Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

ST. JOSEPH, Minn. - Kelly Berg (Jr., South Haven, Minn.) loves hitting against Saint Benedict. That's because after today, she boasts a career .667 batting average with six home runs, 12 RBI, and 13 runs scored in six games against the Blazers. Berg hit two of those home runs today, one in each game, and the Royals swept the Blazers by scores of 6-4 and 8-4.

Bethel took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning of game one thanks to an RBI single by Berg, followed by an RBI double by Lauren Habisch (Sr., Lakeville, Minn.), who also feasts on Saint Benedict pitching. The Blazers came back to score a run in the bottom of the third, but the Royals extended their lead back out to two runs in the top of the fifth with Berg's home run.

Saint Benedict wouldn't go down without a fight and bounced back to score two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game at 3-3. The Royals tacked on another run in the top of the seventh when Habisch picked up her second RBI of the game. Habisch finished 4-for-4 at the plate in game one, and together with her hit in the second game, she has now hit safely in all but two conference games this season.

But the Blazers were resilient, scoring an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh inning off of starting pitcher Nea Harkness (Sr., Winthrop, Minn.) to tie the game at 4-4. Harkness did not allow an earned run all game in her seven innings of work, and struck out five batters.

After a scoreless eighth and ninth innings, Bethel scored twice in the top of the 10th, highlighted by Rachel Gilbert's (Fr., Becker, Minn.) game-winning RBI double. Charitey Rowden (Sr., Shellsburg, Iowa) forced a double play in the bottom of the 10th to pick up her seventh win of the season and the Royals won 6-4.

In game two, Bethel put four runs up on the scoreboard in the top of the second inning, highlighted by a three-run Gilbert home run, and didn't look back in an 8-4 win. The game was called after six innings on account of darkness. Berg was 4-for-4 with another home run, while Ashley Johnsen (Sr., Maple Grove, Minn.) was 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Lynnae Thompson (Sr., Stewartville, Minn.) also had a multi-hit game as the Royals tallied 14 hits in the win.

Rebecca Akerson (Jr., Lakeville, Minn.) went the distance for the Royals, pitching six innings and allowing just two earned runs while striking out four. Akerson is now 9-5 on the season.

With the wins, Bethel improves to 19-17 overall and 11-7 in conference play, while Saint Benedict drops to 14-18 overall and 9-9 in the MIAC. The Royals are scheduled to take on Augsburg at home on Thursday afternoon beginning at 4 p.m. for their next doubleheader.

NOTES:
- Kelly Berg now has 53 hits, which is two better than all of last season.
- With the three home runs today, the Royals have now set a new team record for home runs in a season with 17, surpassing last year's mark of 16.
- Lauren Habisch has a career average of .577 (15-for-26) against Saint Benedict in eight games. She has six runs, a double, two triples, two home runs, and 13 RBI in that span.