WASHINGTON, Pa. - The Bethany College baseball team took on Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) College in a Presidents' Athletic Conference doubleheader where they won the first game by a final score of 15-11 and lost the second by a final score of 11-1 at Ross Memorial Park.
After a few schedule changes in the final weekend of the regular season, Bethany played as the home team and needed at least a split to earn the program's first PAC Tournament appearance since the 2019 season where the Bison made it all the way to the conference championship game. The only thing standing in the Bison's way was a national waitlist team in W&J who needed a sweep to lock up the top overall seed. A three-run first in Game 1 got the Green and White going while an eight-run third frame blew the game wide open. The Presidents mounted a comeback but the Bison ultimately slammed the door to secure the upset and the postseason berth. Bethany finishes the regular season with an overall record of 25-15 and a 14-8 record in the PAC while W&J ends the campaign with a 17-5 record and a conference record of 28-11. Both teams advance to the PAC Tournament with seedings and matchups yet to be determined.
Game 1
At the Plate
- Sophomore designated hitter Marco Gonzalez (Oviedo, Fla.) did it all going 3-for-5 at the dish with two doubles and four RBI
- Freshman catcher Kolton Smittle (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) also collected three hits including a double and scored two runs
- Senior Academic All-PAC first baseman Ethan McHugh (Brilliant, Ohio/Buckeye Local) silenced the W&J comeback with a two-run shot to finish with two hits and two RBI
- Senior All-PAC right fielder Sonny Peluchette (Wheeling, W.Va./Wheeling Central Catholic) and senior All-PAC second baseman Jaden Nestor-Fox (Vermilion, Ohio) each had a pair of base hits and drove in two runs and one run, respectively
- Junior shortstop Evan Hegarty (Poland, Ohio/Poland Seminary) also drove in two with a bases-loaded walk and a double
- Sophomore center fielder Niko Heidt (San Diego, Calif./Monte Vista) and junior Academic All-PAC third baseman Gian DeGenova (Wheeling, W.Va./Wheeling Park) each finished with one hit and one RBI
On the Mound
- Gonzalez went four innings where he held the Presidents to four runs on five hits while striking out three
- Freshman left-hander Noah Stonerock (Circleville, Ohio/Westfall) inherited a big lead and got the victory despite only pitching an inning and a third
- Sophomore right-hander Billy Sloan (North Jackson, Ohio/Jackson-Milton) got the three-inning save where he struck out three and only gave up one hit and one walk
Game 2
At the Plate
- Freshman right fielder Brance McCune (Morgantown, W.Va./University) scored the Bison's only run of the nightcap thanks to a W&J miscue
- Freshman left fielder Troy Miller (South Park, Pa.) and Heidt each went 1-for-2 with a base hit
- Nestor-Fox and Gonzalez each also notched a single for the Bison
On the Mound
- Senior right-hander Payton Zupko (Mineral Ridge, Ohio) got the start where he had two strikeouts and allowed only one run
- Junior left-hander Tristan Simrau (Traverse City, Mich./Traverse City West) ate up some more innings for the Bison bullpen and gave up only five hits and one earned run while fanning two Presidents through three frames
- Sophomore right-hander David Jinks (Euharlee, Ga.) pitched two scoreless inning in his collegiate pitching debut surrendering only one hit
- Freshman left-hander Dominic Kempton (Dillonvale, Ohio/Buckeye Local) closed the final two innings as he struck out two and allowed two runs on five hits
The Bison are back in action Wednesday, May 6 as they travel to Washington, Pennsylvania to open the Presidents' Athletic Conference Tournament at Ross Memorial Park.
