Bethel College takes two important games at Union University;
Winning streak at seven games
Matt Swinea, Sports Information Director
JACKSON, Tenn. (Saturday, April 14, 2007) – The Bethel College baseball team earned two important conference wins over local rival Union University. The teams were originally set to play a three game set but Mother Nature changed the plans. The revised schedule had the teams set to play two 7-inning games on Friday night and the third game on Saturday. The first game on Friday night was stopped due to the weather and continued on Saturday and then a 9-inning game followed. The third game was dropped and will only be played at a later date if it will factor into the conference standings. The Wildcats now has a seven game winning streak by defeating the Bulldogs in game one 4-3 in 10 innings and 8-6 in game two. Bethel has moved from eighth and now sits in fourth place in the TranSouth Conference standings.
Bethel sent Drew Hayes (Fr./McKenzie, Tenn.) to the hill for game one’s start. Hayes went six innings before the game was stopped on Friday night giving up eight hits and striking out six. The Bulldogs scored three runs, but all the runs were unearned. Jonathan Neely (Jr./Cullman, Ala.) and Hunter Pingston (Sr./Rockledge, Fla.) pitched the final three innings allowing only one hit. Bethel took the lead early in the top of the first as Alex Whitmore hit his 13th homer of the season, a solo shot on the first pitch he saw. The Wildcats added another run in the top of the third. Johnathan Deberry (Fr./Lexington, Tenn.) led off with a single to center. With one out, Deberry stole second and advanced to third on a fielder’s choice ground out. Hayes reached base on an error and Deberry scored for a 2-0 lead. Union would counter as they scored all three of their runs in the bottom of the fifth. After a single with one out, the next batter grounded a ball to third. Whitmore threw to Tyler Newman (Jr./Henderson, Tenn.) who was in the process of trying to turn a double play but missed the catch. With runners at first and third, Union doubled to left-center, to plate two runs. The Bulldogs got another double to score their third run. Hayes struck out the last two to end the inning. Down 3-2 in the top of the seventh, Bethel needed a run to tie. Heath Sharp (So./Fayetteville, Tenn.) hit a lead off double to deep right-center. Jonathon Keck (Fr./Lexington, Tenn.) followed with a single to shallow center, Sharp advanced to third. Jon Dyer (Fr./Paris, Tenn.) came in to pinch run for Sharp. After a shallow fly ball for an out, Deberry hit a sacrifice bunt squeeze to scored Dyer from third and tie the score 3-3. In the bottom of the seventh, the lightening and rains came to put a halt on the game until Saturday. Union had a golden opportunity in the bottom of the 9th as they loaded the bases. Pingston got two grounders to the pitchers mound to end the threat. Then, Bethel was able to get the offense going in the top of the 10th. With one gone, Scott Dean (Fr./Jackson, Tenn.) doubled to deep left-center. Hayes reached on a walk. Then Whitmore singled deep down the left field line to score Dean and Bethel had a 4-3 lead. Pingston closed it out in the bottom half of the inning to get credited for the win.
In game two, Bethel got the offense rolling early and chased the Bulldog’s starting pitcher in the first inning without recording an out. Dean led off with a double to deep left. Hayes dropped down a bunt and reached on a base hit, as Dean made it to third. Whitmore tripled to deep right, scoring Dean and Hayes. Newman reached on a walk. Josh Wharton (Fr./Herrin, Ill.) came in to pinch run for Newman, Wharton stole second. Sharp singled, up the middle driving in Whitmore, Wharton advanced to third. Jonathon Keck (Fr./Lexington, Tenn.) singled, thru the hole at 2nd base driving in Wharton. Deberry hit a sacrifice bunt advancing Sharp to third and Keck to second. Evans singled, thru the hole at shortstop plating Sharp and Keck for a 6-0 lead. Bethel added another run in the top of the second as Hayes reached on a walk and advanced to second on a passed ball. Whitmore hit a sac fly to deep left as Hayes advanced to third. Newman hit a sacrifice fly to center, Hayes scored for a 7-0 lead. Union did not go away quietly, they scored two in the second, one in the fifth, two more in the seventh and one in the eighth as the lead dwindled to 7-6. Bethel was able to score an important insurance run in the ninth. Sharp led off with a single to left. Keck bunted and reached first on fielder's choice, as Sharp was forced out. Deberry followed with a single, moving Keck to second. With two gone, Deberry was able to advance to third on a wild throw. Then, Seth Stanfill (Jr./Lexington, Tenn.) singled to left to score Deberry and give the Wildcats an 8-6 lead. After Brian Nellett (So./Huntingdon, Tenn.) walked the first Union batter and hit the second, the Wildcats turned to Hayes to close it out. Hayes got a pop out, a strike out and a fly out to record his first collegiate save and give Bethel a seven game winning streak.
Bethel is now 28-14-1 (11-9) on the season. They play a game with Christian Brothers, at AutoZone Park in Memphis, Tenn. on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 at 3:00pm. Then the Wildcats return to Wildcat Park and resume conference action on Friday, April 20, 2007 against Lyon College (Tenn.) at 3:00pm. And continue the series on Saturday with a double header beginning at 12:00pm.