LINDSBORG, Kan. — Sterling College secured an 8–3 victory over Bethany College on Tuesday, April 21 thanks to a 10-hit performance and a strong showing on the mound. Sterling’s offense capitalized with six doubles and four stolen bases to build its lead.
Sterling’s success was highlighted by a productive second inning. Mitchel McDaniel, courtesy running for Jackson Harding, stole second and scored on a double by Nehemiah House. House then advanced to third on a balk, eventually scoring on a double down the left field line by Joshua Garcia. Jason Smith followed with an RBI single, and Matthew Garcia capped the inning with another RBI single, putting Sterling up 4–0 in the second inning.
In the third inning, Imanol Ramos walked and advanced to second on a passed ball. House brought Ramos home with a double, extending Sterling’s lead to 5–0.
The sixth inning saw Sterling add two more runs. Smith doubled, and a series of walks, including an RBI walk to Emmanuel Huerta Cardenas, scored Smith. Matthew Garcia then scored on a double play, making it 7–0 for Sterling by the end of the sixth inning.
The Swedes responded in the bottom of the sixth with two runs of their own, but the Warriors maintained a 7–2 lead.
In the eighth inning, Bethany drew closer, scoring one run on a bases-loaded walk. However, Sterling preserved its advantage with a 7–3 lead.
Sterling added an insurance run in the ninth when McDaniel, again courtesy running, scored on Ramos’s double. Peyton Fletcher secured the victory with three consecutive strikeouts in the bottom of the ninth.
Colin Clark delivered a strong starting performance for Sterling, pitching 5 innings without allowing a run and giving up only two hits while striking out three and walking one. Aaron Elsasser followed with 2 innings of relief, giving up two runs on four hits with one strikeout and one wild pitch. Zachary Johnston struggled in his brief appearance, issuing three walks and allowing one run without recording an out. Peyton Fletcher closed the game with a notable feat, striking out all three batters he faced in his single inning of work.
Nehemiah House finished with three hits and two RBIs, including three doubles, showcasing his effectiveness at the plate. Imanol Ramos added a hit and an RBI, contributing a double to the team’s offensive output. Jason Smith recorded two runs, two hits, and an RBI, while also securing a double and a stolen base.
Sterling (20-27, 14-19) will finish out the regular season in a weekend series against Oklahoma Wesleyan University (30-16, 21-12) on Friday and Saturday, April 24-25. The Warriors will play a doubleheader on Friday with game one starting at 1 p.m., and senior day celebrations will take place around 11:30 a.m. on Saturday with one nine-inning game to follow at noon.
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.
