Lady Cats Stumble at Home in Hard-Fought Doubleheader Against Williams Baptist
MCKENZIE, Tenn. – It was a challenging Wednesday at Wildcat Park for the Bethel Lady Cats (9-18, 5-8), as they dropped both ends of a home doubleheader to a surging Williams Baptist University (24-10, 5-1) squad. Despite flashes of power and strong relief pitching, the Lady Cats couldn't quite find the timely hits needed to overcome the Eagles.
Game 1: Williams Baptist 5, Bethel 2
The opener saw the Lady Cats fall behind early as Williams Baptist struck for four runs in the first inning. Bethel starter Briley Auvenshine struggled to find her rhythm against a hot Eagles lineup, but the bullpen settled things down. Maleyia Prather and Amelia Sherrill combined for six innings of solid relief, allowing only one run the rest of the way. Bethel's offense showed signs of life in the fourth inning when Kalani Hernandez laced a two-run single, scoring Fallyn Jordan and Lillyan Wortham. However, Williams Baptist pitcher Emberlin Caldwell remained poised, tossing a complete game to stifle the comeback attempt. Bethel Standouts: Kalani Hernandez: 2-for-3, 2 RBI • Kayleigh Dunn: 2-for-3 • Maleyia Prather: 4.0 IP, 1 ER in relief
Game 2: Williams Baptist 4, Bethel 1
The nightcap was a classic pitcher's duel through the first few frames. Bethel took an early 1-0 lead in the third inning when Riley Sharp connected on a solo home run, energizing the home crowd. The lead held until the fourth, when the Eagles clawed back with two runs. They added two more insurance runs in the sixth to pull away. WBU's Morgan Garner was lights-out for the visitors, allowing only four hits and striking out five in a complete-game effort. The Lady Cats struggled to string hits together, managing only four knocks in the contest. Bethel Standouts: • Riley Sharp: 1-for-3, Solo HR • Fallyn Jordan: 1-for-3, 2B • Kinsley Caruthers: 1-for-2; 2.1 IP, 4 K on the mound
Coach's Corner: Lady Cats Head Coach Craig Massey reflected on the team's missed opportunities and their plan to pivot quickly for the upcoming weekend. "It's always tough to drop two at home, especially when you feel like you're one big hit away from changing the momentum," said Massey. "In the first game, we gave up too much early, and in the second, we couldn't capitalize after Riley gave us that spark with the home run. We're seeing some good things from our relief pitching and our defense in spots, but we have to be more consistent at the plate." Regarding the bounce-back plan for this weekend, Massey remained optimistic: "The message to the girls is simple: short memory. We've got a big series coming up, and we're going to spend the next two days focusing on our approach with runners in scoring position. We need to get back to playing our brand of softball—aggressive on the paths and disciplined at the dish. This group is resilient, and I expect them to come out with a lot of fire this weekend to get us back in the win column."
The Cats travel to No. 11 Lindsey Wilson this weekend to face the Blue Raiders in a three game MSC series. The teams play a single game on Friday at 3 p.m. and then a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.
Stats:
https://lindseyathletics.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Watch:
https://lindseyathletics.com/watch/?Archive=105&type=Live