Softball: Bison Win a Dozen to Start Season; Fall in Game 2

BETHANY, W.Va. - The Softball team played their first two games of spring against the LaRoche University Redhawks at Bison Field. Bethany won big in game one, but ended up splitting the day 1-1. 

THE BASICS

Final Scores:

Game One: Bethany 13, LaRoche 3

Game Two: LaRoche 9, Bethany 5

Records:

• LaRoche (2-8)

• Bethany (12-1)

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME ONE) 

• After retiring the Redhawks 1-2-3 in the first, the Bison immediately put on the pressure. Destiny Goodnight and Morgan Huey led off with a pair of singles. Some stolen bases put them in scoring position, which their teammates took advantage of. Mary Marshall and Haley Eyler followed up with a pair of RBI singles. Katelyn Ziems broke up the Bison single parade in an exciting way with a double down the line, scoring Eyler. All in all the Bison ended the first inning up 4-0.

• Marshall tacked on another run for Bethany with an RBI triple in the second. Eyler lifted a fly ball to center to make it a pair in inning number two.

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• The speedy center fielder Goodnight switched to the right side of the plate with a runner on. Goodnight showed she wasn't just a speed threat when she turned on a fastball which carried over the left field fence. The Bison scored three more runs to make it 11-0 in the third.

• The Redhawks erased the shutout in the third, picking up three runs. However, Marshall got a few back with a two run double in the bottom half of the inning. A quick top of the fifth ended game one early. 

• The Bison came out on top with a 13-3 victory.

BISON LEADERS IN GAME ONE: 

• Marshall served her role as cleanup in game one quite well going 3-4 with a double, four RBI, and three runs.

• Huey also had three hits and three runs.

• Three other Bison had a multi-RBI game: Brooke Markland, Eyler, and Goodnight drove home two.

• Josie Wise threw all five innings ending the day with five strikeouts and two earned runs. 

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME TWO): 

• The second game started out less than ideal for Bethany. LaRoche batted around in their first trip to the plate. They exploded for eight runs on nine hits in the first inning. That number was their most runs scored in any game to that point.

• The Bison showed they weren't down and out in the bottom of the inning.  They were able to scrape together four runs on the merits of good baserunning and well placed hits by Marshall and Alexis Holden

• Pitching changes held both teams scoreless until the seventh inning. The Redhawks scored an insurance run from one of Emma Bizay's four base hits (and three RBI). That was the only run Ziems allowed in her six innings on the mound. 

• Good defense stole a few hits away from the Bison's last effort in the bottom of the seventh. They suffered their first loss of the season to the LaRoche Redhawks 9-5. 

BISON LEADERS IN GAME TWO:

• Marshall continued to mash at the plate going 3-4 with a pair of doubles and an RBI. 

• Goodnight went 3-4 with two runs.

• Ziems allowed one run and struck out four in six innings of work.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Bison will start conference play against the Allegheny Gators. This will also be Bethany's first set of games not in Bison Stadium this season. First pitch is set to happen at 1PM Saturday, March 23rd.