MISHAWAKA, Ind. — The Bethel Pilots (8-23, 4-14) battled the Spring Arbor Cougars (20-11, 12-6) and maintained a two-and-under run differential in Friday’s doubleheader.
GAME 1
It was a pitching dual between Ryann Norris (5-10) and one of the Crossroads League’s best pitchers, Emmalee Hamp (11-5), who kept the game scoreless through three innings.
In the fourth inning, Spring Arbor hit back-to-back home runs over the left field fence, which were the game’s only runs. The Cougars outhit the Pilots 9-3, and both sides kept a clean game with no errors.
Norris threw a complete game, struck out four batters, and only walked two.
GAME 2
It was all offense in the nightcap of the doubleheader, with both sides scoring in three consecutive innings.
The Pilots took a 6-4 lead, Kate Cooper scoring Alyssa Forys from an error by the second baseman in the first, and then Forys ripped a single to score Emily Kidwell in the second. In the third, Bethel put up four runs.
Spring Arbor chipped away at the lead in the fifth with an RBI single, then took it back in the sixth with a double steal and an RBI double.
Shelby White threw four innings, allowed nine hits, five runs (three earned), and struck out two. Ryann Norris came in for relief in the fifth inning and closed the final three innings, allowing four hits, two runs, and struck out two; neither pitcher walked a single batter.
NEXT TIME OUT
The Pilots battle the Taylor Trojans on Saturday, April 6, at 1 p.m. in Upland, Ind.