FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Bethel University baseball team closed out its spring eight-game spring break trip to Fort Myers, Fla. with a bang knocking off previously unbeaten and No. 4 nationally-ranked Eastern Connecticut State, 9-1.
The freshman arm of
Max Sutter (3-0) picked up the win holding a team that came in averaging 11 runs a game to zero in his eight innings of work. Sutter struck out eight along the way giving up two hits and walking none.
Bethel got on the board in its first plate appearance as a pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases up. ECSU (8-1) got the force out at home on the next play before
Keenan Hodgkin picked up a RBI the "easy way" with a hit-by-pitch.
Justin Winterfeldt made it 2-0 moments later scoring on a balk call.
Hodgkin picked up his second RBI of the game in the third kick-starting a four-run frame.
Nolan Jurgenson singled to right bringing in a pair before a third run came in on the play off a Warriors error.
In the meantime, Sutter was keeping the ECSU hitters in check having stranded the Warriors lone base runners in the third, fourth and fifth.
In the sixth,
Noah Wenberg made his way into scoring position after reaching on a fielder's choice before moving to second on a walk to Hodgkin. Wenberg swiped third before making it 8-0 crossing the plate on a sacrifice fly off the bat of
Marcus Krupke.
Sutter gave up his first extra-base hit of the day in the eighth but finished the frame with a backward K.
Blake Williams came out of the pen in the ninth giving up one run on three hits before inducing a flyout to seal the victory for BU.
The Royals, now 10-2, will head back indoors to U.S. Bank Stadium on Thursday, March 24 for doubleheader action against Concordia (Wis.). First pitch of game one is scheduled for noon.
