Box Score

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. - Despite not being able to play both games of their doubleheader, Bethel and St. Olaf played nearly the equivalent, as game one took 13 innings before a winner was decided. When it was all said and done, the Oles edged the Royals 4-3.

Coming into the game the teams boasted the two best team ERAs in the conference, with the Oles holding a slight edge at 3.97 to the Royals 4.07.  Very little changed today as pitching and defense kept the score down in a game that featured a combined 25 hits, including two home runs and three doubles.  However, the two teams stranded a total of 24 runners.

After allowing three runs in the first three innings, Bethel pitchers Travis Adams (Jr., Chanhassen, Minn.) and Kyle McCracken (So., Johnston, Iowa) held a potent St. Olaf lineup scoreless for nine consecutive innings before a run came around to score on McCracken in the top of the 13th.

St. Olaf scored first with a home run by lead-off hitter Josh Maus in the first inning, followed by a pair of singles and stolen bases to set up a RBI ground out by Luke Gagnon to score Tyler Jones.

Bethel answered in the bottom of the second inning when Kirk Darling (Fr., Kalamazoo, Mich.) got a two-out single and came around to score on a double by Tim Churchill (So., Mt. Prospect, Ill.). 

The Oles put themselves up by two runs again in the top of the third after Tyler Jones scored after a pick-off attempt with runners at first and third went awry.

The Royals pulled within a run in the bottom of the inning thanks to a RBI single by Tyler Kramer (Sr., Maplewood, Minn.) to score Brandon Carr (Sr., Fergus Falls, Minn.).  Kramer then tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning with his second home run of the season, a solo shot to left-center field.

His performance was almost replicated by John Slick (So., River Falls, Wis.) in the bottom of the 11th inning when he laced a double that came within a foot of being a walk-off home run.  Instead, it served as a lead-off double.  Slick got as far as third base before the side was retired.

St. Olaf took the lead for good in the top of the 13th inning when Tyler Johnson hit a one-out double and came around to score on a Pat Wadzinski single to right field.

The extra six innings were marked by a combined four double plays, 11 hits, and 12 runners left on base - more than half of them in scoring position.

Kramer led the Royals on offense, batting 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBI.  Darling, Churchill, Slick, Dana Hegman (Sr., Eden Prairie, Minn.), and Bob Tokar (So., Elk River, Minn.) each had a pair of hits as well.

Starting pitcher Adams threw six innings, giving up three runs on seven hits and two walks, while striking out three.  McCracken threw seven innings in relief, of which six and two-thirds were scoreless.  He allowed six hits and walked two, while striking out two as well. 

Brandon Agneberg picked up his second win of the season as he pitched the final three innings for the Oles.

The Royals are now 9-9 overall and 1-2 in the MIAC, while the Oles improve to 11-6 overall and 1-0 in the conference.  Due to the length of the game, the second game has been postponed until tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. at Hargis Park.