MISHAWAKA, Ind. --- The Bethel Pilots Softball team (8-24, 3-15) broke a seven-game losing streak to the Taylor Trojans (22-12, 11-9) with a nightcap win 7-2 but lost the first game of the doubleheader in a heartbreaking 7-5 come from behind loss at Gardner Field on Saturday.
GAME 1
The Pilots took a quick 5-0 lead with Maddison Shaw smacking in two runs from a double to left, and Hannah Goldsborough scored Shaw with a grounder to first that was thrown away in the bottom of the first. In the bottom of the second, Grace Walker hit a towering solo home run down the left field line, then Jordan Markley plated Alyssa Forys, who had a great day in the field at shortstop, with a double in the left-center gap.
Brooke Sanchez broke up the shutout in the top of the fourth with an RBI single to short, but the tide turned in the top of the fifth with a three-run home run over the center field wall to make it a 5-4 game in favor of Bethel.
The Trojans tied the game in the top of the seventh with runners on first and third by Kaylee Larkin's sacrifice fly to center and made it a 5-5 game. Delaynee McCreary tripled down the left field line to plate Livie Lehmann and took the lead 6-5. Delaney Barton singled and scored McCreary in the next at-bat to extend the lead to 7-5, and Taylor took the first game.
Harmony Looney battled for six innings, throwing a great game, and allowed four runs, four hits, walked five, and struck out three batters before Cassidy Ostema (1-3) entered the circle in the seventh but allowed three hits, three runs, and walked one batter and was given the loss.
GAME 2
Lehmann got the Trojans on the board in the top of the first with an RBI single that brought in Grace Mullins to take the first lead 1-0, but Madison Shaw hit a two-run home run over the left-center wall to take the lead 2-1 in the bottom of the first.
Mullins looped a ball out to the left at the top of the second and scored Jayci Kitchen before being thrown out by Walker at second and tied the game 2-2. In the bottom of the frame, Markley answered with a two-run homer that hit the netting in front of the scoreboard to jump to a 4-2 lead, then Harmony Looney laced a solo home run for the Pilots' third of the day to left field and took a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the third.
A bases-loaded passed ball scored Kate Cooper for the Pilots sixth run in the bottom of the fifth, and Walker scored on a wild pitch, and the Pilots completed the upset 7-2.
Ryen Clair (2-7) was given the win after a complete game and allowed eight hits, two runs (one earned), walked two batters, and struck out three.
Bethel has improved to 22-40 against the Trojans since 2007 and is 11-17 at Gardner Field against Taylor. The last win against TU was a doubleheader sweep on April 14, 2023, at Gardner Field.
The Pilots prepare for the final two games of the US Highway 20 Cup series against the Goshen Maple Leafs, where Bethel leads the all-sport rivalry 8.75 to 5.50, on Tuesday, April 8, for a 3 p.m. doubleheader. Bethel continues the long home stretch that includes eight home games the week of April 7.
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