SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – Back-to-back home runs from Alex Holley and Tyler Reed capped a 4-1 victory in the second game of a doubleheader against Bethel College on Friday allowing the Cougars to split their Crossroads League opener with the Pilots.

With the score tied 1-1 in the sixth inning, Holley blasted a two-run shot to left field and Reed followed suit hammering the first offering he saw over the center field fence to put the Cougars on top for good.

Senior pitcher Mitchel Patterson was outstanding on the hill surrendering just one run over 6.1 innings of work while striking out a season-high six batters.

Bethel (3-13, 1-1 CL) tried to rally back in the seventh inning, putting runners on first and second with only one out. However, freshman closer Duncan Patterson entered the game and slammed the door shut to pick up his third save of the year.

Sophomore Conner Lengerich continued his hot start to the season going a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, including a double. Lengerich has now hit safely in five of the last six games and is hitting a team-best .391. Sophomore Adam Rojas finished the game with two hits while junior Jeremiah Johnson saw his nine game hitting streak come to a close.

In the first game of the afternoon, Bethel got to the Cougars early scoring one run in the first inning and adding four more in the third.

Spring Arbor cut into the deficit with two runs in the fifth on a two-RBI double by Lengerich, but the Pilots answered with two runs in the sixth to extend the lead back to five, 7-2.

The Cougars made one last push in the seventh. After RBI hits by Holley and Reed, Patterson delivered a pinch hit two-RBI double to close the gap to one. But that is as close as they would get as the Pilots struck out the next batter to hold on.

Lengerich collected three more hits in the game while stealing a pair of bases. Holley also had a multi-hit game going 2-for-4 at the dish.

Junior pitcher Brody Harris suffered the loss. Sophomore Andrew Wright tossed 1.1 innings of scoreless relief while recording three strikeouts.

Spring Arbor (5-10, 1-1 CL) will be right back in action tomorrow when it travels to Bethel. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.

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