Softball: Bison Pitching Excels in PAC Sweep over Chatham

Pittsburgh, Pa.- Bethany softball elevated their conference record with a sweep over Chatham. The Bison pitching duo of Josie Wise and Katelyn Ziems dominated on the mound, each collecting complete game victories. 

THE BASICS

Final Scores:

Game One: Bethany 3, Chatham 1

Game Two: Bethany 6, Chatham 2

Records:

• Chatham (7-23, 3-11 PAC)

• Bethany (24-7, 10-6 PAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME ONE) 

• Wise continued her stellar streak on the mound with her fourth consecutive complete game victory. Wise allowed just four singles and one earned run. The senior established the strike zone collecting 12 strikeouts without allowing a walk. She struck out the side in the second inning, and all three outs in the bottom of the fifth came via strikeout. 

• The top three of Bethany's order continued to swing the bat well. Destiny Goodnight, Morgan Huey, and Mary Marshall combined for half of the Bison's hits while working the team's only two walks. Their impact was felt immediately.

• Goodnight led off the game with a line drive single to center followed by a stolen base. A productive out by Huey allowed Goodnight to move to third. Marshall finished the job with an RBI single.

• The Bison scored again in the fifth off Chatham mistakes, although the Cougars were able to get that run back in the bottom of the inning to keep it a one-run game. 

• Haley Eyler extended her slugging streak with a leadoff triple in the top of the seventh. Angela Brandel allowed Eyler to catch her breath in the dugout as Brandel hit an RBI single in the very next at-bat to give the Bison an insurance run in the top of the 7th.

• Wise was thankful despite not needing it as she shut the Cougars down to ice a 3-1 victory. 

BISON LEADERS IN GAME ONE: 

• Wise threw a complete game earning her 13th win of the season. She had 12 strikeouts. 

• Huey was 2-3 with a walk, a double, and a triple.

• Eyler was 2-3 with a run scored off her triple. Audrey Tobesman eventually scored, filling in for Eyler on her single.

• Brandel and Marshall drove in an RBI. 

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME TWO): 

• The Bison eclipsed their run total from the first game in one inning. 

• Goodnight found herself with the bases loaded in the second inning. She promptly unloaded them, ripping a triple to earn herself three RBI. Huey did her part with a sacrifice fly to clean up the basepaths and give Bethany a 4-0 lead.

• The Bison were able to tack on two more in the later innings, but there was a bigger story emerging.

• Entering the bottom of the 7th inning, Ziems had retired all 18 batters faced in order. Leadoff hitter flew out to right field. Second batter grounded right back to Ziems. One out away from perfection, but the universe did not allow it.

•  Chatham scraped together a few runs with their backs up against the wall. Still, Ziems earned the Bison's second complete game victory over the Cougars.

BISON LEADERS IN GAME TWO: 

• Ziems threw six and two-thirds innings of perfection in her victory.

• Brandel was 2-2 with a walk. She had an RBI triple and a run.

• Huey was 1-2 with a double and a walk. She also had an RBI from a sacrifice fly.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Bethany will host their final home games of the year Saturday, April 20th. They will play a PAC doubleheader against the Geneva Golden Tornadoes beginning at 1PM.