On Saturday, the Bethel softball team put together a repeat performance from earlier this season by playing to a split with the Goshen College Maple Leafs. After falling 3-0 in game one, the Pilots responded with a 5-1 victory in the nightcap. BC moves to 2-16 in league play and trails Goshen by three games in the overall league standings.
In the opener, hurler Danica Mast only gave up three hits to the Maple Leafs, but coupled with a trio of BC errors, GC was able to plate three runs. The three scores were plenty to get the job done as the Pilots were unable to convert after notching three hits.
The tides turned for Bethel in the nightcap. Right off the bat, the Pilots jumped into command of the game. BC loaded up three hits in the bottom of the first, including a two-run homer off the bat of Hunter Brummett to establish a 3-0 lead after one complete. Also chipping in the opening at-bat were Victoria Ebersol with a single and Katie Rhoade with a RBI double to left field.
After a scoreless second, the Maple Leafs made a move with one run of their own to narrow the gap to two. However, game two continued to go BC’s way when three more hits led to two more scores. Brummett again had the hot bat for Bethel and opened the inning with a lead-off double, which was followed by a RBI single by Mackenzie Orphanidis and a double from Gabby Warner.
Rachel Najdek picked up her first win of the season by throwing the complete seven-inning battle for BC, allowing nine hits and one earned run.
The Pilots will be back on the field at 1:00 p.m. on Monday afternoon hosting the Trojans of Taylor University.