BETHANY – The Bethany Bronchos clinched their first regional title since 2016, routing Sulphur 13-2 Friday (April 26).
“It was one of our goals for this year was to host regionals and be regional champions, which we’ve accomplished now,” Bethany coach Brandon Ruiz said via text. “Now we move onto Super regionals where we will find out who and where we will play Sunday evening.”
Junior Charlie Tolle struck out 12 batters in six innings, allowing 10 hits but only one earned run.
Bethany (22-13) scored first after senior Cade Ross walked and sophomore Karter Thomas singled to right sending Ross to third base. Ross scored on sacrifice fly to center. Thomas took two bases on an error by Sulphur starter Traber Sartors. Tolle grounded out, scoring Thomas.
The Bronchos broke the game open in the second inning, scoring six runs. Senior Christian Sigler and junior Brock Cross walked. Sophomore Judson Gilliland laid down a sacrifice bunt, advancing the runners. Junior Levi Moore walked to load the bases.
Ross hit an infield single, scoring Sigler. Thomas followed with a fielder’s choice, scoring Cross. Pierce reached on an error, scoring Moore. Junior Andrew Taber cleared the bases with a two-run single to make it 8-0.
In the fifth, Moore doubled to right field and came home on a Ross groundout, making it 9-0.
Sulphur (19-16) picked up a run in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI-double by Cash Matlack.
In the sixth, the Bronchos went to “small ball” after walks to Tolle and Taber. Sigler moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt and Cross followed with a squeez bunt, scoring Tolle to make it 10-1.
The Bulldogs scored in the bottom half of the inning. After two singles, junior Jett Runyan singled and freshman Drake Wood scored on an error by Ross. Tolle followed with three straight strikeouts to end the threat.
In the seventh inning, Ross homered to right field with one out. Pierce was hit by a pitch. Tolle followed with a double to right.
A walk to Taber loaded the bases and walk to Sigler scored Eccles, who had run for Pierce. Tolle finished the scoring by sprinting home on a passed ball to make it 13-2.
Ross drove in three runs, going 2-for-4 and Thomas went 2-for-4 as well. Moore added a 2-for-3 from the bottom of the order, scoring twice.
UP NEXT: Bethany awaits its next opponent and venue in the area tournament which begins May 3. The opponent and schedule will be announced Sunday (April 28).
| TEAM | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethany | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 9 | 1 |
| Sulphur | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 3 |
L: Sartors
| BETHANY | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ross | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Thomas | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Pierce | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tolle | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| – Finley | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Taber | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Sigler | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Cross | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Gilliland | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Moore | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 28 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 5 |
HR: Ross
HBP: Pierce
SF: Pierce
SB: Taber, Thomas, Moore
E: Ross
| BETHANY | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tolle ( W ) | 6 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| Finley | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| TOTAL | 7 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 15 |
| SULPHUR | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Mobly | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Matlack | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Cole | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Wood | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Barrett | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Runyan | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Jackson | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Seitz | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 31 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 15 |
E: Runyan, Sartors
| SULPHUR | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sartors ( L ) | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Seitz | 2 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Runyan | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 3 |
| TOTAL | 7 | 9 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 5 |
HBP: Runyan
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