MCKENZIE, Tenn. – If you had told Coach Rusty Thompson and Bethel pitching coach Nick Thompson the Wildcat pitching staff would not allow a single run in the first 21 innings of their series versus the talented Campbellsville line-up, they would have been ecstatic before the three game set at Bethel this weekend. It was exactly what they received from their pitching corp. With that effort, a dramatic game winning home run from Nick Proto Friday and solid pitching and hitting Saturday the Cats swept the Tigers winning 1-0 and 4-3.
The Wildcats moved to 6-4 overall and 5-1 in the MSC. Campbellsville dropped to 2-4 and 2-4.
In game one Brandon Denegaard was brilliant for the Wildcats holding the Tigers to just two hits through eight innings. The Wildcats pushed across an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth when Brandon Armour scored on a Tiger throwing error. Jacob Foster had a big hit in the inning moving runners to first and third with just one out. Giovannie Nieves closed out the game with his second save of the year. The Tigers had the tying run on second with two outs when Proto secured the win with an outstanding catch in left field to end the game.
Game two saw the Cats score four runs in the first. Proto, Randy Guevarez and John Figuroa accounted for the RBI's in the game. Marco Santa had a strong effort and was credited with the win. Nieves picked up the save.
Coach Thompson said, "We are very pleased with the weekend. We beat a very good Campbellsville squad which will have a great year in the end. Our pitching was rock solid and our kids were able to grind it out offensively."
The Bat Cats hit the road for the first time on the season Monday when they travel to Owensboro to take on the Brescia Bearcats in a non-conference game at 3 p.m. The Bearcats were 0-6 beginning the weekend against Ohio Christian. Bethel is 13-4 all-time versus Brescia and 2-1 in games played in Owensboro. It will mark the first of four straight road games for the Wildcats. They face No. 8 the University of the Cumberlands next weekend in Williamsburg.
