McPHERSON, Kan. — Bethel College softball split a wild doubleheader on the road Tuesday at Bulldog Park, opening the day with a 16-15 extra-inning win before dropping game two, 2-1.
Game 1: Bethel 16, McPherson 15 (8 inn.)
Game one turned into an all-out offensive battle, with the two teams combining for 31 runs and 36 hits in an eight-inning thriller.
Bethel jumped out early, scoring four runs in the third inning behind RBI hits from Katelynn Quidato and Kailey Sandoval to take a 4-0 lead. McPherson answered immediately with a seven-run inning to flip the momentum and take a 7-4 advantage.
The back-and-forth continued.
Bethel responded with four runs in the fourth to regain the lead at 8-7, but McPherson again answered, building a 13-8 lead heading into the later innings. The Threshers didn't go away, chipping back before exploding for five runs in the seventh to tie the game at 14-14.
In extra innings, Bethel delivered.
A sacrifice from Sadie Jensen and a key McPherson error helped Bethel plate two runs in the eighth to take a 16-14 lead. McPherson added one in the bottom half, but Emma Figueroa shut it down to secure the 16-15 win.
Kailey Sandoval led the way offensively with five hits and five RBIs, while Jensen and Quidato each drove in multiple runs in the win.
Game 2: McPherson 2, Bethel 1
The nightcap was the complete opposite.
In a tight, low-scoring game, Bethel outhit McPherson 9-7 but couldn't find enough timely offense, falling 2-1.
McPherson scored early with a solo home run in the first inning and added another run in the second to go up 2-0. Bethel responded in the fifth inning when Emma Figueroa delivered an RBI single to score Kaylee Linnebur and cut the deficit to one.
That would be as close as Bethel would get.
The Threshers had chances throughout, leaving nine runners on base, but couldn't push across the tying run late. Figueroa went the distance in the circle, allowing just two runs while keeping Bethel within reach the entire game.
Up Next
Bethel returns to action Saturday with a road doubleheader at York.
