| Jackson Gessell hit for the cycle in order (single, double, triple, home run). Minn-Morris athletics photo |
MORRIS, Minn. – Bethany Lutheran swept Minnesota Morris on Monday, taking the first two games in a three game series. The Vikings won game one 10-1 and the second game 15-11, the third game of the series is tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. Jackson Gessell hit for the cycle in game two for the Cougars.
Bethany scored three runs in the top of the second inning to grab the lead. Eric Terres drove in Evan Ellingworth in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to two. It would end up being the only run the Cougars could get off starter Ronald Donley. Donley threw all nine inning allowing just four hits and striking out seven.
The Vikings would push three more runs across in the top of the fifth to make their lead five. They would tack on four more runs in the final three innings to win 10-1.
In the second game of the day Bethany jumped out to a quick 10-1 lead, scoring five runs in each of the first two innings. Trent Saharek drove in seven runs for the Vikings in the first two innings; he had a three run triple in the first and a grand slam in the second. Donnie Mavencamp had a bases loaded RBI walk in the bottom of the first inning to put UMM on the board.
The Cougars would tack on a run in the fourth inning when Chandler Erickson drove in Jackson Gessell, who had reached via a single. In the bottom of the fifth the Cougars scored four times cutting the lead to four at 10-6. Gessell had a two run double to kick off the rally. Terres had an RBI single and then scored on a wild pitch. In the sixth inning Morris pulled within three after Donnie Mavencamp scored on Gessell's triple.
BLC would counter scoring a run in the seventh and four runs in the eighth, pushing their lead to eight at 15-7. Gessell completed the cycle with a solo homer to center in the bottom of the eight and then Terres drove in Conner Spindler to make it 15-9. Morris rallied in the bottom of the ninth scoring twice but came up short by four runs. Gessell had another RBI double in the ninth. He finished the game with five hits, five RBI and three runs scored.