Lindsborg, Kan. – It was a pair of close contests for the McPherson College softball team at Bethany College on Wednesday but the Bulldogs came up short twice, 5-4 in eight innings and 6-2 in the final game of the doubleheader.
Game 1 – L 5-4
After three scoreless innings, Bethany got on the board first with a run in the fourth. Mac took the lead 2-1 with a two-run sixth inning and held that lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.
An error by the Bulldogs in the seventh allowed BC to tie the game and push it into extras.
In the eighth, McPherson scored two runs but the Swedes plated three to take the game 5-4.
Mac had five hits and two walks in the game. Katie Holmes logged two knocks of the ball while Shelby Maycumber got on once on a walk and again by getting hit by a pitch.
Freshman pitcher Sydney Lang went the seven and two-thirds innings; she gave up the five runs, three that were earned, on 10 hits and zero walks. Lang struck out six in her time on the mound.
Game 2 – L 6-2
The Swedes again scored first in the second game of the doubleheader, bringing one around in the second. Mac, after leaving two aboard in the second inning, scored their first run in the top of the third to tie things up 1-1.
Bethany brought two across home plate in the bottom of the third and then three more in the fifth to jump out in front 6-1. MC tried to push back in the sixth but was only able to score one run; they left two stranded in the inning.
The 'Dogs went scoreless in the seventh to put the final at 6-2.
Six hits and two walks were recorded by the Bulldogs with Azaria Romero being the lone MC player to get on twice, once on a hit and again via base on balls.
Katie Usdansky pitched the first five innings before being relieved; she surrendered six runs, four of which were earned, on seven hits and a walk.
McPherson will have Senior Day this Saturday as they host Tabor College for a 1:00 p.m. (CT) doubleheader at Wall Park.
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McPherson College is a Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference member school and a part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
