Softball: Bison Split PAC Doubleheaders in Back to Back Days

BETHANY, W.Va. - Bethany split in back to back days playing a Presidents Athletic Conference doubleheader. The games against Grove City felt familiar. The Bison got shut out the first game before the bats found life to earn a win in the second game. 

THE BASICS

Final Scores:

Game One: Grove City 5, Bethany 0

Game Two: Bethany 4, Grove City 2

Records:

• Grove City (11-7, 3-1 PAC)

• Bethany (13-3, 2-2 PAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME ONE) 

• Josie Wise stepped onto the mound for back to back days with a start. She struck out five through the first three innings of play. Despite Grove City having runners in scoring position in each of those innings, Wise kept the Wolverines in check until the later innings rolled around.

• An error to start the fourth inning led to a run on a sacrifice fly later to put the Wolverines up 1-0. They scored two runs in each of the following innings. Small ball filled with walks, sacrifices, and singles scored the majority of Grove City's runs. The only outlier was an RBI triple that scored the Wolverine's second run of the fifth inning. 

• The Bison had runners on base. They had five hits and three walks. They just couldn't drive any runners home.

BISON LEADERS IN GAME ONE: 

• Wise had seven strikeouts in five and one-third innings. 

• Trista Morris was the only Bison to reach base multiple times. She was 2-3 with a pair of singles.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME TWO): 

• The Bison did not have a single extra base hit, but manufactured enough runs to edge out a win. 

• A large part in the Bison's success was due to Katelyn Ziems performance in the circle. She pitched a complete game while only allowing one earned run. 

• Back to back singles (and a steal) to lead off the bottom of the first gave the Bison a golden opportunity to get on the board. Mary Marshall did her job through a sac fly to right field. Brooke Markland came clutch with a single in the right center gap to put the Bison up 2-0.

• Grove City scored both of their runs on the same play in the third. The Wolverines hit three consecutive singles with two outs which earned them a run. The Bison made a throwing error trying to catch Grove City stretching extra bases which allowed another run to cross home; tying the game 2-2.

• Huey's leadoff walk and savvy baserunning gave Bethany the chance to take the lead with a runner on third and one out. Markland cashed in that chance with a sacrifice fly to center, giving the Bison the lead 3-2.

• Bethany was able to get an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth, but the defense remained stout for the remainder of the game. The Bison lock up a victory in game two to split on the day.

BISON LEADERS IN GAME TWO:

• Markland boasted an interesting yet very productive statline in this game. The shortstop went 1-1 with two RBI, a run scored, a walk, a single, and a sac fly (a category where she leads the PAC).

• Huey scored two runs while picking up two stolen bases.

• Ziems gets the win throwing a complete game. 

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Bison will take their talents on the road for the first time since coming home from down south in early March. They will travel to Allegheny on April 2nd for a PAC doubleheader. First pitch is set to be at 3:30.