Box Score 1 BOX SCORE

Game 1
Game 2

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The Bethel Baseball team hosted Crown College at Hargis Park Monday afternoon in a non-conference matchup that featured a classic MIAC/UMAC game. The Royals put up 4 runs in the bottom of the 6th inning in game one to claim a 9-6 victory, while the second game was a one-sided offensive display that the Royals won 21-3.

Freshman Keaton Schut was on the mound in game one for the Royals, as he was starting his first collegiate game at Hargis Park. Schut didn't disappoint, pitching 5 quality innings while allowing 4 hits and 0 earned runs. Schut also allowed only 1 walk and struck out 3. Despite his strong effort, Schut wouldn't receive the win due to Crown scoring 5 runs in the top of the 6th to take a late 6-5 lead. The Royals combated the Storms attack with 4 runs of their own in the bottom half of the frame. RBI from Buddy Flaherty, David Freed, Travis Piepho, and Jay Slick, hoisted the Royals to a 9-6 lead. The 3-run lead proved to be enough, as Chris Dent pitched the final 1.2 innings on the game, holding the Storm to 0 runs, while allowing only one hit.

Crown would score 2 first innings runs in game two, but after that it was all Royals. Bethel knocked out the starting pitcher for the Storm after 2.1 innings. Bethel slugged out 8 hits and 13 runs in the first three innings to take a commanding lead. Slick and Austin Hanson would have homeruns for the Royals in the game, and a combined pitching effort of Matt Pearson, David Anderson, Joey Besong, Buddy Flaherty, and Aaron Wilson led to a Royals victory of 21-3. Pearson would collect the win for the Royals as he moved his season record to 1-1. Ryan Hangartner and Erik Anderson both had 3 hits in the game, with Hangartner driving in 4 runs. Mike Whartnaby and David Freed also had 2 hits in the game.

The Royals will return to conference play tomorrow when they travel to Northfield to take on Carleton College. Bethel is now 11-9 on the season with a 2-4 MIAC mark.