MISHAWAKA, Ind. --- Six seniors were honored at Jenkins Stadium on Saturday, with a pair of pitching duels highlighting the last home games of the season and setting up the playoff scenario for the Pilots as they look ahead to the Grace Lancers, who stand in the way to a ticket to the Crossroads League Tournament. The Bethel Pilots (13-27, 8-24) fell to the Saint Francis Cougars (23-22, 20-12) by way of an exciting 5-4 and 4-2 results.
GAME 1
Andrew Gerber threw one pitch and his last pitch at Jenkins Stadium before being pulled for Peter Wallsmith to take over for eight innings. Brenden Lytle plated the first run of the game in the top of the first off a fielder's choice and brought in Xavier Nolan, then Sam Pesa grounded out to score Nolan in the top of the third for the second Cougar run.
After two scoreless frames, Eli Riley roped a sacrifice fly to center to bring home Jayden Lepper for the third Cougar run in the top of the sixth. Jacob Sitterly put Bethel on the board in the bottom of the seventh from a single to left and plated Elijah Gaines to make it 3-1.
Lepper singled to center in the top of the eighth for an extra insurance run, then Andrew Dillon answered in the bottom of the eighth to score Lucas Thorn and made it 4-2. Later in the inning, Adam Walters doubled to deep center to bring Deming home, then Gaines tied the game with a sacrifice fly to center 4-4. AJ Patton scored the game-winning run in the top of the ninth with a single to left which, resulted in a cut-off throw to get Patton out at first, but the Pilots couldn't walk it off in the bottom of the frame and fell 5-4.
Tim Dillehay (0-1) suffered the loss after coming in to close in the ninth and allowed two hits, one run, and stuck out one. Wallsmith threw eight innings and allowed six hits and four runs, walked two batters, and struck out six in a great relief effort.
GAME 2
Jesse Stout struck first in the nightcap with a single to right center and brought home Gaines for the first run, then Jordan Landkrohn laced a single to right center to score Stout and took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
Pesa doubled to center and broke up the shutout in the top of the fourth, then Callan Stauffer hit a sacrifice fly to center to tie the game. Lytle gave USF the lead later in the inning with a single to center to make it 3-2, then Riley homered to left-center for what would be the winning run, 4-2.
Adam Walters (3-5) threw a complete seven-inning game and allowed seven hits, four runs (three earned), walked two batters, and struck out two in 95 pitches.
The Pilots Crossroads League Tournament outlook is the Pilots will need to sweep Grace to force a tiebreaker to decide who gets the tournament birth if Bethel loses any game of the series, Grace will advance.
The final series of the 2025 regular season concludes in Winona Lake, Ind., against the Grace Lancers at Tom Roy - UPI Park on Thursday, April 24, and Saturday, April 26, for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch each day.
For more information about Bethel Athletics and updates on all 28 sports, check out bupilots.com or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube by searching @bupilots or the hashtag #TheRightWaytoPlay.
