BOX SCORES

GAME 1
GAME 2

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The Bethel nine took the field today squaring off against the Macalester College Fighting Scots in a MIAC battle that would have play-off ramifications. The Royals couldn't bolster their record unfortunately, suffering 6-1 and 8-3 defeats to the Scots at Hargis Park.

In game one's action, Bethel feel behind early after giving up a first inning run thanks to 3 hits from the top-ranked Macalester squad. As Macalester would go onto tack on a couple more runs, Bethel tried clawing back in the bottom half of the 4th. Matt Rowley would connect on his first collegiate homer, a solo shot, to put the Royals on the board and cut the lead to 3-1.

Despite their best efforts, the Royals could never string together another run in the game and fell by a final of 6-1. Of the team's six hits in game one, Rowley accounted for three of them, as he finished the game 3-3 with a homerun.

Matt Johnson suffered his first loss of the season after pitching five innings, allowing twelve hits and six earned runs, while striking out two. Chris Dent threw the final two frames for the Royals, allowing zero runs on one hit.

Looking to bounce back in game two, the Royals could never find their footing, falling behind early to a good Macalester ball team. While Macalester only led by 1-0 entering the 4th, the big inning that followed came to haunt the Royals throughout the rest of the game. Macalester put six runs on the board in the inning, after a grand slam from Garrett Salzman followed by a Robert Williams homerun attributed for the Scots runs.

The Royals came back to score two runs in the bottom of the 6th and one in the 7th, but it was too little, as they fell by a final of 8-3. Travis Piepho finished the game going 2-4 with 2 RBI and a run scored. Matt Pearson also played well collecting two knocks in three trips to the dish while scoring a run.

Matt Rowley started the game on the mound for the Royals and went five innings allowing seven earned runs and eight hits. Rowley also struck out two and walked one.

The Royals will host Concordia College on Saturday starting at 1 p.m.