Softball claims wins over Plymouth State, Benedictine on final day in Florida

Andrew Woodley, Sports Information Director

CLERMONT, Fla. (March 13) - The Bethany College softball team closed out its trip to Florida with wins over Plymouth State and Benedictine (Ill.) Saturday afternoon at Legends Way. The Bison finished the week 7-3 overall at the PFX Spring Games..

THE MATCHUPS

• Game 1 Final: Bethany 5, Plymouth State 4 - Final/9 Innings - (Box Score)
• Game 2 Final: Bethany 13, Benedictine 8 (Box Score)
• Records: Bethany 7-3 | Plymouth State 1-2 | Benedictine 0-3
• Location: Legends Way | Clermont, Florida

GAME 1: Bethany 5, Plymouth State 4 (Final/9 innings)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Bison put runners on second and third to start the game, when sophomore Kayla Dinsmore (Beavercreek, Ohio/Beavercreek) tripled to score both runners and give Bethany a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
• The Green & White loaded the bases in the second inning with no outs on three-straight singles, before Dinsmore collected another RBI on a sacrifice fly to give Bethany a 3-0 lead.
• Senior pitcher Sam Binkley (Kenilworth, Ontario/St. James) no-hit the Panthers through three innings, but Plymouth State finally broke out in the fourth for two runs on four hits to close the gap to 3-2.
• Plymouth State took advantage of a fielding error in the fifth inning to tie the game at 3-3, but neither team could manufacture any offense in the sixth and seventh, sending the game into extra innings.
• Utilizing the "international tie-breaker rule" (runner placed at second base), Bethany managed to take a 4-3 lead in the top half of the eighth on an RBI single from sophomore Erica Amoroso (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon).
• Plymouth State answered back with a run of its own in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at 4-4 and send it into the ninth inning.
• Bethany advanced its runner to third base in the top of the ninth, before freshman Gabby Capaldi (Steubenville, Ohio/Catholic Central) delivered a sacrifice fly to give Bethany the lead once again.
• Plymouth State advanced its runner to third base on a sacrifice bunt, but senior pitcher Cassie Weiss (Taylorstown, Pa./McGuffey) sat down the next two batters to preserve the 5-4 win.

GAME NOTES

• Weiss (3-2) earned the win in relief for the Bison. She held Plymouth State to one hit and struck out three in two innings of work.
• Binkley (no decision) went seven innings and limited the Panthers to three runs (two earned) on five hits with three strikeouts.
• Amoroso collected three hits with one RBI and one run scored, while Dinsmore finished with a team-best three RBI in the win. 

GAME 2: Bethany 13, Benedictine (Ill.) 8

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Bison rallied back from behind twice in their 13-8 win over Benedictine to close out the Florida trip.
• Benedictine established a 4-0 lead through two and a half innings played, but the Bison erased the deficit with one swing.
• Bethany loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the third inning when Dinsmore came through with a game-tying grand slam over the center field fence.
• The Bison took their first lead of the game in the fourth inning on a two-out, two-RBI single by junior Fran Capaldi (Steubenville, Ohio/Catholic Central) that made the score 6-4.
• Benedictine took advantage of a pair of Bethany miscues and drew two bases loaded walks to take an 8-6 lead in the top of fifth inning.
• The Green & White answered back with a four-run inning of its own in the bottom of the fifth to reclaim the lead at 10-8.
• A lead-off walk by junior Emily Folk (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) was followed by a double from Dinsmore and a RBI-single by sophomore Tyra Bell (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley).
• With runners on the corners, Dinsmore and Bell executed a double-steal to tie the game at 8-8.
• Senior Ashley Narigon (Washington, Pa./McGuffey) kept things rolling with a RBI-double to give Bethany the lead and chase the Benedictine starting pitcher.
• A Gabby Capaldi single moved Narigon over to third base, where she was driven in on a sacrifice fly by senior Jazz Fuqua (Washington, Pa./Trinity) to push the Bison lead to 10-8.
• The Bison added to their lead in the bottom of the sixth inning with a three-run inning to take a 13-8 lead. Gabby Capaldi came through with a two-out, two-RBI single and sophomore Kaitlyn Mills (New Lexington, Ohio/Crooksville) scored on a passed ball to give Bethany a five-run lead.
• Weiss limited Benedictine to one hit over the final two innings to close out the team's seventh win of the season.

GAME NOTES

• Weiss improved to 4-2 in the circle with a complete-game win. She yielded eight runs (four earned) on seven hits with seven strikeouts.
• Weiss closed out the week with 56 strikeouts over 39 innings of work (10.05 per 7 innings).
• Dinsmore was one of five Bison to record a multi-hit game. She finished with two hits, a home run, four RBI and two runs scored.
• Dinsmore ended the Florida trip with 13 RBI, four more than her entire freshman season. She batted .394 (13 for 33) with four extra-base hits, a .417 on-base percentage, and a .606 slugging percentage (all team highs).
• The Bison lineup versus Benedictine finished with 14 hits in the victory.

UP NEXT:

• Bethany will return north and travel to Ohio to take on Marietta on Wednesday, March 21 for a non-conference doubleheader at 3:30 p.m.
• Fans can follow live statistical updates here.