BOX SCORES: GAME ONE | GAME TWO

MENOMONIE, Wis. – The Bethel University baseball team traveled to Menomonie, Wis. Wednesday for the second straight day of nonconference baseball, as the Royals faced the University of Wisconsin-Stout in a twin-bill matinee. BU got down early in game one and never recovered, losing the opener 8-4 and despite beginning the second seven-inning contest with the lead, Bethel still suffered a 5-2 loss.

The Royals spotted the hosting Blue Devils four early runs in game one, but managed to claw themselves back into the ball game with three runs scored between the second and third inning. BU was incredibly excited to even the game at four apiece in the top of the sixth, however, a four-run half inning for UW-Stout in the bottom of the frame extinguished any hope.

Bethel accumulated six hits and four walks throughout the contest. Jesse Nickols (Jr., Arden Hills, Minn.) and Travis Piepho (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn.) each had a solid day at the plate, finishing 2-for-3 with a run scored. Nickols carded two RBI, while Piepho plated one. Additionally, Matt Rowley (Jr., Minnetonka, Minn.) finished 1-for-3 with a run batted in. All three batters belted a homerun in the first contest Wednesday.

Matt Pearson (So., Rochester, Minn.) had a tough day on the pitching rubber, as the sophomore hurler gave up 10 hits and eight earned runs. Pearson allowed to long balls and four extra base hits. The loss drops Pearson to 1-1 on the season.

The second matchup between the two teams played just as much of an emotional toll on the Royals as the first, as BU allowed a lead to slip again. The Royals penciled a run in the first on a Rowley double that gave Bethel a 1-0 lead. Another Rowley homerun in the third gave Bethel a 2-1 lead, but another four-run inning in the bottom of the third for the Blue Devils allowed UW-Stout to sweep the Royals in the nonconference affair.
 
Rowley led BU at the plate with two hits in three appearances, which happen to be the double in the first and the long ball in the third. Jay Slick (Sr., River Falls, Minn.) and Nickols also went 2-for-3 in game two.

Austin Hanson (Jr., Mounds View, Minn.) received the nod in game two, giving up five earned runs and seven hits in the 4.1 inning outing. Hanson struck out four and walked zero batters, but received his first loss of the season. Joey Besong (So., Apple Valley, Minn.) pitched a scoreless 1.2 innings in relief.

The pair of losses drops Bethel to 15-13 on the year. The Royals will look salvage the week with a pair against Augsburg Saturday in a monumental MIAC matchup that has considerable implications for the rest of the 2012 season. Fans are reminded that the Bethel baseball team and all MIAC teams are coming together this week for an effort to cure prostate cancer, in which the conference labels Strike Out Prostate Cancer. All can donate through the MIAC webpage.