Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. - The Royals had 25 hits in their two games against the Macalester Scots, and 12 of them were for extra bases as Bethel went on to sweep the Scots 4-3, and 9-2.  Bethel has now swept back to back conference series for the first time since the end of the 2006 season.

In game one, Macalester took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but Bethel quickly came back with an answer in the bottom half thanks to a RBI single by Dana Hegman (Sr., Eden Prairie, Minn.) to score Tim Churchill (So., Mt. Prospect, Ill.) who had singled to lead off the inning.  Hegman was a perfect 3-for-3 during the game, and is hitting .400 through today's games.

Bethel then took the lead with a run in the bottom of the third as they manufactured a run by way of a Brandon Carr (Sr., Fergus Falls, Minn.) double, a Hegman single, and a Tyler Kramer (Sr., Maplewood, Minn.) sacrifice fly to score Carr.

The Royals then extended their lead to 3-1 the next inning by way of a John Slick (So., River Falls, Wis.) single and Bob Tokar (So., Elk River, Minn.) RBI double.  Both Slick and Tokar had a pair of hits in game one.

Bethel's lead was short-lived, as Macalester tagged starting pitcher Isaac Hamilton (Sr., Chaska, Minn.) for two runs in the top of the fifth inning to even the score at 3-3.

But the Royals bounced back and got a run when they needed it in order to win.  Slick led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a single, followed by a walk to Kris Pulford (Sr., Richfield, Minn.) and Tokar's second hit of the game to load up the bases.  Churchill hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield, scoring Slick for what would be the game-winning run.

Ben Turnwall (Jr., Burnsville, Minn.) came on in relief of Hamilton in the seventh inning and faced three batters, striking out two of them, for his seventh save of the season.

Hamilton pitched six strong innings to pick up his sixth win of the season.  He allowed three runs on five hits, while walking three batters, but striking out three as well.  The senior co-captain is now 6-2 on the season and 14-8 in his career, tying him for sixth place in Bethel's record book for wins.

James Murrey, the Scots ace, took the loss and is now 6-2 on the season.  Macalester was led by Devin English, who was 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of runs scored.

In game two, the Bethel bats really came alive, taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning and never looking back on their way to the 9-2 win.

The Royals loaded up the bases in the bottom of the first inning and produced two runs - one on a RBI single by Kramer, the other by Tim Oesterlin (So., Rochester, Minn.) as he walked to force in a run.

After a single Scot run in the top of the second, Bethel roughed up starting pitcher Eric Robinson for five runs, forcing him to leave after just one and two-thirds innings pitched.  Highlights of the inning included Churchill's first collegiate home run, and a three-run double by catcher Erik Anderson (Fr., Arden Hills, Minn.).

Anderson would finish the game 3-for-4 with three doubles, as would Hegman.  Not to be outdone, Carr continued his torrid hitting by going 4-for-4 at the plate, including his third home run in five games - a solo shot to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning.  Rob Lang (So., Johnston, Iowa) also batted in a run with a double in the sixth to put Bethel up 9-2 to stay.  In total, eight of Bethel's 16 hits in game two were doubles.

Starting pitcher Travis Adams (Jr., Chanhassen, Minn.) evened his record at 3-3 with the win, allowing just one earned run in four innings.  He allowed seven hits, walked three, but struck out five in the effort. Kyle McCracken came on in relief to pitch three scoreless innings for his second save of the season.

Once again, English led the Scots at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a solo home run off Adams in the fourth inning. 

With the wins, Bethel matches their conference and season win totals from 2007.  They are now 18-14 overall and 8-7 in the MIAC, while Macalester drops to 13-20 overall and 6-10 in the conference.  The Royals are scheduled to head down to Winona, Minn., to take on Saint Mary's in a doubleheader at Winona State's campus on Wednesday, beginning at 2:30 p.m. for their next games.  See the schedule regarding the make-up games with Hamline, as they will no longer be played this Friday.  Instead, the games have been moved to the following Monday, pushing the St. Olaf game back another day.