Lady Cats Split Games on First Day at Gulf Shores Invitational

GULF SHORES, Ala. – The Bethel Lady Wildcats jumped back into action Friday with two games in the Gulf Shores Invitational in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

The Cats met No. 8 Central Methodist at 9 a.m. Central Methodist scored four runs in the first inning to take the 4-0 lead. The Lady Wildcats rallied and took the lead in the fourth with a five-run inning. Kirsten Eversole drove in two runs while Maria Murdaugh followed with three RBI's.

Bethel upped their margin to 8-4 with a three run fifth inning. Jezabelle Quintana and Haley Cooner drove in runs for the Lady Cats.

CMU scored a single run in the top of the sixth, but Bethel put the game away in the bottom of the inning and run-ruled Central Methodist 15-5 after six.  Eversole, Alexis Wheeler and Quintana all scored on CMU errors. Kinsley Caruthers put the icing on the cake driving in three runs in the inning.

Bethel outhit Central Methodist 13-6 and the Wildcat aggressive play led to 10 errors by CMU.

Caruthers picked up the win throwing 115 pitches. Seventy of those were strikes.

In the second game of the day, the Lady Cats met (RV) Texas A&M Texarkana. The Lady Cats wasted no time scoring two runs in the first. Kennedy Gillespie put the Cats on the board with an RBI double. Wheeler singled in the second run in the inning.

Wheeler scored an unearned run in the sixth on an A&M error. Bethel took a 3-0 lead.

The Eagles tied the game scoring three runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth.

Amber Osborne singled to lead-off the seventh for Bethel. She later scored when Murdaugh  reached on an Eagle error. Murdaugh advanced to third and scored when Gillespie singled. Bethel took a 5-3 lead.

The Eagles scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to win 6-5. Both teams had ten hits in the game. A&M is 12-0 on the year. Bethel finished the day at 5-5.

Lauren Reimsynder pitched well taking the lead into the sixth. Maddie Locke suffered the hard luck loss as the Eagles scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the seventh.   

Bethel is back on the diamond Saturday with two games. The Cats meet Southeastern Baptist at 1:30 p.m. The Lady Cats face No. 16 Columbia (MO) at 3:45 p.m.

Live stats: Southeastern Baptist

https://naiastats.prestosports.com/sports/sball/2022-23/boxscores/20230304_s16t.xml

Live stats: Columbia

https://naiastats.prestosports.com/sports/sball/2022-23/boxscores/20230304_u74b.xml