats (18-6, 9-3 PAC) currently sit in third place in the league standings, just ahead of the Bison, who are in fourth place.
• The top-four teams in the conference qualify for the PAC Tournament.