Softball Returns Home & Splits with Georgetown
MCKENZIE, Tenn. – The Bethel softball squad returned home to host Georgetown in MSC action Thursday. Bethel rallied in game one to win 6-5. Georgetown rallied in game two to pick up a 5-4 victory.
Game one saw Georgetown jump out to an early lead scoring two runs in the second and a single run in the third. The Tigers added two more runs in the top of the fourth to take a 5-0 lead.
With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, the Wildcats rallied with a run. Melanie Alexander singled driving in Alexis Wheeler to make it 5-1.
The Cats struck again with two out in the fifth. Alexa Thrasher singled driving in Gillian Grahn. Wheeler doubled but Bethel left two on base and trailed 5-2 after five.
Bethel added another run in the bottom of the sixth. After an Alexander single, Maria Murdaugh doubled putting runners at second and third. Alexander would score on a throwing error by the GC catcher to make it 5-3.
The Cats scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to complete the comeback with the 6-5 win. Grahn led off the inning with a single. Brynn Browder entered the game to run for Grahn. Thrasher doubled to put runners at second and third. After a pitching change by Georgetown, Wheeler walked to load the bases. Madison White walked to pull the Cats within one at 5-4. Kirsten Eversole grounded to third and Thrasher scored the tying run on an error by the Tiger catcher. A batter later, Alexander drove in Wheeler with the game winning RBI. Alexander who entered the game hitting over .500 and a slugging percentage over .800 was five for five in the game. Murdaugh, Thrasher and Wheeler each had two hits in the game.
Bethel outhit the Tigers 10-7 but left 10 runners on base. Each team had three errors in the game.
Lauren Reimsnyder picked up the win in relief. Sophie Bingham suffered the Tiger loss.
The Tigers jumped out to an early lead again in game two scoring two runs in the top of the fourth.
Bethel answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth with Browder scoring on an error by the Tiger leftfielder. Madison White drove in a run with an RBI single to knot the game at 2-2.
The game remained tied until the bottom of the sixth. Wheeler socked a two-run homer to give Bethel a 4-2 margin.
The Tigers gained the split when Kaylyn Barnett hit a three-run homer in the top of the seventh to give GC a 5-4 lead. Bethel was unable to rally in the bottom of the inning. It was Bethel's first home loss on the season.
Madison Haught was charged with the loss. Emma Cummings went the distance for the Tigers to pick up the win.
Bethel finished the day at 11-7 overall and 5-1 in the MSC. Georgetown is 9-11 and 4-6.
The squads meet again Friday in a twin bill beginning at noon.
After the home series, Bethel plays 12 straight road games. Eight of those are conference games.
Live stats:
https://www.bethelathletics.com/sports/sball/2021-22/boxscores/20220310_sqwc.xml
Live video:
https://www.bethelathletics.com/WildcatStreaming