Wildcats get important conference sweep over rival Lambuth University;
Bethel jumps three spots in TranSouth Conference standings with wins
Matt Swinea, Sports Information Director
MCKENZIE, Tenn. (Saturday, April 7, 2007) – Bethel was sitting at number eight in the TranSouth Conference standings as they entered their three game set with the visiting Eagles of Lambuth University. The Wildcats made the most of their opportunity and passed three teams on the weekend to claim the fifth spot. It was important that they made a push, because the conference tournament will be starting in three weeks and only the top eight teams qualify.
Game one saw Bethel come out swinging. They hit three homers in the game en route to a 14-4 thumping of the Eagles. Jonathon Keck (Fr./Lexington, Tenn.) pitched five strong innings only allowing three runs on five hits. Keck also helped himself going 2 for 4 from the plate and scoring a run. Landon Wood (Jr./Lexington, Tenn.) pitched the final two innings allowing one run on only one hit. But, the Bethel bats made it easy on the pitchers. With one gone in the bottom of the first, Alex Whitmore (Sr./Nashville, Tenn.) took a 1-0 pitch over the right field fence for his twelfth homer of the season and a 1-0 Bethel lead. Lambuth responded in the top of the second with a bases loaded fielder’s choice tying the score 1-1. The Wildcats countered in the bottom of the third as Drew Hayes (Fr./McKenzie, Tenn.) singled with one gone and scored on Tyler Newman’s (Jr./Henderson, Tenn.) two-out double and a 2-1 lead. Bethel scored again in the fourth as Johnathan Deberry (Fr./Lexington, Tenn.) got a bunt single, stole second and scored on Matt Retherford’s (Sr./Collinwood, Tenn.) single to center. Then the ‘Cats struck big in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Newman homered to right on the first pitch he saw. Heath Sharp (So./Fayetteville, Tenn.) followed with a single to left. Keck stroked a single to right and a passed ball allowed the runners at advance to second and third. Then, with two outs, Bethel got a clutch hit as Retherford doubled to right plating two runs. Seth Stanfill (Jr./Lexington, Tenn.) hit a RBI single to center for a 7-1 lead. Stanfill swiped second and Scott Dean (Fr./Jackson, Tenn.) hit a RBI single to left for an 8-1 advantage. Lambuth scored three in the top of the sixth to make it 8-4. But, Bethel put it out of reach in the bottom half of the sixth inning. With one gone, Newman singled to shallow left. Sharp followed with a 2 run blast to left, his fifth homer of the season. Keck kept it going, singling to shallow center. Deberry reached on a walk. Retherford singled to first, to load the bases. With two outs, Dean reached on a walk, as Keck scored. Then, Hayes hit a two RBI single to left. Whitmore walked, another passed ball allowed Dean to score and Bethel had a 14-4 lead. Wood, shut the door and Bethel had themselves a quality win.
Game two on Saturday, was a different story. It was all about an impressive pitching performance by Hayes. Although the temps were very low and the wild was blowing. Hayes threw a two hit gem for a complete game shutout. While the offense wasn’t as explosive as it was the previous day, it got the job done. Dean worked the count for a lead off walk in the first. Hayes also reached on the four ball free pass. Newman hit a one out single to left, scoring Dean for a 1-0 lead. Bethel would not score again until the bottom of the fourth when Keck hit a monstrous homer that drew “wows” from the crowd. It was Keck’s fifteenth of the year. Keck is number one in the TranSouth Conference and is only two homers shy of the Bethel career record of 17 in only his freshman year. After a Newman single in the fifth, Sharp got another RBI on a single to right-center and a 3-0 lead. That was all Hayes would need to shut down the Eagles and claim Bethel’s second straight win over Lambuth.
Game three was a little more of a battle, as Bethel had to come from behind to claim the win. Jon Patterson (Fr./Lexington, Tenn.) took the hill in the final game of the series. Patterson gave up four runs only two of which were earned on five hits. The Bethel defense was a little shaky early committing three errors. Hunter Pingston (Sr./Rockledge, Fla.) who has been pitching well as of late, came in for 1.2 innings of work allowing one run on one hit. He was followed by Rhett Hughes (Jr./Harrisburg, Ill.) who got the final out of the sixth inning. Then, Jonathan Neely (Jr./Cullman, Ala.) came in to close the door and record his third save of the season. After giving up one run in the top of the first, things looked to be going Bethel’s way as they touched home three times in the bottom half of the inning. Dean led off with a single, followed by Hayes’ walk. With two gone, Sharp walked to load the bases. A wild pitch allowed Dean to score. Keck delivered a clutch two out, two RBI single to right, for a 3-1 Wildcat lead. Bethel increased the lead in the bottom of the second as Dean tripled to right-center. Hayes hit a sacrifice fly to right and Dean scored for a 4-1 advantage. But, the Eagles would counter, scoring three runs in the top of the fourth to tie the score at 4-4. Lambuth scored again in the fifth for a 5-4 lead. But, the ‘Cats responded as Dean led off the inning with a single to center. Hayes singled, thru the hole at short. With one gone, Newman singled to right, scoring Dean. Sharp followed with a RBI single to shallow right and a 6-5 lead. That is all the Wildcats would need in sewing up a three game sweep of the Eagles.
With the wins, Bethel improves to 26-14-1 (9-9) on the season and moved up three spots in the conference standings. Bethel will be on the road on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 for a double header at Harris Stowe State University (Mo.) beginning at 12:00pm. They have another important conference meeting this coming weekend as they visit Union University for a three game series. The series begins on Friday, April 13, 2007 at 6:00pm and continues with a double header on Saturday, April 14, with first pitch set for 12:00pm.