STERLING, Kan. — Sterling fell narrowly to Bethany in both games on Tuesday, March 24. The Lady Warriors lost game one 2-1 and forced extra innings in game two but came up short 4-2.
Game 1
Bethany took the lead in the fourth inning when Gabriella Nigro singled to right center, driving in two runs after Emmaline Senecaut stole second and Avery Newmiller advanced to third, giving the Swedes a 2-0 advantage.
Sterling rallied in the seventh inning. Mallory Seidel walked, and Mariah Cunningham followed with a single to left field, advancing Seidel to second. Alessandra Ambriz then reached first on a fielding error, allowing Seidel to score and cutting the deficit to 2-1. However, the rally ended with Sterling trailing, 2-1
Macaela Ambriz delivered a complete game performance, pitching 7 innings and allowing only three hits while striking out five batters. Ambriz allowed two earned runs with two walks and one hit batter, throwing a total of 118 pitches, 69 of which were strikes. Despite the earned runs, her ability to control the game was evident in her 10 flyouts and four groundouts.
Cheyenne Cunningham contributed defensively with one assist and successfully stole a base during her plate appearances. Mallory Seidel reached base on a walk and crossed home plate for Sterling’s sole run. Alessandra Ambriz provided an RBI and added a stolen base while managing a runner caught stealing.
Game 2
Sterling managed eight hits and drew six walks in game 2 but left 13 runners on base, while Bethany capitalized with two late runs in the eighth inning to secure the victory.
The Lady Warriors took the lead in the third inning when Seidel singled to left center. M. Cunningham followed with a single, advancing to second on a throwing error, which moved Seidel to third. A. Ambriz then delivered a two-RBI single, bringing in both Seidel and M. Cunningham. At the end of the third inning, Sterling led 2-0.
In the sixth inning, the Swedes tied the game. Newmiller singled up the middle, and Marissa Wells tripled, scoring Newmiller. Shaylee Keslar then singled through the right side, driving in Wells. The score was tied 2-2 after six innings.
The Swedes broke the tie in the eighth inning. A fielding error allowed Newmiller to score, and later, Kalee Aguilar singled to left field, scoring Senecaut. By the end of the eighth inning, the Swedes led 4-2.
Maria Casillas pitched a complete game for Sterling, demonstrating endurance over eight innings. She allowed eight hits and four runs, only two of which were earned, while striking out four batters. Casillas faced 36 batters, walked three, and threw 138 pitches, with 82 strikes. Despite the loss, her performance included 12 groundouts and seven flyouts, showing a solid defensive effort.
Mallory Seidel contributed significantly with three hits, including a double, and scored one run. Alessandra Ambriz drove in two runs while reaching base twice on two hits and two walks. Mariah Cunningham added to the offensive effort with one hit and one run scored, also drawing a walk.
Sterling (10-20, 5-5) will look to bounce back from the loss against Oklahoma Wesleyan University (18-6, 3-1) on Saturday, March 28. The doubleheader will be played in Sterling, Kan. with first pitch to be thrown at 1 p.m.
Be sure to check for news and updates on Sterling Warrior Athletics on Facebook (/SCWarriors), Twitter (@SterlingCSports), and Instagram (sterlingcsports), as well as the hashtag #SwordsUp. Watch the Warriors’ live home events on the Sterling College Sports Network.
