Baseball | 4/21/2012 7:53:00 PM
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McPherson, Kan. – McPherson College baseball is still looking for their first conference win of the season after the Swedes of Bethany College swept their series with the Bulldogs this weekend. MC is now 4-33 overall and 0-24 in the KCAC.
Games one and two were held in Bethany, Kansas and won by BC 13-0 and 7-5. The final two games were played in McPherson and went the way of the Swedes 4-12 and 10-12.
Thursday, Game One: McPherson 0 – Bethany 13
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Game one did not go the way the Bulldogs wanted it to, as they were only able to achieve one hit in the entire seven inning game. The designated hitter, Frank Mora (Houston, Texas), had the lone hit which was a double in the fifth inning.
The loss went to senior pitcher Curt Compagnone (Salina, Kan.) who threw his sixth complete game of the year. Compagnone surrendered 13 runs, 12 earned, off of 17 hits and two walks in his six innings pitched.
Of the 17 hits of the Swedes, Roemon Fields and Jose Rodriguez each grabbed three to lead Bethany. Rodriguez attained seven RBIs, five of which came from his two homeruns.
Chris Drake of Bethany pitched all seven innings in the opening game on Thursday. He logged five strikeouts, seven groundouts and three fly outs in his complete game.
Thursday, Game Two: McPherson 5 – Bethany 7
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The Bulldogs had a much better showing in game two and were able to grab their first lead of the day in the fourth inning when a Mora double brought around two and a double by Victor Betancourt (Margarita Island, Venezuela) scored Mora, making the score 3-1. After putting up two in the top of the fifth, MC took a 5-1 lead into the bottom half of the inning where, unfortunately for McPherson, Bethany was able to score six runs, taking the lead for good at 7-5.
Rebounding from their one hit performance in the first game, MC put the ball into play eight times in the second game. Taylor Werts (Mansfield, Texas) went 3-of-4 with two singles and a triple to lead the Bulldogs in hits. Mora was the lone McPherson player to have two hits and was the top RBI getter with two. Three others put positive contact on the ball.
Logan Zike (Frisco, Texas) was the first Bulldog sent to the pitching mound in game two. Zike gave up four earned runs in his four and a third before Mora relieved him. Mora walked five batters in a row before Werts was called upon to finish the game. Werts tallied three strikeouts in his one and two thirds innings.
Despite only hitting the ball five times, Bethany still put up seven runs in their game two victory. Fields once again led the Swedes in batting, going 3-of-4 with three singles. Three others logged one hit apiece.
Three pitchers were used in the defeat of McPherson with Morgan Heiman getting the starting nod. Heiman pitched four innings, giving up five runs, four earned, coming off of six hits. Ryan Gunther relieved him in the fifth and pitched two innings, allowing no runs and one hit, before Montana Prim closed out the game.
Saturday, Game One: McPherson 4 – Bethany 12
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In the first matchup of Saturday, Bethany’s Clayton Cozzitorto almost pitched a shutout game but a four-run seventh inning for McPherson, aided by a three-run homerun by Werts, stopped that feat dead in its tracks. Werts was one of four Bulldogs with one hit, Jordan Slaton (Dodge City, Kan.) and Jeremy Moore (McPherson, Kan.) each earned two, leading MC in hits; Moore had the other RBI for McPherson.
Dion Herron (Kansas City, Mo.) pitched his fourth-straight complete game for MC. He surrendered 12 runs, eight earned, 13 hits and one walk. He logged eight strikeouts, three groundouts and four fly outs in his seven innings.
Rodriguez led the Swedes in hitting, making it safely on base all four times he came to the plate, and knocking in four runs with his three hits. Darrin Biegert also tallied three hits for game one and hit around two.
Cozzitorto, in his seven innings, allowed four earned runs, eight hits and zero walks. He struck out eight and forced four groundouts and seven fly outs.
Saturday, Game Two: McPherson 10 – Bethany 12
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In game two, another late run for McPherson ends in a loss. The Bulldogs were down 12-5 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning and put up five runs before a Brad Stanley (Coffeyville, Kan.) fly out ended the game.
MC put the ball into play 9 times in game two with Werts, Slaton and Betancourt each having two; three other ‘Dogs had one hit.
Werts started the game and pitched four innings, giving up eight earned runs from 12 hits, before Casey McConnell (Hutchinson, Kan.) came in relief. McConnell finished out the game, allowing four earned runs off of four hits.
In their 37 at bats, Bethany made positive contact with the ball 16 times. Fields was the top batter with his three hits; five Swedes each had two hits while three others grabbed one.
Bethany used three pitchers in their second game win with Boston Draper getting the start. He was relieved after pitching three and two thirds innings, giving up five earned runs and six hits, by Ben Gass. Gass went two and a third innings, surrendering three earned runs off of just one hit and three walks. Prim come in to close out the game mid-way through the seventh inning. He faced seven batters and allowed two earned runs from two hit.
McPherson baseball will play their final four-game series of the season next weekend, April 28th and 29th against the Falcons of Friends University. The first set of double-headers will be played on Saturday in McPherson, Kan., at Light Capital Stadium at 1 p.m. (CT)
