Wildcats’ Blast past Brescia University in two-game sweep;
Sharp and Hayes hit multiple dingers
Matt Swinea, Sports Information Director
McKenzie, Tenn. – The Bethel Wildcat baseball team went deep six times in their double header against the Brescia University Bearcats scoring 25 runs in the two game sweep. Heath Sharp (So./Fayetteville, Tenn.) launched three homers, Drew Hayes (Fr./McKenzie, Tenn.) went yard two times and Seth Stanfill (Jr./Lexington, Tenn.) rocketed one off the score board for his first of the season. The offensive explosion allowed the Wildcats to take the twin bill from their former KIAC foe 11-5 and 14-10. The wins improve their record to 6-2-1 on the season.
Game saw a rough outing by Jonathon Keck (Fr./Lexington, Tenn.) who lasted just 3.2 innings allowing seven hits and five earned runs. Bethel quickly jumped out to a 1-0 lead as Hayes hit his first homer of the game in the bottom of the first. The Bearcats would briefly take the lead with a three run third. But, the Wildcats responded in the bottom of the inning to knot the game up, 3-3. Brescia would again take the lead in the top half of the fourth 5-3. The Wildcat’s called on pitcher Landon Wood (Jr./Lexington, Tenn.) who came in and shut the door. Wood worked 2.1 innings and gave up only two hits. Then the ‘Cats offense took over as they scored eight runs to take the 11-5 win.
Sharp was 2 for 3 with two homers and 3 RBI. Hayes was 2 for 2 with two homers, two walks and drove in 3. Stanfill was 1 for 2 with a homer, a walk, two runs scored and 2 RBI. Landon Wood picked up the win, his second of the season.
The Wildcats gave up a first inning run and then continued their offense barrage in the bottom of the first. Bethel scored four runs, three coming on a three-run shot by Sharp. The Wildcats sent out Blake Willis (Jr./Newbern, Tenn.) to tow the rubber in game two. Willis wasn’t able to get past the fourth inning, but the ‘Cats defense didn’t help his cause as they committed four errors in the second inning allowing the Bearcats to plate two unearned runs. The Wildcats got another run in the third to take a 5-3 lead on a wild pitch that Sharp scored on. Brescia took a short lived 6-5 lead in the fourth but the Wildcat responded with two in the bottom half of the inning for a 7-6 lead. The Bearcats got four runs across in the top of the sixth for a 10-7 lead. Once again the Wildcat offense responded scoring seven runs in the bottom of the sixth on a walked-in run, an error, and a couple of hits. Sharp’s deep double with the bases loaded was the big blow of the inning. Bethel’s Jonathan Neely (Jr./Cullman, Ala.) who got the final two outs of the sixth inning closed out a scoreless seventh earning the win, 14-10.
Sharp continued his offensive work in game two going 3 for 4 with a homer and six RBI. Alex Whitmore (Sr./Nashville, Tenn.) was 2 for 3 with three RBI. Hayes was 2 for 4 with an RBI.
The Wildcats are now 6-2-1 on the season. They will start TranSouth Conference play against Martin Methodist College on Friday, March 2, 2007 at 2:00 for one game. They will then continue the series on Saturday with a double header slated to start at 12:00pm.