MISHAWAKA, Ind.–The Bethel Pilots (8-26, 3-17) fell to the Mount Vernon Nazarene Cougars (17-12, 10-10) on Thursday evening at Gardner Field.
GAME ONE
In the opening inning, the Cougars posted two runs on the board with a single to center by Skylar Zimmerman and a triple from Dakota Staffan to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the first.
Mount Vernon continued to challenge the Pilots in the top of the second, with Jesenia Montalvo singling to right for the third Cougar run, then Montalvo swiped home after a throw to second was mistimed on a delayed double steal to make it a 4-0 ballgame. The Cougars continued to score in the second, with a single by Mollie Pentz,
Zimmerman’s single to center, and Staffan’s two-run homer and jumped to an 8-0 lead over Bethel.
In the bottom of the second, Morgan Blubaum’s double down the left field line scored Cassidy Ostema to put Bethel on the board and end the shutout 8-1.
Haylee Allen’s first plate appearance of the game brought Grace Walker in for another run, as Allen grounded out to first, unassisted (8-2).
The Cougars showcased consistent heavy hitting in the top of the fourth, recording two homers to grant Mount Vernon a ten-point lead (12-2).
In the bottom of the fourth, Morgan Blubaum reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to scoring position following Haylee Allen’s walk.
Following Blubaum and Allen advanced one base after a wild pitch, Blubaum was brought in by Alyssa Forys’ single to right field (12-3).
Harmony Looney (2-4) pitched 1.1 innings as the starting pitcher and suffered the loss, giving up four hits, six runs (two earned), and walked three batters.
GAME TWO
Avery Miller, Skylar Zimmerman, and Dakota Staffan barreled up the Pilots with three additional home runs in the first two innings of the game (8-0). Miller had a three-run homer over the left field wall in the top of the first, Zimmerman hit a grand slam in the top of the second, and Staffan hit a solo home run over the scoreboard in center field in the top of the second.
In the bottom of the fourth, Alyssa Forys smacked a double to right field, bringing in teammates Natalee McNeil and Harmony Looney (8-2).
Sonia Yoder added another run in the frame for Bethel’s count after Maddison Shaw singled to short and made it 8-3.
Miller singled to center in the top of the sixth and tallied the ninth Cougar run, then had a big seventh inning with Rohr scoring Montalvo with a ground out to short, 10-3. Zimmerman hit the fourth MVNU home run with a three-run homer to left center to go into the Pilots’ final chance with a 13-3 advantage.
Natalee McNeil kept the Pilots alive with a single down the right field line to plate Looney, and Shaw scored two runs after an error by the shortstop brought home Sonia Yoder and McNeil, but the Pilots lost 13-6.
Ryen Clair (2-8) went for 1.1 innings of work and suffered the loss allowing six hits, eight runs, and walked three batters.
The Pilots will host the Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats on Friday, Apr. 11, for a doubleheader at 3:00 p.m.
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