Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. - The Royals came up with another split on Wednesday after taking the second game of the two game series. The wind was blowing out at Hargis Park and the swirling winds made for some extended carry on balls that saw numerous home runs take place.

The first game of the series was taken by Hamline 9-1 as timely hitting and good pitching prevailed for the Pipers. The game stared out with a leadoff homerun by Aaron Thompson his first of the year and was followed by a walk and then a two run shot by Andrew Bennett his seventh of the season. They would finish off the inning up 3-0. Royals pitcher Matt Pokorn settled down for the next three innings and allowed no more runs. In the bottom of the third Bethel scored on a Tyler Kramer single bringing in Brandon Carr who smoked a two out double. This would be the only Royal run in the game as Piper pitcher Josh Roiger gave up only five hits in seven innings. Hamline would strike again in the fifth for four more runs and Bethel pitcher Kyle McCracken would come in for relief of Pokorn. He would work out of a jam in the sixth, but gave up one run in each of the final two innings.

The loss brings Pokorn to a record of 2-2 on the year and makes Roiger 3-2. Brandon Carr and Tyler Kramer would each go 2-3 in the first game grabbing four of the teams five hits.

The second started off in a similar fashion as the Pipers put one on the board in the first inning off starter Travis Adams. The Royals would respond scoring two runs of their own. Brandon Carr would hit a leadoff homerun to left and Mike Gaustad would drive in Kramer making it 2-1 Royals. Adams would shut down the Pipers for the rest of the game giving up only five hits while striking out five.

Bethel would strike again in the fourth inning after a Kris Pulford single and a Garret Kramer double. Tyler Kramer would score Pulford on a sacrifice fly. Kirby Carr hit a three run homerun for his fourth of the year to bring in G. Kramer and B. Carr. This makes it the third series in a row where the Carr brothers would each hit a homerun.

Scoring would continue in the fifth for the Royals as they put up a six spot on three doubles and two singles. Clint Nelson and Dana Hegman would get two RBI's on their doubles and Gaustad and B. Carr would pick up the other two RBI's. The game would end a Bethel win 12-1, with a great pitching performance from Adams.

The Bethel offense has been hitting the ball well scoring 36 runs in four games, and the pitching staff has done a good job keeping the games close, but the Royals have to find a way to get a sweep. They will travel down to Dubuque, Iowa for a non-conference double header on Saturday the 21st, and then will travel to conference leading St. Olaf on April, 23.