TIGERS COMPLETE THE FOUR-GAME SERIES SWEEP AT BETHEL

MCKENZIE, Tenn. – The Olivet Nazarene University baseball program swept the four-game series over the Wildcats of Bethel (Tenn.) with a 5-3 win in game one followed by a 10-6 win in game two of a Sunday doubleheader. Tiger closer, Johnathan Simpson recorded his first save of the season and was credited with all six of the final outs across both games in the sweep.

First Game: Olivet Nazarene 5, Bethel (Tenn.) 3

The Tigers jumped out to a multi-run lead in the first inning. Donovan Yelle took advantage of a Bethel defensive error to score from third base and put the first run on the scoreboard for the day. Geon Yoon was the very next batter whose three-run bomb made it 4-0 scoring Kai Hudson and Evan Pogioli. The South Korean native no has two multi-run home runs to his name this season.

The home team knocked in two runs off two solo home runs to cut the Tiger lead to two. In the top of the sixth inning, Kai Hudson smacked a double to score Jack Spittal for an important insurance run. The Wildcats rallied in the bottom of the seventh inning to cut the lead back to two before Jonathan Simpson secured the win with his first save of the season.

Tommy Castro went five innings with five strikeouts to his name from 23 batters faced. The senior right-hander was credited with the win, his first of the year. Jordan Rhoden and Simpson pitched for the final two innings in relief.

Second Game: Olivet Nazarene 10, Bethel (Tenn.) 6

Olivet scored eight runs between the sixth and seventh innings to complete the four-game sweep over the Wildcats. Jack Dupuis led the team with three hits and three RBIs in the contest. The lead-off man hit a two-RBI single in the fourth inning to tie the game at 2-2 and then hit his third in the seventh inning to drive home Jordan Rhoden.

With the Tigers trailing 4-2 in the sixth inning, Rhoden's solo home run sparked a four-run inning capped off with Taylor Steig's two-run single with Kai Hudson and Dupuis in scoring position. Hudson and Yelle hit back-to-back RBI singles to increase their advantage to 9-6. Hudson sent the ONU run total to double digits as he scored from third which resulted from a throw-out at second base.

The ONU pitching staff combined for 11 strikeouts on the day with starting pitcher, Thomas Burns, leading the way with six in four innings of play. Matthew Nolin, Kainoa Mane, and Jonathan Simpson combined for the final three innings. Simpson closed out the day second consecutive game and see the Tigers begin their first winning streak of the season.
  

WHAT'S NEXT

The Tigers will play a four-game series against Taylor next weekend in Indiana. The doubleheader Friday will begin at 3 p.m. CT at Winterholter Field in Upland, Ind. Please visit ONUTigers.com to follow the action.

--ONU—

*Contact: Patrick Kaindl; Sports Information Graduate Assistant, email pkaindl@olivet.edu