REDDING, Calif. – A five-run ninth inning lifted the Bushnell University baseball team to a series-opening win over Simpson University, 5-1. The Red Hawks took game two, 3-2, to force a split in Friday's non-conference doubleheader.
 
The Beacons move to 2-3 on the season, while the Red Hawks sit at 2-8.
 
Game 1: Bushnell 5, Simpson 1
 
After recording just one hit through eight innings, Bushnell put up a five-run ninth to win the series opener.
 
Ethan Sachs (pictured) got the start, allowing just one run on four hits in 5.1 innings of work with seven strikeouts. Trevor Hammond (1-0) tossed 2.2 innings, giving up two hits in the outing, and Colby Knutzen pitched the ninth, forcing three fly outs to secure the victory.
 
Sachs said, "It felt great to be out there and get a win today. Shoutout to Kyle Casperson for catching a great game. Also to Trevor 'The Vulture' Hammond and Colby Knutzen for coming in and shutting it down behind me."
 
Hammond added, "It was fun to go out and compete in a leverage situation. I wanted to give my team a chance to win."

Jordan Wilson singled to get the big inning started, and the Beacons loaded the bases on an error and a walk. A wild pitch tied the game at 1-1 before Kyle Casperson drove in the next two with a double to make it a 3-1 lead and force a pitching change.
 
Jake Stoner pinch ran for Casperson and scored on a pair of wild pitches. Caleb Richter came in as a pinch hitter and brought in the final run with an RBI-single. The Beacons tallied four hits, sent nine batters to the plate, and used five pinch runners in the inning.
 
Eric Winchester pitched seven scoreless innings for the Red Hawks, allowing just one hit.
 
Game 2: Simpson 3, Bushnell 2
 
A three-run bottom of the fifth was enough for the Red Hawks to take game two.
 
Bushnell got on the board first thanks to a sacrifice fly from Wilson, scoring Ethan Stacy who had reached on a leadoff double. Three unearned runs made it a 3-1 deficit for the Beacons after five.
 
The Beacons got one back in the seventh off an RBI-groundout but the Red Hawks did not allow a baserunner in the final two frames.
 
Max Chapman (0-1), Garrett Vohs and Alex Gums saw the mound for Bushnell. Chapman got the start, allowing three unearned runs on four hits in five innings of work. Vohs threw a scoreless sixth and Gums gave up just one hit in the final two innings.
 
Jaydon Tomas (1-0) pitched five innings for Simpson, allowing one run on three hits.
 
Up Next:  Bushnell and Simpson wrap up the series with game three on Saturday at noon.