Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. - A day after suffering a pair of defeats to Gustavus, Bethel returned to the comfort of the Ona Orth Athletic Complex to take on Concordia.  Two games against the Cobbers later, the Royals have found themselves back on the winning track.

With their 9-4, 4-3 sweep of Concordia, Bethel is now 5-3 in MIAC play, which means they have already matched their conference win total from last season.  Aggressive base running and effective pitching helped the Royals earn their sixth and seventh wins since returning from Florida.

Game one saw the Royals come from behind on more than one occasion to tie and/or take the lead against the Cobbers.

Down 1-0 in the second inning, Kelly Berg (Fr., South Haven, Minn.) doubled to lead off and came around to score after a ground ball out and an error, making the score 1-1.

Concordia answered by putting two more runs on the scoreboard in the third inning.  Emily Jensen hit a two run home run for the Cobbers to put them up 3-1.

Bethel responded by scoring three runs in the bottom of the inning.  The Royals took advantage of three Cobber errors and a passed ball to take the lead at 4-3.  Molly Trombley (Sr., Stacy, Minn.) had the only hit of the inning for the Royals and came around to score as a result of the passed ball.

Not to be outdone, Concordia tied the game at 4-4 with a run in the fourth inning.  However, relief pitcher Rebecca Akerson (Fr., Lakeville, Minn.) pitched lights out softball after that allowing Bethel's bats to get the job done at the plate and take the lead for good.

Bethel scored an additional three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, highlighted by a Karina Roe (Jr., Grey Eagle, Minn.) RBI double.  The Royals then added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning when Laura Naig (Sr., Kasson, Minn.) followed up a Tonia Erickson (So., Welcome, Minn.) lead off single with her team leading sixth double of the season.  Both runners eventually scored thanks to an error and RBI single by Lauren Habisch (So., Lakeville, Minn.) to put the game safely out of reach at 9-4.

Akerson pitched four and two-thirds innings of relief to pick up her fourth win of the season.  She allowed just one run on three hits, while walking one and striking out one.

Game two was much a much tighter game as the two teams amassed just two hits combined through four and one half innings of play. 

It wasn't until the fifth inning that Bethel broke the ice and scored a pair of runs to take the lead.  Berg led off the inning with a single and eventually scored on a passed ball.  Lisa Patnode (So., Princeton, Minn.) followed Berg with a walk and came in to score on a Naig sacrifice fly ball.

Bethel added two more runs in the sixth inning thanks to a lead off single by starting pitcher and MIAC Pitcher of the Week, Nea Harkness (So., Winthrop, Minn.), a walk to Trombley, and then a bases clearing triple by Berg.  The freshman shortstop is currently tied for the conference lead in triples with five.

Harkness allowed three runs in the top of the seventh inning, but struck out the last batter for her fourth win of the season.  She allowed just one earned run on five hits.  She didn't walk anyone and struck out five Cobber batters in her fifth complete game.

Concordia was led by Laura Johnson who was 1-for-3 with a RBI triple and run scored.  Becki Zimmerman also went the distance and took the loss for the Cobbers.

The series sweep helps Bethel improve to 13-10 overall, while Concordia falls to 5-19 overall and 2-8 in the conference.  The Royals are scheduled to take on Carleton on Thursday at the Ona Orth Athletic Complex starting at 4 p.m. for their next doubleheader.