Box Score

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Not too many seven-inning baseball games start indoors and finish up two weeks later and 1500 miles away outdoors. Such is the case with Bethel's second game against the Central College Dutch of Pella, iowa. Down 4-2, the Royals came back to defeat the Dutch in the bottom of the seventh with a game-winning single by Tim Churchill (Jr., Mt. Prospect, Ill.) by a score of 5-4.

The Royals and the Dutch began their doubleheader against each other on February 28, in the Metrdome in Minneapolis, but due to time constraints, were forced to halt play after five innings. Since seven innings must be played for the game to be considered official, the two teams coordinated the finish of the game to be played while both were in southwest Florida over spring break.

Adam Beck (Sr., Blackduck, Minn.) earned his first collegiate win in his first collegiate appearance by holding the Dutch scoreless for two innings. Beck allowed one hit and struck out two, while also getting some good help on defense from Erik Anderson (So., Arden Hills, Minn.), who picked off one runner at first and threw out another at second.

Anderson was also a hero at the plate by leading off the bottom of the seventh inning with a triple. He came into score on a base hit by John Slick (Jr., River Falls, Minn.), which put runners on first and second base as Tim Oesterlin (Jr., Rochester, Minn.) walked between the two batters. Both Oesterlin and Slick advanced on a wild pitch to bring up Dustin Littlefield (Sr., Rockford, Minn.). Littlefield then laid down a squeeze bunt that scored Oesterlin to tie the game. Churchill then knocked in Slick with a base hit to right field, giving Bethel the win.

Bethel improves to 2-3 with the victory and is scheduled to continue their play in the Gene Cusic Classic with a doubleheader against Babson College of Massechusetts beginning at 3 p.m. today.