DAVENPORT, Fla. — The Bethel Pilots (5-7, 0-2) drop the first two games of the Crossroads League opening series to the Mount Vernon Nazarene Cougars (5-4, 2-0) 17-4 in seven innings and 6-5 in the seven-inning game two of the doubleheader.
GAME 1
The Cougars struck first in the top of the opening frame with a single to left center, but the Pilots answered with a run in the bottom of the first from Jacob Sitterly’s sacrifice fly to left field and scored Cooper Tolson from third. Tolson gave the Pilots the lead in the bottom of the second on an error by the first baseman and plated Thomas Dolan. The Pilots were up 2-1.
In the top of the fourth, the Cougars put up a three-run frame on an RBI double to right and a two-RBI single and jumped ahead 4-2. Mount Vernon Nazarene put up a crooked number in the top of the fifth with a grand slam to left center, then a wild pitch scored and grew the lead to 9-2.
In the sixth, MVNU scored two runs from an error at first base that put them up 11-2, but Bethel scored twice with Andrew Dillon’s single to left center, then Jacob Sitterly’s sacrifice fly to the shortstop.
Mount Vernon put up six more runs in the top of the seventh from a two-RBI double to left field; then a three-run homer capped the game off 17-4.
Frank Plesac (1-2) threw four innings and allowed four hits, two runs, and six strikeouts, then Kolby Kovatch threw an inning and closed the fifth, allowing three hits and five runs with four punchouts. Tim Dillehay came in to pitch in the sixth for 1.1 innings and allowed nine hits and eight runs, walked one, and struck out one; then Quaid Mull closed the game, allowing two hits and a walk.
GAME 2
MVNU opened the game with three runs in the top of the first on two different errors by the shortstop, then Sitterly roped in three runs with a game-tying double to right field in the bottom of the third.
Elijah Gaines gave Bethel the lead by forcing an error from the left fielder, and Sitterly continued his great day at the plate with an RBI single to left and pumped the Pilot lead to 5-3.
The Cougars scored on a passed ball in the top of the seventh, along with a sacrifice fly to center field, then MVNU took the lead on a passed ball and secured the doubleheader sweep 6-5.
Brad VanOverberghe threw six innings, only allowing two hits and two earned runs, three overall, walked five batters, and struck out six. Noah Borwege (0-2) was given the loss after allowing three runs in the top of the seventh, and Peyton Ring closed the game with a strikeout, fly-out, and ground out.
THE SERIES CONTINUES
The Pilots finish the series with the Mount Vernon Nazarene Cougars in Auburndale, Fla., at the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex with a doubleheader starting at 9:15 a.m. on Saturday, Mar. 2.