Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

MOORHEAD, Minn. - Bethel scored two runs in the top of the eighth and hung on to win 4-2 in game one of today's doubleheader, but hits were hard to come by in game two as the Royals split with the Cobbers.

Ryan Doheny (Sr., Anoka, Minn.) put Bethel on the scoreboard first with a sacrifice fly to score John Slick (Sr., River Falls, Wis.) in the top of the second inning. Doheny was then responsible for pushing Bethel's lead out to two runs with his first home run of the season - a solo shot with one out in the top of the fifth.

Concordia answered with single runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings, but starting pitcher Kyle McCracken (Sr., Johnston, Iowa) threw a 1-2-3 seventh inning to preserve the tie. McCracken pitched seven strong innings in his final collegiate game, allowing just one earned run on nine hits. He allowed two walks while striking out five in the effort.

In the top of the eighth, Bethel loaded up the bases with a leadoff single by Tim Churchill (Sr., Mt. Prospect, Ill.), followed by two infield singles by Tim Oesterlin (Sr., Rochester, Minn.) and Jay Slick (So., River Falls, Wis.). John Slick brought two runs in with a single, and the Royals led 4-2. Chris Dent (Jr., Marietta, Ohio) came on in relief of McCracken after a leadoff walk and closed the door by picking of the runner at first, and then setting down the next two batters he faced for his third save of the season.

Dent pitched 7 and 1/3 innings this past week and did not allow a run or a walk. He was 1-0 with two saves and five strikeouts.

In the second game of the doubleheader, the Royals amassed just two hits and fell by a score of 2-0. Bethel's bullpen was solid for the final 3 and 1/3 innings, yielding no runs, but by then, the damage had been done.

Nine Bethel seniors ended their collegiate playing careers today, and the Royals finished with a season record of 21-17 and a conference record of 9-11. Meanwhile, the Cobbers will go on to compete in the MIAC playoffs by finishing with a 14-6 MIAC record and an overall mark of 23-15.