April 18 – CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. – With just a couple of games in the loss column separating seven teams in the Presidents' Athletic Conference, the Bethany College softball team traveled to Thomas More College to look to gain ground in the conference standings. The Bison dropped game one by a 6-0 score, but rebounded to take game two, 6-4, in a nine-inning affair.
Bethany freshman pitcher Cassie Weiss (Washington, Pa./McGuffey) shouldered a heavy load for the Green & White, taking the start on the hill in both contests. In game one, Weiss was outdueled by Thomas More's Mamee Salzer. Weiss pitched well over four innings, allowing just one earned run while striking out three on six hits. However, Salzer quieted the Bethany bats, holding the Green & White to a trio of hits in the contest.
The Saints tallied their runs between the third and fifth innings. Thomas More struck for two RBI in the home half of the third, before capturing four runs in the bottom of the fifth to round out the scoring at 6-0.
Offensively for the Green & White, Kayla Kelly (Pasadena, Md./Institute of Notre Dame), Sarah Coss (Bowie, Md./Bishop McNamara) and Marissa Bosley (New Martinsville, W.Va./Magnolia) each tallied a hit, with Bosley's going for a double in the top of the second.
Bethany wasted no time in the second contest to get their offense rolling, striking for four runs in the opening frame. Jessica Kusnierz (New Castle, Pa./New Castle) led off the game by being hit by a pitch for the 12th time this season. She was then moved over to third on an error by the Saints' third baseman after a sacrifice bunt by Ashlee Brill (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster). The next batter was Kayla Kelly, who grounded out to second base, scoring Kusnierz to give Bethany a 1-0 lead.
Following the RBI groundout, junior Deanna Mihalco (Patterson, N.Y./Brewster) roped a RBI double to, scoring Brill on the play. Following a single by Emili Garretson (Winfield, W.Va./Winfield) which moved Mihalco to third, the Bison's clean-up hitter scored on a groundout by Coss. Sam Newfrock (Endwell, N.Y./Endicott) who pinch ran for Garretson after her single, was moved to third on a passed ball before scoring on a RBI base knock by Bosley. The RBI by the Bison catcher put the Green & White up 4-0.
Following the breakout first inning, the Bison totaled just four more hits through the next six innings, while the Saints chipped away at the four-run advantage.
Thomas More posted two runs in the home half of the first inning to shrink the Bison's lead to 4-2. The Saints would then snag two more runs, one in the bottom of the second. The other came in the sixth inning as Ana Walter put herself into scoring position with a double. The next batter was Laura Finke, who singled, moving Walter to third. On the ensuing play, a Bison miscue allowed Walter to score, tying the game at 4-4. Neither team could score the winning run in the seventh and the game went into extras.
It was in the ninth inning, that the top of the Bison order, which has been very consistent for Bethany this season, proved how dangerous they can be. With one out in the frame, Kusnierz reached on a single, advancing to second on an error by the Saints' center fielder. Brill then singled to the outfield, taking second as the Saints tried to throw out Kusnierz at third.
With runners on second and third and just one out, Salzer threw a wild pitch for the Saints, which allowed Kusnierz to score. Brill also made a heads up decision, scoring all the way from second on the play. The runs gave the Green & White a 6-4 advantage, which would be more than enough for Weiss.
The freshman pitcher faced down the two, three and four hitters of the Saints lineup in the bottom of the ninth inning, setting them down in order to preserve the win for the Bison and help the Green & White earn a split of the doubleheader.
Weiss, who threw a total of 13 innings between the two contest, was in command in game two, mowing down a career-high eight batters in the complete-game performance. Weiss pitched nine total innings in the night cap, allowing eight hits and three earned runs in the victory.
Offensively, Garretson proved to be a tough out in game two, notching a hit in all three of her at bats. Four other Bison tallied a RBI in the win, including Kayla Kelly, Mihalco, Coss and Bosley.
With the game two victory, the Bison remained just one game in the loss column behind the PAC leaders in the conference standings. Bethany still has three conference series remaining with other team's that are in the running for the PAC playoffs (Grove City, Saint Vincent and Washington & Jefferson).
The Bison will be back in action on Sunday, April 19 when they compete in a non-conference doubleheader with Franciscan University. The matchup with the Barons is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
