BOX SCORES: GAME ONE | GAME TWO
ARDEN HILLS, Minn. - Bethel Universitys softball program had quite the day Thursday, as the Royals hosted Concordia College in a make-up double-header at home for a MIAC matchup. After going 15 innings Wednesday, Genna Bock (Sr., Circle Pines, Minn.) came back to pitch another 13 innings Thursday. Her two complete game shutouts Thursday helped Bethel sweep Concordia College 8-0 (six innings) and 3-0. For Bock who pitched her first complete-game shutout Wednesday in game two, it was her third consecutive complete-game shutout.
The Royals applied moderate pressure early in game one, when Cristina Masten (So., Fergus Falls, Minn.) drove in Angie Jackson (Fr., Oakdale, Minn.) in the first and Alex Thunborg plated Chelsey Falzone in the second. Ahead 2-0 all the way till the sixth inning, Bethel University put the pedal to the medal scoring six runs in the frame to capture the eight-run ruled 8-0 six-inning victory. A big part of the scoring parade came when Falzone blasted a three-run homerun to deep left-center, which made the score 7-0.
Angie Jackson continued to show her young brilliance Thursday, going 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored. Chelsey Falzone finished 2-for-3 with three runs batted in and two runs scored.
Bock, again, was sensational. The senior hurler allowed just four hits and no runs in the three-strikeout, two-walk performance.
Bethel moved slowly out of the gates in game two, as the two teams were even at zero throughout the competitions first four innings. However, in the fifth the Royals made their presence known with a three-run effort in the bottom of the frame. The trio of runs can be credited to Kalyn Sorensen (Fr., Maple Grove, Minn.), who blasted her own three-run shot over the fence, giving BU its only runs of the game.
Genna Bock was again asked to toe the pitching rubber in game two, and kept the momentum churning with an even better performance. The Circle Pines, Minn. native surrendered three hits and zero runs, while striking out three and walking one. The two complete-game shutouts make it three straight for the senior pitcher and improve her overall record to 7-10. Before yesterday Genna Bock had accumulated an ERA of 6.85, however, after four games Bock has lowered it to 5.49.
Beyond Bocks success on the mound Bethel has improved its defense greatly, as the Royals made their first error in the last six games today in game two.
At 7-9 overall Bethel University continues to fight for a spot in the MIAC Playoffs that are set to begin a week from tomorrow. With two double-headers remaining, BU will likely have to sweep both opponents in order to be contenders for the 2012 conference tournament. The Royals will play Hamline University Saturday, April 28 in St. Paul in a pair of games that is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
