NORTH NEWTON, Kan. - After one inning of play in game one, Bethel and Southwestern were faced with a two hour lightning delay. Before play resumed, the two parties agreed to play on game on the original schedule date of Wednesday and one on Friday night. The Threshers dropped game one 8-7 in 9 innings before returning to the diamond on Friday evening where they dropped game two by the same score.
GAME 1, L 8-7
Southwestern loaded the bases in the top of the first but the Threshers got out of the jam allowing just one run. Bethel scored two runs in the bottom of the first before the lightning hit. Two hours later when the contest resumed, the Moundbuilders scored a run in the third and fourth innings to take a 3-2 lead after four complete innings. Bethel tied the game in the sixth inning when
Dakota Piovesan scored on an error by the left fielder. After neither team scored in the final frame of regulation, Southwestern scored a run in the top of the eighth to take a 4-3 lead. Piovesan came up with a double in the bottom half to score
Ella Caudill to tie the contest. She was able to get to third base after tagging on a fly ball hit by
Taylor Sanfillippo, but the Threshers were unable to get her home. The Moundbuilders scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning to take the largest lead for either side. With runners on second and third and one out in the bottom half
Claire Broxterman hit a ball off of the bleachers in left field to bring BC within a run. The Threshers were able to load the bases with just one out, but Southwestern made two defensive plays when it mattered to shut the door and take the five hour ballgame 8-7.
Dakota Piovesan - 3 for 5, 2 RBI, 2 R, 3 2B
Claire Broxterman - 2 for 3, 3 RBI, BB, R, HR
Cynae Wiley - 2 for 4, RBI, R, SB
GAME 2, L 8-7
Southwestern started Friday's contest just like Wednesday's taking the lead in the opening frame by scoring four runs. Bethel got on the board in the bottom of the second when
Kailey Gonzales drove in a run and
Cynae Wiley drove in two more to get within a run.
Ella Caudill tied the game in the fourth inning with a single through the left side. The Threshers took the lead 5-4 in the bottom of the fifth inning. Southwestern came up and tied the game in the top of the sixth before Bethel took the lead right back in the bottom half. Caudill hit an inside the park homerun that scored two putting BC up 7-5. The Threshers needed just three outs in the top of the seventh to close out the game, but were unable to keep the Moundbuilder offense down. Southwestern scored two runs with an out and one more with two outs to take the lead.
Claire Broxterman led off the seventh with a hit by pitch to put the lead off runner on. The next three Threshers to step up to the plate were retired to end the contest.
Kailey Gonzales - 2 for 3, RBI
Ella Caudill - 2 for 3, 3 RBI, 2 R, HR, SB
The Threshers will be back in action on Saturday, April 22 as they host Oklahoma Wesleyan for senior day beginning at 1 PM. The senior day festivities will take place before game one.
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