Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

MINNEAPOLIS - The Royals took on the #10 nationally ranked UW-Oshkosh Titans in an early morning doubleheader which began at 5:30 a.m.  Despite strong pitching performances from Bethel pitchers in both games, the Titans took game one by a score of 4-0, then came from behind to squeak by the Royals 3-2 in the second game.

Travis Adams (Jr., Chanhassen, Minn.) started on the mound for Bethel in the first game and gave up one run in the first inning, which proved to be all UW-Oshkosh would need.  Adams settled in and breezed through the next three innings before giving up a two run home run in the top of the fifth to shortstop Derek Leighton.  Adams pitched five innings and gave up three runs on three hits.  He walked three batters, but struck out six by changing speeds effectively and keeping Titan hitters off balance.  John Slick (So., River Falls, Minn.) came in to pitch the sixth and seventh innings and gave up one run, while striking out two.

Although the Royals were unable to produce any runs, they were able to put a batter on base in each inning, advancing them into scoring position in four of the seven innings.  Erik Anderson (Fr., Arden Hills, Minn.) was 2-for-3 by punching two base hits between the third baseman and shortstop, and Tim Oesterlin (So., Rochester, Minn.) hit a ground rule double in the third inning.

In game two, just as in game one, Tim Churchill (So., Mt. Prospect, Minn.) led off the Royals first inning by getting hit with a pitch, making it the seventh time he has been hit in just six games.  Kirby Carr was hit by a pitch 11 times all last season to lead the Royals.

Bethel took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Tyler Kramer (Sr., Maplewood, Minn.) and Brandon Carr (Sr., Fergus Falls, Minn.) led off the inning with a pair of singles, followed by a throwing error on a ball hit by Mark Therrien (So., Spring Lake Park, Minn.).  Therrien hit a ground ball to second baseman Nolan Fadness who tagged out Carr, but overthrew first baseman Brad Demmin.  Kramer came around to score, but Therrien was thrown out when trying to advance to second base on the overthrow.

UW-Oshkosh didn't score on starting pitcher Isaac Hamilton (Sr., Chaska, Minn.) until the home half of the fifth inning when lead-off hitter Kyle Kannenberg singled and came around to score three batters later.

The Royals then regained the lead in the sixth inning when Oesterlin led off with a single and then advanced to third after a sacrifice bunt by Anderson and a ground ball by Kirk Darling (Fr., Kalamazoo, Mich.), followed by a single up the middle by Kris Pulford (Sr., Richfield, Minn.).  Pulford was 2-for-3 in the game and 2-for-5 in the series.

The Titans came back to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth as Demmin led off with a double, advanced to third base on a wild pitch, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Brock Wetenkamp.

After a scoreless top of the seventh inning, Bethel brought in Ethan Formo (Sr., Granite Falls, Minn.) to pitch.  Formo hit the first batter he faced in Derek Hiroskey, who advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, and then to third on a ground ball out.  A wild pitch by Formo allowed Hiroskey to score the game winning run as the Titans narrowly defeated the Royals 3-2.

Oesterlin went 2-for-3 with another double in the second game, bringing his season average up to .533 and extending his hitting streak to five games.   Hamilton pitched six strong innings, allowing just two runs on five hits.  He struck out four, while walking only one.

Bethel falls to 3-3 on the season while UW-Oshkosh begins their season 2-0.  The Royals will remain idle until they travel down to Florida for their annual spring break trip.  Their next games will be against Hamilton College of New York on March 20 in Port Charlotte, Fla., beginning at 11:30 a.m.