Softball: Bison improve to 11-0

BETHANY, W.Va. - Softball returned home to Bethany to take on Penn State-Beaver in a Tuesday doubleheader. The Bison got hot down in the Florida sun going 9-0. A sweep over the Nittany Lions extended their unbeaten streak to 11.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME ONE) 

Penn-State Beaver struggled more in their trip down south going 3-4. Their lack of wins was not congruent with their offense. They proved that in the very first inning when Mackenzie Boyd launched a two-run home run over the center field wall.

Bethany answered back in the bottom of the first piecing together a run. Morgan Huey singled up the middle. After being moved over by a walk, Mary Marshall started her terrific game with an RBI single to cut the Lions lead in half 2-1.

PSU managed to tack on two runs in two consecutive innings off RBI singles by Hayley Cook and Kylie Magnotta. They extended their lead to 4-1, although the Bison began to steal the momentum in the bottom of the third.

Marshall was once again able to answer the call and get the Bison fired up after she roped an RBI triple down the right field line. That was Bethany's only run of the third inning, but the Bison came back in the fourth with big energy.

A walk and a single rolled the lineup over to the top with a runner in scoring position. Last week's Presidents Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week, Destiny Goodnight, lined a

single into the grass to push across the first of four runs in the inning. A productive out by Huey followed by another Bison walk forced PSU's starting pitcher out of the game with the bases loaded. Marshall picked up her third RBI of the game with an infield single. While not the fanciest way to score with the bases loaded, Katelyn Ziems walked in an RBI to give the Bison a 6-4 lead.

A costly error in the top of the sixth allowed the Lions to score two unearned runs- one off of a single and another on a wild pitch. They tied the game at six.

The Bison didn't lose the lead for too long as they started off with a bang in the bottom of the inning. Huey led off with a double off the bottom of the outfield fence. Miriam Peterson took her only at bat of the game as a pinch hitter getting the job done on a single right back up the middle.

Josie Wise quickly shut down the Lions in the top of the seventh to earn both Bethany and herself the first win of the day.

BISON LEADERS IN GAME ONE: 

Marshall ended the game going 3-3 with a walk and three RBI.

Peterson came off the bench going 1-1 and knocked in the go-ahead run.

Wise didn't give up a hit in relief. She threw a scoreless one and two-third innings.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME TWO): 

The beginning of the second game saw Wise come back out onto the mound for the Bison.

Haley Eyler opened up Bethany's offense in the second inning when she led off with a stand-up triple. The Bison were then able to capitalize on a few errors that allowed some baserunners for Elizabeth Shubert and Goodnight to each drive in a run, respectively.

The Bison's 3-0 lead was quickly erased when Wise found herself in an unfamiliar situation. A pair of walks helped the Lions load the bases before Selene Lopez quickly unloaded them on the first pitch she saw. A ball that landed flush on the foul line rolled to the fence allowing Lopez to slide into third with a bases clearing triple. Bethany later traded a run for an out on the little league classic. By the end of the inning Penn State Beaver took over the lead 4-3.

If there was a recurring theme in both games, it was Bethany's ability to manufacture runs. This showcased itself in a masterful way in the bottom of the fourth. Ziems started with a leadoff walk. The speedster Audrey Tobesman came in to run and stole second on the very first pitch. The following at-bat Tobesman stole third. An overthrow allowed her to score and tie the game. Peterson, who walked during the after original steal of second, followed Tobesman all the way to third. A fielder's choice pushed Peterson home and the Bison took the re-took lead 5-4.

A pair of insurance runs in the sixth gave the Bison an extra cushion. Ziems didn't need it as she set down the Lions in order to earn the save and give the Bison another win on the day.

BISON LEADERS IN GAME TWO:

Goodnight was the only hitter with multiple RBIs. She went 2-4 with two RBI and a run scored.

Huey and Shubert were both 2-3 with an RBI double.

Ziems came in for the last two innings. She allowed two hits and threw three strikeouts in her first save of the year.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Bethany will be the first to greet the Mount Aloysius Mounties when they return from their spring break trip down south. That double-header will be played in Bethany on Wednesday, March 20th.