REDDING, Calif. – The visiting Bushnell University baseball team scored the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth in both games, which included a seven-run ninth in the opener, to sweep Simpson University in Friday's doubleheader.
Sophomore catcher
Brandon Reed said, "Our pitching and defense held up in big time situations. We battled through some adversity in both games but weathered the storms and all kept pulling in the same direction. Overall, we competed really hard. We still have a long way to go but we need to keep competing day in and day out."
The Beacons (4-1) and Red Hawks (4-9) entered the ninth inning tied a 5-5 in both contests. The Beacons rallied off seven hits in the final inning in game one and won the second game on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch.
Head Coach
Tommy Richards said, "It was a hard-fought day. Our guys played hard and I'm proud of their ability to withstand some blows and keep playing. It wasn't the cleanest baseball, but we hung in there and capitalized on opportunities late in both games."
Game 1: Bushnell 12, Simpson 6
Ethan Stacy and
Brandon Reed both posted a four-hit game, while
Jordan Wilson recorded four RBIs to lead Bushnell, who finished with 17 hits in the opener. The Beacons led 5-2 after the top of the eighth before the Red Hawks tied it up with a three-run bottom half. Bushnell blew the game open with a seven-run top of the ninth to secure the win.
Reece Carganilla crossed the plate for the first run, scoring on a wild pitch in the top of the third. Carganilla reached on a single and stole second, before advancing to third on a single by Stacy. The Red Hawks tied it up in the bottom half, but the Beacons answered with a two-run top of the fourth thanks to RBI-doubles from
Brendan Frazier and Stacy.
Simpson added a run in the sixth, but Bushnell responded once again as Wilson used a double to right to bring in Stacy for the 4-2 lead.
The Beacons loaded the bases in the top of the eighth on three consecutive singles.
Jameson Hussey entered as a pinch hitter and drew a walk to extend the lead to 5-2. The Red Hawks went on to load the bases in the bottom half without a hit, tying the game at 5-5 with a sacrifice fly and a pair of RBI-singles.
Bushnell answered once again by loading the bases in the top of the ninth.
Jeff Fripp opened the frame with a single and Reed doubled to put a pair of runners in scoring position. Frazier reached on a passed ball and Fripp crossed home on fielder's choice to put the Beacons up by one.
Stacy walked to reload the bases and Wilson followed with a bases-clearing double. Hussey brought him in with a single and
Cayden Delozier added on with a two-run homer to bring the score to 12-5.
Ethan Sachs got the start on the mound, allowing just one run on six hits in five innings of work.
Trenton Hough (1-0) got the win, grabbing the final out in the eighth before finishing off the Red Hawks in the ninth, allowing one run on two hits.
Game 2: Bushnell 6, Simpson 5
The Beacons got out to an early three-run lead in the second game before the Red Hawks put up four runs in the bottom of the second.
Wilson and Delozier recorded RBI-singles in the first and Carganilla brought in a run in the second with a sacrifice fly. Simpson scored four runs on four hits in the second, including a two-RBI double to left from Micah Kele, before adding one more in the bottom of the fourth for a 5-3 advantage.
Bushnell tied it up at 5-5 in the bottom of the sixth after
Jacob Richardson reached on a throwing error, advancing all the way to third. Frazier and Delozier, who drew walks to get on base, scored on the error.
Wilson was hit by a pitch, while Reed and Delozier walked to load the bases with two outs in the ninth.
Jameson Hussey was hit by a pitch to score Wilson in what turned out to be the game-deciding run.
Adam Sabatino got the start, tossing the first three innings.
Alec Gums (1-1) threw the next five, and
Colby Knutzen pitched a scoreless bottom of the ninth to get the save.
Bushnell and Simpson finish off the series with a game on Saturday at 11 a.m.
