McPHERSON, Kan. — The McPherson College Bulldogs used two wildly different games to sweep the Bethel College Threshers Wednesday (Apr. 5) at Bulldog Park.
It was all Bulldogs in the opener, putting up runs in all but the second inning to win by run rule 9-1.
Lacy Weaver put the Bulldogs on the board first in the opening frame with a triple to right field that brought home Kassidy New and Lauren Skinner.
The Bulldogs tacked on three more in the third, including an RBI single by New.
Bethel scored its lone run of the game in the fourth, but the Bulldogs matched after another RBI single by New.
The Bulldogs finished off the run-rule victory with three runs in the third, all coming with two outs, thanks to singles by Summer Garcia, Tatyana Alvarado, and New.
New finished perfect at the plate (3-for-3) in game one with three RBIs. Raegan Kleppe got the start in the circle and threw five innings with three strikeouts.
The nightcap proved to be more challenging for the Bulldogs, needing extra innings to finish off the Threshers 9-8.
Similar to the first game, Weaver put the Bulldogs on top early with a triple to right field, bringing Alvarado around to score.
But the Threshers put one on the board with a solo homer by Dakota Piovesan in the second, then an RBI double by Taylor Sanfillippo gave Bethel the lead.
Alvarado scored on an error to tie the ballgame in the third, then a sacrifice fly by Weaver gave the Bulldogs a 3-2 advantage.
Bethel regained the lead in the fifth, scoring three runs, but Alvarado singled to centerfield before she and Sarsfield came around to score on an error, sending the game into extra innings.
The Threshers grabbed a three-run lead in the eighth, but the Bulldogs rallied for four in the next half-inning to seal the victory.
Alexandrea Garcia got the inning going, scoring on a passed ball, then an RBI single by Weaver pulled the Bulldogs within 8-7. Summer Garcia closed out the win with a single to left field.
The Bulldogs are back in action on Saturday (Apr. 8) for Senior Day against Kansas Christian.
