MCKENZIE, Tenn. – The Bethel Wildcats and the (RV) Olivet Nazarene Tigers resumed play Sunday wrapping up their four game Civil War Series. The Tigers were coming off a Saturday doubleheader (6-0, 8-1) sweep of the Wildcats.
A four run first inning gave the Tigers the early lead in game one. The Wildcats had two costly errors in the inning.
Bethel got on the board in the bottom of the third with a solo homer off the bat of Adriel Vega.
Ivan Vega blasted a solo shot in the bottom of the fourth to cut the Wildcat deficit to 4-2.
ONU added an insurance run in the sixth to lead 5-3.
Ivan Vega drove in Bethel's final run with a sacrifice in the bottom of the seventh but a huge key in the game was Bethel's inability to score with runners in scoring position. The Cats stranded 12 runners in the game.
Bethel outhit the Tigers 9-6 but ONU claimed a 5-3 victory.
Tommy Castro picked up the Tiger victory while Luke Boswell suffered the Wildcat loss.
The second game was the Adriel Vega show early. Vega hit home runs in the first and second innings.
The Tigers tied the game with two runs in the top of the fourth.
Bethel answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame. Noah Hawkins and Adriel Vega drove in the two runs to give the Wildcats a 4-2 margin.
ONU rallied with a four run sixth to grab a 6-4 lead.
The Wildcats plated two runs in the bottom of the inning to tie the game. Bryan Catala and Noah Foster drove in single runs for the Cats.
Olivet Nazarene scored four runs in the top of the seventh to secure the 10-6 win.
ONU outhit the Wildcats 13-10.
Bethel dropped to 2-10 while ONU improved to 6 -4 on the season.
Bethel returns to action Friday hosting Shawnee State at 2 p.m. It will be the conference opener for the Wildcats and the first of a three-game weekend set.
Live stats:
https://bethelathletics.com/sports/bsb/2022-23/boxscores/20230224_cxcq.xml
Watch:
https://www.bethelathletics.com/watch
