BOX SCORES: GAME ONE | GAME TWO

ST. PAUL – Bethel University's softball team traveled to St. Paul Tuesday afternoon for a late afternoon double-header against Macalester College. The Royals split the pair of games against the Scots, but BU had a number of chances to capture wins in both games. Bethel fell 3-4 in game one, but fired back to own a 5-2 win in game two.
 
The first of the two games tested every nerve BU had, as the Royals fell 3-4, however, left nine runners that were in scoring position on base. To make items worse, starting pitcher Anja Erlandson (Sr., White Bear Lake, Minn.) had to exit the game after 2.2 innings pitched with a back injury.
 
Bethel started the game with one run in the top of the first, but surrendered two in the bottom half of the inning. Macalester added one more run in the third and both teams plated a runner in the fourth. Trailing 2-4 in the seventh, BU attempted a late rally, but only mustered one run in the inning and fell 3-4.
 
The Royals belted 11 hits and garnered three walks throughout the seven-inning contest. Angie Jackson (Fr., Oakdale, Minn.) finished the day 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Kalyn Sorensen (Fr., Maple Grove, Minn.) went 3-for-4, while Rachel Gilbert (Jr., Becker, Minn.) finished the competition with two hits, two walks, a run batted in, and a run scored.
 
Erlandson started the contest, going 2.2 innings and striking out two batters. The senior gave up three runs (two earned), before Courtney Saurer (Fr., Chanhassen, Minn.) came in to finish the final 3.1 innings. Saurer allowed one run and three hits, but struck out three and walked none of the Scots.
 
Game two was similar in fashion, as the Royals tallied 11 hits again, however, BU was able to drive in five runs in the 5-2 victory. Bethel again scored first with a two-run third on a Logan Ahlness (So., Hanska, Minn.) RBI single and a Kalyn Sorensen RBI groundout. Macalester got one run back in the bottom half of the inning to keep the margin close, 2-1. The Royals picked up three more runs in the top of the fifth when Ahlness recorded a triple that scored a run and two throwing errors by Macalester helped BU score two more. Like the third inning, the Scots got one back in the bottom half of the inning, but it wasn't enough as Bethel held on for the 5-2 win.
 
Ahlness finished the day 3-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored. Gilbert recorded her second multi-hit game of the day, finishing 2-for-4 with a run scored. Sorensen also finished the day with one run batted in.
 
Genna Bock (Sr., Circle Pines, Minn.) toed the pitching rubber for the Royals in game two, and performed exceptionally in the complete-game victory. Bock allowed just two runs, six hits, and one walk in seven innings, while striking out six.
 
Bethel now improves to 5-9 in conference play and 11-21 on the season. BU returns home for a twin bill against MIAC foe Concordia College Thursday in a 3:30 p.m. matinee, before traveling to Northfield, Minn. Saturday to take on Carleton College.