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CLERMONT, Fla. - Bethel played a busy day of softball today and emerged victorious in two of the three games they played.

Starting with a 9:30 a.m. game against Westfield State (Mass.), the Royals got out to a quick 1-0 lead off of a Lauren Habisch (Sr., Lakeville, Minn.) solo home run. However, the Owls came back to score five unanswered runs over the course of the next three innings, forcing Bethel to play catch-up.

The Royals responded with a big seven-run fourth inning, highlighted by a 2-RBI single by starting pitcher Rebecca Akerson (Jr., Lakeville, Minn.) and a bases loaded triple by Ashley Johnsen (Sr., Maple Grove, Minn.). That gave Akerson all the run support she would need to close out a 10-5 win for Bethel. She did not allow another run the rest of the game, while Bethel tacked on another pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning.

Bethel then proceeded to take on a tough Keene State University (N.H.) team. The Royals and Owls played to a a scoreless tie through the first four innings before Keene State scored a run in the top of the fifth off of starter Nea Harkness (Sr., Winthrop, Minn.). The Owls added another run in the top of the sixth to do all the damage they would need to do. Harkness pitched a complete game, giving up two runs on eight hits, while striking out six batters. However, her counterpart, Sara Stocklinkski, held Bethel to just two hits during the game. The Royals loaded up the bases with just one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, but were unable to push any runs across the plate in a 2-0 loss.

Finally, in the last game of the day, Bethel took out some pent-up frustration on UMass Boston by erupting for nine runs in the first two innings on the way to an 11-4 win over the Beacons. Head Coach Rod Radcliffe made some defensive adjustments, putting Habisch at second base and Harkness at third, but kept the lineup in tact otherwise. Habisch and Johnsen provided much of the offensive firepower as the two of them each doubled for one of their two hits during the game. Johnsen knocked in three runs, while Habisch scored three times.

Charitey Rowden (Sr., Shellsburg, Iowa) gave up three runs in the top of the third inning, but otherwise turned out a solid performance in a complete game victory.

Today's games help Bethel improve to 4-3 overall heading into a game with Mount St. Vincent University tomorrow morning beginning at 9:30 a.m. (Eastern time).