AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The rally caps worked as the Bethel University baseball team opened its three-game series with NCAA Division II Wayne State in dramatic fashion winning 4-3 thanks to a ninth inning rally.
Nick Kulseth capped off a 2-for-4 day, brining in the game's winning run with a single to the gap to left. Bethel (4-1) started out the ninth chasing two runs they surrendered to Wayne State (5-2) in the top half of the final frame.
Back-to-back singles from
Ty Koehn and
James Woelfel brought up
Keenan Hodgkin who walked loading the bases. No. 8 hitter
Marcus Krupke got a hold of one that bounced off the front of first base and down the right field line scoring Koehn and Woelfel tying it at 3-3.
From there it was up to the nine hitter, Kulseth, who had a RBI double in the fifth which at the time made it 1-1. And Kulseth delivered sparking a celebration between first and second.
Starter
Matthew Bohlke tossed seven strong innings for the Royals where he struck out eight and only allowed one run, which came on a wild pitch.
In the top of the ninth,
Ty Koehn surrendered two runs – both of which were unearned – prior to
Blake Williams retiring the final hitter before being charged with the win.
Bethel's pitching staff combined for nine strikeouts and only one walk.
The teams meet again tomorrow, March 16 at noon eastern time before closing the series Thursday.
