Leavenworth, Kan—

Game One:

A 10-run sixth inning would unfortunately swing the game away from the Spires on game two of the three game series this afternoon, as Bethany rallied from an early deficit to hand USM a 17-7 loss in nine innings.

The Spires built a 6-3 lead through five innings behind a pair of big swings in the middle frames from USM hitters Sergio Fierro, Lucas Barta, a home run apiece from Daxton Macias and Saul Vazquez-Alvarado scattered through the first five.

In the third, the Spires answered Bethany's first runs of the day with a four-run inning of their own. After the Swedes grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top half on a triple from Bones and a two-run homer by Tarafa, USM responded in the bottom of the third when Sergio Fierro ripped a run-scoring double and Daxton Macias followed with a two-run home run to left, pushing the Spires on top 4-2.

USM added on again in the fifth to extend the advantage. Saul Vazquez-Alvarado delivered a solo home run as part of a two-run frame that pushed the margin to 6-3 and continued the Spires' early offensive momentum. Through five innings, Saint Mary had turned 11 hits into seven runs to keep pressure on Bethany's pitching staff.

The turning point came in the sixth, when the Swede lineup erupted and took over the game. The visitors sent 10 runs across in the inning, stringing together walks, hit batters and run-scoring singles to steadily chip away at the Spires' lead. Balmer played a central role for BC, driving in two runs with a single earlier in the inning and later clearing the bases with a three-RBI double that flipped a 6-3 USM advantage into a 13-6 Bethany lead.

The Swedes continued to add to its total late, plating two runs in the seventh and two more in the ninth to finish with 17 runs on 19 hits. Parsons capped the scoring for the visitors with a two-RBI double in the ninth. USM answered with a single run in the eighth but could not mount a late rally after the decisive sixth inning had shifted the game's momentum for good.

Offensively, the Spires finished with seven runs on 11 hits, highlighted by Macias' three-RBI performance that included his third-inning home run. Vazquez-Alvarado's solo shot and Fierro's run-scoring double helped power the middle of the order during the Spires' early surge. Defensively, USM committed just one error, but Bethany's persistent offense capitalized on traffic on the bases to put up crooked numbers in the late innings.

Game Two:

 An early deficit and a steady Swede offense proved too much for the Spires to overcome in a 9-2 series sweep by BC.

Bethany struck first in the top of the first inning and never trailed, then broke the game open with a three-run second to build a 4-0 lead. The Spires answered with a two-run fifth to trim the margin to 5-2, but the Swedes again added single runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh to put the final game of the series out of reach.

Bethany's first run came after a lead off double to right-center by Bones in the opening frame. Tarafa followed with a single to left to drive in Bones and give the visitors a 1-0 lead. In the second, Smith and Sanchez reached ahead of a productive sequence that saw a sacrifice RBI from Dumey, a sacrifice fly by Bones and a run-scoring double from Tarafa to push the advantage to a quick 4-0.

After Bethany tacked on a fifth-inning run on a bases-loaded walk, the Spires produced their best offensive inning in the bottom half. Jake Ross singled to right to drive in a run, and Ben Brandt later came around to score on an errant throw following a steal attempt, cutting the deficit to 5-2 and briefly swinging momentum to the home dugout.

Bethany, however, responded immediately. In the sixth, Tarafa reached and scored on a single to left-center by Crain to make it 6-2. The Swedes then delivered a critical three-run seventh: Smith tripled to right-center, Kent doubled him home, and Ortiz followed later with a two-run home run as Bethany stretched the lead to 9-2, deflating a Spire comeback.

Offensively, USM finished with six hits, including one double, and drew two walks while leaving six runners on base. Bethany starter Ortiz limited the Spires' opportunities over six innings of work, holding Saint Mary to two runs on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts before the Bethany bullpen closed out the final frame.

USM will get right back to it as they travel to cross-town KCAC opponent the Avila University Eagles on Wednesday, March 25^th at 2:00 p.m. at The Z.