Pilots Fall to (RV) Taylor in Home Doubleheader
The Bethel softball team dropped a pair of home contests on Monday to (RV) Taylor University, one of the hottest teams in the Crossroads League as of late. The Trojans, winners of 16 of the last 17, defeated the Pilots 8-3 and 14-0 in the doubleheader, pushing BC’s overall record to 2-27 overall and 2-18 in league play.
In the opener, one tough inning put the Pilots behind the eight ball as the Trojans rattled off five hits that turned into six runs in the top of the second frame. Coupling the six scores with a one-run first frame, Taylor established an early 7-0 lead after two complete innings. The guests were able to tack on their eighth run of the contest in their next at-bat, stretching their advantage to eight. In the bottom of the third, Bethel’s bats came to life as a single from Kathryn Childers and a walk by Katie Rhoade preluded a dinger off the bat of Hunter Brummett. With the three-run shot, Brummett helped cut the lead down to five.
BC was able to pick up hits in the fourth and fifth, but each attempt to trim the lead was denied. And although the defensive and pitching effort held TU scoreless in the final four frames, BC fell to TU 8-3.
Hailey Forbes suffers the loss from the circle for the Pilots and her overall record moves to 1-4 on the season. Brummett landed two of Bethel’s five hits in game one along with all three of the RBIs recorded by BC.
In the nightcap, the Trojans came out with guns blazing, riffling off 14 hits in five innings that resulted in 14 runs. After a three-run first inning, TU used offensive outbursts in the fourth and fifth to balloon their lead to 14. While the TU offense was firing on all cylinders, BC’s offense was stalemated by pitcher Hannah Robbins who just allowed just one hit while facing 16 batters. Robbin’s bid for a perfect game was interrupted in the bottom of the fourth when Rhoade doubled into left center.
The Pilots go right back to work tomorrow in a twin bill on the docket at Spring Arbor University. Game one is slated to start at 3:00 p.m.