Tucson, Ari. --- The Bethel Pilots fell to the Ottawa Spirit (Ari.) after a late game three-run seventh-inning comeback to defeat the Pilots 4-3, and Bethel fell to the Arizona Christian Firestorm (14-5) after an early lead and rode the advantage to a 4-2 game.
GAME 1 – Ottawa (Ari.) vs Bethel
The Pilots made some noise in the third inning with a two-run double by Emmie Pugh, then Meghan Younger scored Pugh on an error to give the Pilots a 3-0 lead.
The Spirit put themselves on the board with a run in the top of the sixth inning on a Mashayla Beltran RBI double to chip away 3-1.
Ottawa took the lead in the seventh inning by putting up three runs, starting with a solo home run by Savannah Sutton and finishing the job with a Breanna Gonzalez 2-RBI double.
Ryann Norris threw six innings for the Pilots allowing only one earned run and five hits. She struck out four batters and walked two.
Hannah Frady was credited with her fourth season loss after she threw one inning and let up three runs.
GAME 2 – Arizona Christian vs Bethel
The Firestorm started early with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Taylor Alto grounded out to Bethel third baseman Kate Cooper but scored Jyden Miles. Neely Bell grounded out to Pilot first baseman Marissa Navarrete to score Miles.
Arizona Christian tacked on one more run in the bottom of the third with a squeeze play by Miles to score Claire Buckley to make it 3-0.
Bethel answered with a run in the top of the fourth with a Kate Cooper single up the middle, which crossed Pugh to chip away 3-1.
Micaela Beneke scored on a wild pitch to tack on another run in the top of the fifth to get within one run, 3-2.
The Firestorm put up an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth on a ground out, and Arizona Christian won 4-2.
Kate Cooper had a multi-hit game with two hits and one RBI for the Pilots.
Frady was credited with the loss after throwing six innings and let up six hits, four runs, two walks, and struck out one batter.
THE PILOTS COME HOME
Crossroads League play begins for the Pilots with a doubleheader at Gardner Field against the Goshen College Maple Leafs on Mar. 4, starting at 3 p.m.
For the latest information on each of Bethel University's 31 intercollegiate athletic teams, visit BUPilots.com or follow the Pilots on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @BUPilots or on YouTube at /BethelSportsNetwork.
