SWEDES DROP SERIES 2-1 AGAINST UNIVERSITY OF SAINT MARY

Lindsborg, Kan. - The Bethany College Baseball team hosted the University of Saint Mary for the last weekend series at home. Saturday was a doubleheader with Senior Day festivities in between games, and the Swedes would have magic in the air as they were able to come back with a walk-off victory in game 2. Unfortunately, that would be the only win the Swedes would have on the weekend as they lost the series 2-1.  

Game 1

In game 1 of the series, the Swedes would lose by the score of 15-9. The wind was blowing out straight to left field and the hitters took all advantage of the weather. Both teams combined for 10 extra-base hits in this high-scoring game. The Spires got out to an early 10-0 lead in the first 3 innings. In the bottom of the 4th, the Swedes were finally able to get on the scoreboard thanks to a 3-run home run from senior Payton Walk. An RBI triple by Joseph Rivera scored Caleb Copeland in the bottom of the 5th to cut the lead in half to 10-5. In the 6th inning, the Swedes kept scoring when Randy Good hit a moonshot to left field for a solo home run. 2 of the Swedes seniors were able to homer in their last series at home in front of family and friends something they will never forget. The offense was not done quite yet, as Connor Crayton followed up Good with a line drive to dead center for a double and would later come around to score on a sacrifice fly by Noel Perez. Heading into the top of the 8th inning the Swedes were able to cut the lead to 10-8 but unfortunately, the Spires would put up a 5 spot in their half of the inning to extend the lead to 15-8. The Swedes would scratch 1 run in the bottom of the 9th on a RBI single by Randy Good scoring David Esinal to finish the game 15-9. 

On the mound for the Swedes was the hard-throwing righty Willard Frizzell. Frizzell would go 1.2 innings pitched on 6 hits, 7 earned runs, 4 walks, and 1 strikeout. Nicholas Flores would be in relief for Frizzell and would be able to eat up some innings lasting 5.2 innings pitched on 10 hits, 6 earned runs, 1 walk, and 5 strikeouts. Jacob Mallozzi would be the last Swede pitcher to throw lasting 1.2 innings on 2 hits, 1 earned run, 0 walk, and 3 strikeouts. 

Game 2

Game 2 saw the Swedes walk it off in the bottom of the 7th inning to win by the score of 8-7. Emanuel Alicea would carry the Swedes as he was 3-3 with 2 doubles, 1 walk, and the 2-RBI single to walk it off. The Swedes were down 5-0 after 2 innings, but a 4-run 2nd inning would put them right back in the game. In the 2nd inning, Judd McCall would courtesy run for the catcher and would come around to score the first run on a fielder's choice by Caleb Copeland, who could advance to 2nd on the play. Copeland would attempt to steal 3rd base and on the throw down from the catcher, the ball would end up in left field allowing Copland to score the 2nd run in the inning. Fielding errors would haunt the Spires as Andrew Massey and Payton Walk would both reach safely on errors from the Spires' 3rd baseman and shortstop. Noel Perez would make them pay with an RBI single scoring Massey from 3rd and then would later intentionally get in a run-down that would allow Walk to score before getting out. The Swedes found themselves now down 5-4 after 2 innings. In the bottom of the 3rd inning, the Swedes would tack on 2 more runs to give them a 5-6 lead. The inning would start with a David Espinal single followed by Emanuel Alicea's double that would move runners to 2nd and 3rd. Randy Good would hit a sacrifice fly to score Espinal and Caleb Copeland would hit a double to left center to score Judd McCall who was courtesy running for Alicea. The Swedes would give up the lead in the top of the 6th inning when the Spires were able to score 2 runs and get a 1-run lead heading into the last inning. Senior Andrew Massey would lead it off for the Swedes and would single to left field and Payton Walk would sacrifice and bunt him over to 2nd base. With 1 out and 1 runner in scoring position, Noel Perez would hit a double down right field that the right fielder dove for the ball to try to catch it in the air. On the play, Massey would only get to 3rd base since it was not clear that the ball would be caught and Perez would get to 2nd base on the play. The Spires would intentionally walk Joseph Rivera to load the bases for David Espinal with 1 out. Espinal would strike out to make it 2 outs in the inning and bring up Emanuel Alicea to the plate. Alicea would work the count to 3-2 and with runners on the move Alicea hit a hard single to center that would score Massey and Perez and give the Swedes the 8-7 victory. 

Bryant Baez would go 2 innings on 3 hits, 5 earned runs, 5 walks, and 2 strikeouts starting on the mound for the Swedes. Kenneth Nieves would be first in relief and would go 3 complete innings on 3 hits, 2 runs (0 earned), 2 walks, and 1 strikeout. Jacob Mallozzi would get the win and go 2 innings on 2 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, and 0 strikeouts. 

Game 3

The season's final home game saw the Swedes lose by the score of 10-2. There was not much action for the Swedes in this game as they were held to only 2 runs that they were able to get in the 4th inning. They would have 11 hits in the game but not good baserunning and double plays would kill any rally that was trying to get started. Emanuel Alicea led the offense with 3 hits, and David Espinal, Payton Walk, and Jakob Scott each had 2 hits. 

Starting on the mound for the Swedes was Judd McCall, who unfortunately would not get any help from his defense as they had 6 errors in the game. McCall would go 4 innings on 7 hits, 7 runs (4 earned), 3 walks, and 7 strikeouts. Willian Figueroa-Sota would be in relief going 5 innings on 6 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 3 walks, and 5 strikeouts. 

Up next…

The Bethany College Baseball team will travel to take on Ottawa University starting with a doubleheader Friday, April 28th at 1:00 pm cst and a single nine-inning game on Saturday, April 29th at 3:00 pm cst.

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