MISHAWAKA, Ind. --- The series finale on Saturday between the Bethel Pilots (10-18, 5-15) and the No. 13 Taylor Trojans (28-5, 19-1) was delayed an hour and a half due to a thunderstorm that rolled through campus and the Pilots fell 8-2 and 12-1 to drop all four games of the series.
GAME 1
Starting Pitcher
Andrew Gerber battled through the first four innings of shutout baseball until the top of the fifth, when the Trojans had a few blasts, including an RBI double to left center, a sacrifice fly to center, and a two-run home run to give the Trojans a 4-0 advantage.
The Trojans followed up in the top of the seventh with a line out to the second baseman that resulted in a run scored off an error by the first baseman, who could not corale the bang-bang throw, and TU tacked on an insurance run 5-0.
Bethel answered in the bottom of the seventh, with
Jesse Stout scoring
Hudson Francis off a groundout to the shortstop, who opted for the putout at first. Then
Adam Walters scored on a wild pitch to make it a 5-2 ballgame.
Taylor singled down the right field line in the top of the ninth for their seventh run and scored off a double play to eventually take game three of the series 8-2.
Andrew Gerber (0-2) was given the loss after five innings of work, allowing eight hits, four runs, walking one, and striking out three batters.
Luke Mast took the hill in relief in the sixth inning and closed the ballgame in four innings, allowed two hits and four runs, walked three, and struck out two.
GAME 2
Taylor got on the board in the top of the first from a solo home run to left center and an error by the second baseman to start the game with a 2-0 lead. The Trojans tacked on two more runs in the top of the second off a two-RBI single to left field and a third from a wild pitch, 6-0 TU.
The Trojans had another big two-RBI single to left in the top of the fifth and increased the lead to 8-0, then Drew Demming broke up the shutout with a solo home run to left and made it 8-1.
Taylor added three more runs from a three-run home run over the left field wall and scored their final run in the top of the seventh to win 12-1.
Adam Walters (2-3) received the loss after throwing four innings and allowing six runs (four earned), walked three, and struck out two.
The Pilots prepare for the Spring Arbor Cougars April 4-5 at Hank Burbridge Field for a 1 p.m. start on Friday and Saturday.
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