DAVENPORT, Fla. – Baseball was back in action with a double header against Crossroads League opponent Bethel and came away with two losses, 8-6 and 6-4. Cornerstone jumped out to an early 5-1 lead in game one, but Bethel responded right away and didn't look back on their way to an 8-6 victory. Cornerstone saw late life in game two but was unable to overcome their early deficit in a 6-4 loss. Baseball falls to 0-6 on the year as they will look to bounce back against Ave Maria as they face off for a double header starting at 9:30 a.m.
 
Game One Recap: Bethel – 8 Cornerstone - 6

• A sun aided double by the Pilots helped them scratch across a run as they took an early 1-0 lead after the first.
• Mason Leckrone worked a scoreless bottom of the second with a strikeout as Bethel continued to lead 1-0.
• Corbin Westerkamp opened the third with a ground rule double and would later score on a Michael Ruiz groundout to tie the game at one. The Golden Eagles would tack on more thanks to an Andrew Eley groundout to take a 2-1 lead. Jack Gagliardi highlighted the inning with a two-run single up the middle, helping Cornerstone extend their lead 5-1.
• Bethel would respond right away in the bottom of the third as a two-run single up the middle made it a 5-3 game. The big hit in the inning came with two outs as Bethel would hit a three-run homerun to take a 6-5 lead after the third.
• The Golden Eagles answered with a homerun of their own as Corbin Westerkamp pulls a hanging slider over the left field fence to tie it at six in the fourth.
• After back-to-back walks, Bethel would come through with a double to right field to take a 7-6 lead as they have no outs with runners on second and third. They would score one more on a sac fly to make it 8-6 after the fifth.
• The Golden Eagles led off the top of the seventh with a walk but were unable to start a rally as they drop the first game of the double header 8-6.

 
Game Two Recap: Bethel – 6 Cornerstone - 4

• Bethel wasted no time in the first as the second batter of the game hit a two-run homerun to take a 2-0 lead over the Golden Eagles.
• Ryan McArthur has worked back-to-back clean innings after the first to keep it a 2-0 game as the bats look to get hot.
• Andrew Eley recorded the first hit for the Golden Eagles in the bottom of the third but was stranded on second as the game remained in favor of Bethel 2-0.
• Two doubles and two singles in the fourth inning for Bethel saw them extend their lead 5-0 over the Golden Eagles.
• The Golden Eagles loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth with no outs thanks to two singles and a walk. Cornerstone was able to score two thanks to a wild pitch and a groundout but still trail 5-2 after four.
• Bethel scored one in the top of the sixth thanks to a bases loaded hit by pitch to extend their lead 6-2 over the Golden Eagles.
• The Golden Eagles opened the bottom of the sixth with back-to-back singles from Grant DeRose and Corbin Westerkamp but were unable to do anything with it as the inning ended on a line drive double play.
• Thanks to a Bethel error and a single from Andrew Eley, Jack Gagliardi came through with a single up the middle to bring in a run to make it 6-3. Grant DeRose would follow with a single to make it 6-4 as the Golden Eagles have runners on second and third with two outs. Bethel would record the final out as Cornerstone left the bases loaded in a 6-4 loss.

 
By the Numbers:
14 – The pitching staff struck out 14 batters between both games
4 – Grant DeRose led the Golden Eagle hitters with four hits on the day
3.2 – Cam Keatley and Rafael Blom combined for 3.2 scoreless innings to lead the pitching staff
1 – Corbin Westerkamp hit his first homerun in his three hit day
 
What's Next?
The action continues tomorrow for one last double header before a break as they take on Ave Maria starting at 9:30 a.m.
 
Contact: Jonny Strube | jon.strube@cornerstone.edu
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