UPLAND, Ind. — The Bethel Pilots (7-17, 2-8) fell in two close one-run near come-from-behind games, 10-9 and 7-6, against the Taylor Trojans (18-6, 9-3) at Gudakunst Field on Tuesday night as we near the end of the first round of Crossroads League games this season
GAME 1
Jordan Markley had a career-high four RBIs and three hits for the Pilots along with Alyssa Forys’ two-hit game in the close 10-9 loss to start the series.
Markley roped in her first run with a sacrifice fly to left and scored Forys from third, followed by Kate Cooper’s RBI single to right for an early 2-0 lead for the Pilots after the top of the first. At the bottom of the frame, Taylor puts a run on the board with an error by the catcher, 2-1 Bethel.
The Trojans took the lead in the bottom of the second with three runs by an RBI single to the second baseman, a sacrifice fly to left, and an RBI double, 4-2, then tacked on another insurance run in the bottom of the third with a single up the middle to make it 5-2.
Bethel fought back in the top of the fourth with Haylee Allen smacking a single to center to bring in Natalee McNeil and Morgan Blubaum forced an error at third to chip away to a 5-4 deficit. Markley looped a single to center to bring in Allen to tie the game 5-5.
Taylor responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI double, double to center, and a single to right to see-saw the game to an 8-5 Trojan advantage.
Alyssa Forys started the top of the fifth with an RBI single through the left side to score Harmony Looney, then Blubaum drew a walk to get within one run before Markley again tied the game with an RBI single to the shortstop 8-8.
Taylor would score in the fifth and the sixth to continue the chase to the finish, 10-8, and Markley clutched up with another RBI single to the shortstop, but the Pilots fell short of tying the game for the fourth time and dropped the game one 10-9.
Cassidy Ostema (0-1) was given the loss after coming in to relieve starter Natalee McNeil in the fourth and threw 2.2 innings, allowed five hits, two runs, and walked one batter.
GAME 2
The Trojans started with a 2-0 lead after the first and second frames with a dropped fly in center and an RBI single to left, but followed that up with a two-run home run in the fourth, a solo home run, and an RBI single to center to take a 6-0 lead.
Forys scored two runs with a single to left in the top of the fifth to avoid the chance of a mercy rule and fight back for a 6-2 game, but the Trojans found a run in the bottom of the fifth, 7-2.
Bethel had a big sixth inning with Looney starting with an RBI single to left, Cooper scored a run off a ground out to third, McNeil drew a walked-in run, and Forys grounded out to the second baseman but again fell short by one run, 7-6.
Ryen Clair (1-5) was given the loss after 3.2 innings of work and allowed eight hits, six runs (five earned), walked two and struck out one.
The Pilots continue the first round of the Crossroads League campaign with the Huntington Foresters on Friday, March 28 for a 3 p.m. doubleheader, then return to Gardner Field to face Indiana Wesleyan on Saturday, March 29 for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.