Baseball closes season with split at Thomas More

Andrew Woodley, Sports Information Director

CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. (May 7) - The Bison wrapped up the 2017 season with a split at Thomas More, dropping game one 3-2, before claiming a 7-5 win to close out the season Sunday afternoon.

The Bethany College baseball team concludes the year at 14-22-1 overall, 8-14 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC). Meanwhile, the Saints move to 15-7 in league play, 26-10 overall.

GAME 2: Bethany 7, Thomas More 5

The Bison used a five-run inning and held off a late rally to earn a 7-5 win to wrap up the series Sunday afternoon.

Bethany took advantage of five errors in the third inning to score five runs and take a 5-0 lead. With the bases loaded from three errors, junior Saige Micomonaco (Middletown, Ohio/Madison) drove in a pair with a two-RBI single and junior Jacob Miller (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington North) drove in a third run with a mishandled ball in center field. Sophomore John Lee (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) helped the team score two more runs with an RBI-single that scored two runs with the aide of an error by the left fielder to give the Bison a five-run lead.

Thomas More chipped away with a run in the third inning to pull within four, 5-1, but the Bison managed to extend their lead in the fifth inning. Sophomore Brandon Wagner (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) came to the plate with runners on second and third and delivered a base-hit that plated both runners and improved the Bethany lead to 7-1 after five and a half played.

The two teams played a pair of scoreless innings, sending the Bison into the bottom of the seventh with a six run lead, Thomas More would not go away quietly, loading the bases with nobody out. The Saints came up with a pair of two-RBI singles to pull within two runs, before sophomore pitcher Neil Woods (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) picked up the final out on a ground out to preserve the victory.

Wagner and Micomonaco each finished with two RBI, while Woods and Lee each finished with two hits, apiece, to lead the Bison at the dish.

Senior Cody Gross (Pittsburgh, Pa./West Mifflin) went to 2-3 on the season after yielding only one run on four hits with four strikeouts over six-plus innings on the bump.

GAME 2: Thomas More 3, Bethany 2

The Bison almost rallied from behind in the seventh inning, but could not break through to tie the game in their 3-2 loss in game one.

Bethany took advantage of an error in the fifth inning to score the game's first run. Lee and senior Alex Martin (Sound Beach, N.Y./Miller Place) each singled and Lee scored on an error to make the score 1-0.

Thomas More responded with all three of its runs in the sixth inning on four hits, including a pair of doubles to take a 3-1 lead.

Bethany looked poised to rally back in the seventh and final inning when they opened the frame with a single, double and an RBI-single by Wagner to pull within one run, 3-2, with runners at second and third with no outs.

The Saints pitcher recovered to retire the next three batters, including a pair of strikeouts to end the game and give Thomas More a 3-2 win.

Sophomore Nick Gross (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) took the loss on the mound, falling to 2-3 this season after limiting the Saints to three runs on seven hits with a pair of strikeouts over six innings of work.

Woods, Martin and Jacob Miller each finished the game with two hits to lead the Bison at the plate.

Bethany finished with its most wins in a single-season since the team won 19 games in 2014.