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Box Score 4 MISHAWAKA, Ind. ---The Bethel Pilots (6-14, 2-6) split Friday's home doubleheader with the Spring Arbor University Cougars (13-9. 4-4) before falling to No. 7 Marian University (17-2, 9-1) on Saturday at the MU Softball Diamond.
GAME ONE VS. SPRING ARBOR (2-1 L)
In game one, both teams remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth, when Senior Infielder
Kate Cooper reached on a fielder's choice to bring home
Alyssa Forys, who reached on a base hit (1-0).
The Pilots held off the Cougars from scoring until the top of the seventh, when Cougars Grace Lentz and Nicole Barbeau smacked back-to-back home runs to lead the board 2-1.
Maddy Shaw answered in the bottom of the seventh with a double down the left field line, but the Pilots would not be able to capitalize on the opportunity.
GAME TWO VS. SPRING ARBOR (W 9-4)
In the nightcap,
Morgan Blubaum got the action started with a single to left to bring in
Alyssa Forys (1-0).
Karleigh Friedrich then stepped up to the plate to send a two-bagger to left, for a 2-0 Pilot lead.
The Pilots kept on rolling, with
Madison Shaw sailing a base hit to left to send Friedrich across the plate (3-0).
To conclude the successful first inning, Shaw scored on a passed ball (4-0) and
Faith Douglas scored on a a single by Forys to make it a 5-0 ball game.
In the bottom of the second,
Kate Cooper added a double down the right field line to score
Karleigh Friedrich, before crossing home herself thanks to a sacrifice fly by Shaw (7-1).
The final Pilot runs came from
Madison Shaw and
Paxton Baker (9-2).
While the Cougars added two additional runs in the seventh off a double to right and a wild pitch, Bethel would ultimately take the game 9-4.
Ryen Clair would pick up the win from the mound after 4.1 innings of work, while
Haylee Allen was credited with the save (2.2 innings).
The win marks the Pilots' first earned win over the Cougars since 2024.
GAMES ONE (8-1 L) & TWO VS. MARIAN (6-3 L)
Freshman Karliegh Friedrich continued her breakout season with the lone RBI for the Pilots.
In the top of the third, she connected on a sacrifice fly to bring in
Alyssa Forys, who reached on a double to right center.
In game two, the Pilots had a competitive showing against the NAIA Ranked No. 7 Knights.
In the top of the first, Maddy Shaw got the Pilots on the board with a base hit to right to bring in Forys (1-0).
After Marian claimed a 3-1 lead in the top of the third,
Harmony Looney answered in the fourth by connecting on a crucial double to score Freshman
Addison McCarty (3-2).
Looney's impact extended to the sixth inning, where she reached on a fielder's choice as
Madison Shaw crossed home (3-5).
The Knights added one more to make it a 6-3 victory for Marian, but the Pilots' resilience showed through their game two performance against a top-ten NAIA team.
The Pilots will next compete on the road against the Goshen College Maple Leafs (9-13, 3-7) on Monday, March 23.. First pitch at the Goshen College Softball Complex is set for 3 PM.
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