MISHAWAKA, Ind. – After the Spring Arbor University baseball team dropped game one of the doubleheader against Bethel College 2-1 on Thursday, junior Spencer Goebel delivered a dominant performance on the mound in game two to lead the Cougars to a 3-0 victory.
Goebel went the distance for the second time this season, and fifth of his career, after tossing seven scoreless innings. The right-hander allowed just three hits while striking out six.
After struggling to push across one run in the first game, the Cougars plated three in the first two innings of the night cap. Junior Mitchel Patterson scored on an RBI groundout by senior Tyler Baker in the first, and freshman Francisco Ondina drove in a pair with a base hit to center field in the second.
That proved to be more than enough support for Goebel who shut down the Bethel offense.
The Pilots (4-8, 1-1 Crossroads League) threatened in the sixth inning, though, loading the bases with only one out. However, Goebel induced an inning-ending double play to escape the jam before retiring the side in order in the seventh to pick up his first win of the season.
Ondina paced the Cougars with two hits and two RBI's while senior Chris Wegrzyn and junior Jonathan Newman had one hit apiece.
In game one of the afternoon, both, the Spring Arbor and Bethel bats were silenced for five innings before the Cougars were finally able to break through in the sixth. Patterson, who got the start on the mound, helped his own cause with a two-out single. Following a base hit by Baker, senior JP Maracani would drive in Patterson to put SAU on top 1-0.
However, Bethel answered in the home half of the sixth with two runs and would hold on to hand the Cougars their first conference setback. Patterson, the reigning Crossroads League Pitcher of the Week, had posted five shutout innings and held the Pilots to just four hits, but the home team was able to put together four hits in the frame, including a pair of RBI singles.
Baker, Maracani and sophomore Nick Harris picked up two hits apiece.
Spring Arbor (8-5, 1-1 Crossroads League) will return home to host Bethel in its 2015 home opener on Saturday, Mar. 21 at 1 p.m.
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