Box Score

In their UMAC conference opener, the Cougars ran into stellar pitching and fell to Bethany Lutheran 6-1 in Mankato this afternoon.

The Vikings' Cody Hallaran threw three-hit ball over eight innings while striking out 14 batters.  The Cougars' lone run came in the first inning when junior Nick Bacon, after a leadoff walk, advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt.  He was singled home by shortstop Matt Peterson.

Sophomore Jordan Gegen took the loss, surrendering six runs over 6 2/3 innings.  Ted Gray came on in relief, allowing no hits or runs over an inning and a third.  Gegen was efficient most of the afternoon, but gave up three home runs which accounted for five of Bethany Lutheran's six scores.

"Jordan kept it a ballgame," said head coach Mark Fohl.  "He just got a little high with a couple pitches and Bethany took advantage of that.  But overall, he pitched pretty well."

After Bacon's run in the top of the first, the Vikings answered back with a solo shot from Zach Herd.  The Vikings would score again in the bottom of the second, this time a two-run shot from leftfielder Travis Fisher.

The score held at 3-1 until the bottom of the fifth when the Vikings tallied another run.  The Cougars, meanwhile, struggled to get baserunners as Hallaran put together four perfect innings.

Gray would come on in the sixth after Gegen surrendered a third home run.  After hitting a batter, Gray struck out the next hitter, stranding three Vikings on the bases.

After the game, despite the loss, Fohl was pleased with his team's effort.  "We had some great plays defensively.  We committed no errors.  I told the team afterward, 'If we play like that we're going to win a lot of game, because we're not going to see pitching like that every day.'"

The Cougars return to the ball field tomorrow for a twin dip with the Vikings starting at 11 a.m.