Trailing 2-1 entering the bottom of the ninth inning, Menlo's offense did manage to come through with its back against the wall.

Pinch hitter Sam Dodge lined the second pitch of the inning into left field for the Oaks third base hit of the game to get Menlo off on the right foot. After Jonathan Ochoa fouled off his first attempt at a sacrifice bunt, Dodge was given a free pass to second base when Bruins pitcher Adrian DeMar balked.

Given free reign over his at bat, Ochoa smacked a two-strike single down the first base line. Dodge beat the throw to home plate to tie the score, but Ochoa was gunned down at second base trying to advance on the throw home. Menlo had the run it needed, but stalled at the plate from there.

Each team was retired in order in the 10th inning before Bethany struck the fatal blow in the 11th. Brandon Bittle started with a single to right field and advanced to third base when Kenny Chadwick lined a hit-and-run single over second baseman C.J. Dailey. Ryan Taylor followed with an RBI single to left field and the Bruins were back in front, 3-2.

The Oaks were retired in order again in the 11th to end it.

Bethany staked itself to an early 2-0 lead against Menlo starting pitcher Sean Sweeney. Dillon Tindall opened the third inning by smashing a homer to right-center field and Chadwick snuck a line drive over the fence down the right field line to lead off the fourth.

Menlo answered the Bruins second blow with its first run of the game in its ensuing at bat, though it came without a base hit.

Michael Brandi drew a one-out walk and Brad Binder reached on an error by Chadwick at first base. Designated hitter Coleman Cox was then walked to load the bases. Ty Finley came through with a sacrifice fly out to right field that plated Brandi and allowed Binder and Cox to advance as well. Ochoa grounded out to end the inning and the Oaks still trailed, 2-1.

Menlo wouldn't get another base runner into scoring position until Brandi and Binder earned back-to-back walks in the eighth inning. Cox struck out to end the minor threat. Other than in the ninth inning when Dodge led off with a single, the Oaks only got their first batter of an inning on base once. Joel Hull singled up the middle to begin the fifth, but Dailey grounded into a 6-4-3 double play on the next pitch.

Sweeney was solid over six innings of work for Menlo, allowing four hits while striking out five and walking three. Derek Martinez followed with one hitless inning before Nick Vandever cruised through two innings. Darren Takasaki took the loss for the Oaks, pitching the final two innings.

Bethany's pitching staff kept Menlo's batters off balance all day long thanks in part to the short leash - in the form of a strict pitch count - attached to each thrower. Michael Monelo started and allowed just one hit in 2 1/3 innings before Josh Drier surrendered one unearned run in 1 1/3 innings. Jordan Bryson allowed one hits over 2 2/3 innings as each of the Bruins first three pitchers came out after 40 pitches. DeMar pitched 2 2/3 innings prior to winning pitcher John Ballisty going the final two.

Brad Binder had Menlo's first base hit of the game in the second inning, lining a ball the opposite way down the left-field line.

Menlo is now 17-14 on the season and travels to play a doubleheader at La Sierra at 11 a.m. on Sunday in Riverside, Calif. The Oaks have also added a game to their schedule and will play at La Verne on Monday at 3 p.m. before returning home.