Lindsborg, Kan. – The Bethany College Swedes played host to the Evangel University Valor in a three-game series at home this weekend.
GAME 1: SWEDES 1, VALOR 10
Game one was one to forget for the Swedes. Although Bethany was able to one in the third inning, courtesy of a Jesuel Cruz solo shot over left field, errors on defense made this one unforgeable as the Swedes would fall 10-1.
Wesley Martinez opened for the Swedes lasting 4.2 innings before Christian Gonzalez entered for 2.0 innings striking out four batters. Jose Fajardo made a brief 1.1 inning appearance before Noah Hargrove finished it off with the last inning.
GAME 2: SWEDES 6, VALOR 4
Bethany jumped on the board early as Jack Crain singled home Adrian Rodriguez to break the scoreless tie. Eduardo Tarafa would hit a sacrifice fly to score Manny Gonzalez to double the lead to two. The Valor would answer back in the next half-inning to cut the Swedes’ lead to just one. In the third, William Sanchez would single home Gonzalez to push the score to 3-1.
Late game drama began when the Valor hit a three-run bomb to take a 4-3 lead, but in the bottom of the eighth-inning, Conner Balmer cranked one over left center to score Trenton Verplank and Tarafa to regain the lead and ultimately be the winning runs as the Swedes would win 6-4.
Sanchez and Gonzalez each tallied two hits with Gonzalez touching Homeplate twice. Jan Maldonado-Cruz got the start lasting 5.2 innings allowing just five hits and one earned run while striking out two. Joseph Guzman got the win pitching the final 3.1 innings allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out one.
GAME 3: SWEDES 16, VALOR 8
The series-deciding game started off in favor of the Valor as the scored two in the first inning. In the third inning, Manny Gonzalez hit a triple to right field scoring Adrian Rodriguez and Conner Balmer to tie it 2-2. Jack Crain singled Gonzalez home to help the Swedes take a 3-2 lead. In the next half-inning, Evangel retook the lead by way of a two-run homerun, but in the bottom of that inning, the Swedes would tack on four by way of a couple singles and passed ball.
The scoring would continue through the fifth inning between both teams as both had plenty of fight in them. The Valor would score two, but Conner Balmer sent one over the right field fence to also score Julio Chavira offsetting the Valor’s score. Evangel would score two more in the sixth, but Bethany would explode for seven-run in the bottom half of the inning highlighted by a Yan Ortiz bases-clearing triple scoring Balmer, Devin Soto-Harris, and Eduardo Tarafa. The Swedes would close this one out with a score of 16-8 to win the series.
Gonzalez had himself a day going three-for-four at the plate with three RBI, two runs scored and a triple. Conner Balmer was a threat at the plate hitting his second homer in as many games. Balmer also drew a couple of walks while scoring four runs. Yan Ortiz had an efficient day with five RBIs.
Abraham Ortiz drew the start and got the win lasting 5.0 innings while striking out four. Austin Arrocha earned the save pitching the final 2.0 innings.
Up Next…
The Swedes are set to take a trip to Moore, Okla. to take on the Randall University Saints in a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 12:00 PM on Tuesday, March 3.
