Wildcats take double header from Brescia University

Matt Swinea, Sports Information Director

MCKENZIE, Tenn. (Wednesday, April 4, 2007) – Bethel had to rely on timely late inning hitting to claim two wins against the visiting Bearcats of Brescia University (Ky.).  The Wildcats got three runs in their last at-bat in game one to take a 6-2 victory.  In game two, Bethel executed a bases loaded squeeze bunt in the final inning to earn a one-run 3-2 win.

Game one saw Bethel starting pitcher, Hunter Pingston (Sr./Rockledge, Fla.) pitch his best game of the season to pick up the win.  Pingston went five innings giving up six hits, two runs while striking out four.  Landon Wood (Jr./Lexington, Tenn.) and Jonathan Neely (Jr./Cullman, Ala.) threw the final two innings not allowing a hit or any base runners.  The Wildcats got on the board early as Scott Dean (Fr./Jackson, Tenn.) led off the bottom of the first with a walk.  Dean advanced to second on a stolen base.  Dean tagged and made it to third on an Alex Whitmore (Sr./Nashville, Tenn.) sac fly.  And with two gone, Tyler Newman (Jr./Henderson, Tenn.) reached on a walk.  Heath Sharp (So./Fayetteville, Tenn.) hit a RBI single to center scoring Dean.  Jonathon Keck (Fr./Lexington, Tenn.) loaded the bases with a walk.  Then Johnathan Deberry (Fr./Lexington, Tenn.) hit a double to right-center that plated Newman and Sharp for a 3-0 Bethel lead.  Brescia responded with two runs in the third inning to make the score 3-2.  After the first, the Wildcats had opportunities, but didn’t generate enough offense to score.  But, in the bottom of the sixth, Bethel got a timely hit.  With one gone, Seth Stanfill (Jr./Lexington, Tenn.) reached on a walk.  Dean tried to sacrifice bunt, but Stanfill was forced out at second and Dean was safe at first.  Drew Hayes (Fr./McKenzie, Tenn.) singled to left, advancing Dean second. Then Whitmore blasted a 3 run home run to center and a 6-2 Bethel lead.  The Wildcats shut down Brescia in the top of the seventh to the 6-2 win.  Whitmore was 1 for 4 with three RBI and a homer.  Deberry was 1 for 3 with two RBI.  Sharp was 1 for 1 with a RBI and two walks.  Newman was p for 1 with three walks.  Hayes was 1 for 1 with a runs scored.

Game two saw another good starting pitching performance from Jared Dulaney (Jr./Cullman, Ala.).  Dulaney went five innings yielding six hits and one run.  Rhett Hughes (Jr./Harrisburg, Ill.) and Neely finished the final two innings for Bethel with Neely picking up the win.  Again the Wildcats got on the scoreboard early.  With two outs, Whitmore singled to center.  He advanced to second on a passed ball.  Newman got a key two out RBI single that allowed Whitmore to score and Bethel had a 1-0 lead.  Bethel extended the lead in the bottom of third.  With one down, Hayes reached on a walk.  After Whitmore flied out to left, Newman singled to center, advancing Hayes to third. Sharp reached on and error allowing Hayes to score.  Brescia made it close when they scored a run in the top of the fifth for a 2-1 Bethel lead.  Brescia struck again for another run in the top of the seventh to tie the game 2-2.  But, the Wildcats rallied for a run in the bottom of the seventh.  With one down, Sharp was hit by pitch. Keck followed with a walk.  Evans reached on a walk to load the bases.  Then, Deberry executed a perfect squeeze bunt that allowed Sharp to score the winning run.