Cougars Claw Out Two Victories Over BC Softball
The Cougars of Spring Arbor completed the season sweep over Bethel softball on Tuesday, downing the Pilots 11-3 in five innings and earning a comeback victory of 6-4 in the nightcap. Bethel falls to 2-29 on the season and 2-19 in league play while SAU improves to 14-24 and 9-13, respectively.
In the opener, SAU jumped ahead quickly by plating a pair of runs in the first and second frames to balloon their early lead to 4-0. Bethel used a strong offensive outburst in the top of the third to pull back within one. The pivotal inning started out with a lead-off double by Jordan Mathison, which was complimented by a single into center field by Katie Rhoade. With runners at the corners, Hunter Brummett blasted her fifth homer of the season over the left-field fence, which put her club right back into contention.
However, the consistency of SAU was the downfall of the Pilots as two more runs in the third and the fourth followed by a three-run spot in the fifth allowed the hosts to dart ahead by eight runs. The 11-3 score put a halt to the contest via the run rule.
Brummet collected two hits in the loss along with three RBIs while Mathison also landed a pair of hits and finished the opener by going two-for-two from the dish. Danica Mast took the loss from the mound for BC.
In the nightcap, the Pilots ran out to a 3-0 lead. Back-to-back doubles in the opening frame off the bats of Brummett and Mackenzie Orphanidis plated Rhoade who was aboard via a single and then Brummett. An additional run in the second was plated when a wild throw allowed Cassandra Nickerson to make the 60-foot trip from third to home plate.
However, a two hit and two error bottom of the third erased BC’s lead when three runners touched home for the Cougars.
The Pilots were able to reclaim their lead in their following at bat, but three unanswered by SAU were too much for BC. Bethel never recovered and fell 6-4.
BC did outhit the Cougars 10-9 in the contest, picking up two hits each from Brummett, Orphanidis, and Childers.
Bethel will take a two-day break from competition and be back in action on Friday and Saturday with away doubleheaders at Grace College and Indiana Wesleyan.