Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

FT. MYERS, Fla. - When the Bethel Royals recorded the last out of the top of the seventh inning against the Southwest Minnesota State University Mustangs, they all knew they had done something special. Not only had the Royals just defeated an NCAA Division II opponent 8-7, they had also handed the Mustangs their first loss of the season.

The Mustangs scored a run in the top of the first inning, but the Royals bounced right back to double the effort by scoring two runs, both with two outs. Erik Anderson (So., Arden Hills, Minn.) doubled home Sean Flaherty (Jr., Shoreview, Minn.) and Mark Therrien (Jr., Spring Lake Park, Minn.) to give Bethel the lead, albeit only for a brief time.

Southwest State responded by scoring four more runs off of starting pitcher John Slick (Jr., River Falls, Wis.) to make the score 5-2. It wasn't until the fourth inning that the Royals began to chip away at the Mustang lead. With runners at first and second base, Bob Tokar (Jr., Elk River, Minn.) reached base on an error by the pitcher that allowed Therrien to score. Jay Slick (Fr., River Falls, Wis.) then grounded out to second base, which brought home Erik Anderson.

The Mustangs added to their slim lead with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning off of reliever Adam Beck (Sr., Blackduck, Minn.), but the Royals came from behind to take the lead for good in the home half of the inning. Bethel loaded the bases thanks to singles by Tokar and Rob Lang (Jr., Johnston, Iowa) and a walk to Jay Slick. Bjorn Anderson (Jr., Arden Hills, Minn.) then reached on an error by the third baseman, bringing in two more runs to make the score 7-6. Lang and Anderson advanced a base on a wild pitch and came around to score thanks to a Tim Oesterlin (Jr., Rochester, Minn.) single to give Bethel the lead at 8-7.

Two days after setting the school record for saves, the Royals called upon Ben Turnwall (Sr., Burnsville, Minn.) to preserve another game, and he did just that despite giving up a leadoff triple. With runners on first and third and two outs, pinch hitter Matt Bauer, who entered the game batting .563 in 32 at bats, hit a ball to shortstop Tim Churchill (Jr., Mt. Prospect, Ill.) that took a funny hop right into his glove, allowing him to zip it over to Therrien covering second base for a bang-bang play resulting in the final out of the game.

For Beck, the win is his second of the trip and his career, and for Turnwall, the save is his second of the season and 11th of his career.

Game two had all the makings of an exciting contest much like game one. Bethel took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second inning when Ryan Doheny (Sr., Anoka, Minn.) hit a two-out, two-strike double to score Jay Slick and Flaherty. But like game one, the Mustangs came back to score three more runs off of starting pitcher Chris Harrell (So., Minnetrista, Minn.) to go up 4-2.

Fast forward to the fifth inning when Oesterlin led off with a single, stole second, and came around to score on an error by the shortstop, allowing Tokar to reach base. Tokar later scored after a single by Flaherty and a single by Jay Slick, making the score 4-4 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning.

Unfortunately for the Royals, they were unable to hold the tie or take any lead. The Mustangs used two home runs, while also stringing together some base hits to score eight more times between the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings to earn a split doubleheader with Bethel.

The Royals move to 6-6 on the season, while the Mustangs suffer their first loss of the season and move to 9-1. Bethel is scheduled to return to the field tomorrow morning to take on SUNY Fredonia in a single nine inning game beginning at 10 a.m.  Eastern time.