Sterling leads Bethany through seven innings

The Sterling College baseball team dropped another close game to the Bethany College Swedes on Tuesday, March 4. Although the Warriors held the lead for the majority of the game, they were unable to hold on and lost the third game of the series 7-6.

Austin Santiago got things started for the Warriors batting in Emmanuel Huerta Cardenas and Tyler Gates in the first inning.

Joseph Almanza continued to add to Sterling's lead in the second inning with a single to right center to bring in Ezavian Campos. In the third inning, Santiago hit a sacrifice fly out to center field which Luis Morales turned into a score for the Warriors.

Another score from Jason Smith in the fourth inning made the score 5-0 with everything looking up for the Warriors. However, Bethany had a big seventh inning with four runs to close the gap quickly.

Morales tried to give Sterling life in the top of the eighth with a sacrifice fly out to center field which brought Smith home once again to give the Warriors a two-point lead.

Regardless, the Swedes answered back with two runs in the bottom of the eighth to tie up the game and Bethany's Emanuel Alicea hit a double down the left field line to bring in Diego Rivera and give Bethany the comeback win.

Sterling's Trenton Canaan started on the mound for the Warriors. He faced 35 batters, pitching 78 strikes on 119 pitches, surrendering 10 hits that turned into six runs (five earned). He walked three batters while striking out six.

Santiago led the Warriors offensively with three RBIs on the game while Morales and Almanza also contributed one each.

Be sure to check for news and updates on Sterling Warrior Athletics on Facebook (/SCWarriors), Twitter (@SterlingCSports), and Instagram (sterlingcsports), as well as the hashtag #swordsup. Watch all of the Warriors' live home events on the Sterling College Sports Network.