Hutch Today

Swedes Beat Non-Conference Central Christian College

The Bethany College Baseball team hosted Central Christian College on Tuesday afternoon for spring-break non conference matchup. The Swedes would come out with the victory 6-4 and have started to turn things around following the losing streak. It was a windy game with a north wind blowing in straight from right field; hitters would have their hands full to try to put something in the air. The game plan for the Swedes was to be aggressive and they sure did so. The Swedes would have 10 stolen bases in the game and would be crucial in how they were able to put runs on the scoreboard. 

Alfredo Cruz got the start for the Sedes and struggled to find the zone in the first inning by walking the first two batters of the game. Followed by a single and a couple of productive outs Central Christian found themselves with an early two run lead. The Swedes would answer back quickly putting up three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Noel Perez started off the game with a single to center field and would steal second base a few pitches later. With Perez now on second, Luis Ramos singled on a shallow pop-fly that landed in front of the right fielder allowing for Perez to score to cut the game within one. A hit-by-pitch on David Espinal and a hard single by Caleb Rodriguez loaded the bases up for Willard Frizzell. Frizzell would single to bring in Ramos to tie the game at two a piece. Randy Good would have a productive at bat, as he would ground out to shortstop which would allow Espinal to score and give the Swedes a 3-2 lead. 

Willian Figueroa-Soto relieved Cruz in the second inning and lasted five innings allowing one run on three hits, one walk, and three strikeouts. Bryant Baez would be the last Swede pitcher used and would come out earning the victory. Baez went two innings with no hits, no runs, three walks, and one strikeout. 

In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Swedes would get going very similar to how they started the game. Noel Perez would start the inning with a single to center followed by stealing second and third base a few pitches later. Perez would finish with four stolen bases on the day. A ground ball to the third baseman from Rivera made Perez attempt to go home and would be thrown out at the plate and Rivera would move to second base on the fielder's choice. Rivera would steal third base in Luis Ramos' at bat that he would eventually walk in. With runners on first and third David Espinal was at the plate and would reach on an error by the shortstop that allowed Rivera to score to bring the game to 4-3. 

The Swedes would add one run in both the seventh and eighth inning which would allow them to secure the victory. In the bottom of the seventh inning the Swedes took the lead back from an RBI single by Willard Frizzell. They would add an insurance run in the next inning on an RBI single by Joseph Rivera. The Swedes would close out the game to win 6-4 against Central Christian College.      

Up next... 

The Bethany College Baseball team will stay at home to take on Avila University starting with a doubleheader Friday, March 17th, at 12:00 pm cst and a single nine inning game on Saturday, March 18th, starting at 12:00 pm cst. 

Original source can be found here.