SPRING ARBOR, Mich. — After splitting the first two games of the series under the Bethel Pilots (11-31, 6-26) belt, the Spring Arbor Cougars (21-23, 15-17) took games three and four to win the series over the Pilots.
GAME 3
The Cougars struck first in the bottom of the first after a double to right center and a steal to third base set up for a ground out to shortstop to score the game’s first run.
Corban Greenslade led off the top of the second with a single to the shortstop. Andrew Dillon, who ran for Greenslade, was bunted over to second, and Seth Ambrose drove a single through the right side to tie the game 1-1.
Spring Arbor answered with a two-run home run in the bottom of the third. A leadoff walk put a runner on first, and two runs crossed after the blast, 3-1 SAU.
Elijah Gaines scored in the top of the fifth on a wild pitch with two outs after getting moved to third from a ground out to second, and the Pilots closed the gap 3-2.
With the Cougars scoring in the bottom of the fifth and Bethel staying one run behind with an RBI single in the top of the sixth, Spring Arbor pulled away with back-to-back two-RBI doubles to right-center and left field to grow their lead to 8-3.
Riley Thomas (0-4) threw 5.1 innings in his fifth start of the season, allowing five runs (four earned), seven hits, one walk, and two strikeouts.
GAME 4
The Pilots struck first with Andrew Dillon’s RBI single to left that plated Jordan Landkrohn followed by Elijah Gaines’ RBI single to center to start the Pilots up 2-0 in the top of the second. Spring Arbor answered with one run in the bottom of the frame with a single to the shortstop that scored a run on the throw 2-1.
Gaines popped a single through the left side to score Landkrohn for the Pilots’ third run in the fourth, but SAU tied the game with a single through the middle and an RBI single to right center at the bottom of the fifth 3-3.
The game went into extra innings after being tied through the originally scheduled seven-inning game, and the fireworks began in the ninth. Cooper Tolson grounded out to the second baseman but scored Thomas Dolan from third to take the lead 4-3. Spring Arbor walked off the game with a squeeze bunt to the pitcher and a single through the left side to seal the series win and nightcap win 5-4.
NEXT TIME OUT
The last series of the regular season is at Jenkins Stadium, with the Pilots facing Grace College (Ind.) for a four-game series with games one and two on Thursday, April 25 at 1 p.m. and games three and four on Saturday, April 27 at 1 p.m.