BOX SCORE

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – Bethel University squared off against North Central University Tuesday in a nine-inning contest that saw six homeruns go over the fence, however, after the blood bath was over the Royals escaped with a 10-8 victory. The nonconference matchup was knotted at four after the third inning, but a big four-run fifth inning for BU helped widen the margin between the opposing squads. The Rams didn't go away quietly, though, as NCU posted four runs between the fifth and seventh inning, forcing the Royals to pour on two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, which sealed the 10-8 victory.
 
Matt Rowley (Jr., Minntonka, Minn.) hit his second game-winning homerun in the last three games with a deep fly in the eighth inning that gave the Royals a 9-8 advantage. Catcher Jay Slick (Sr., River Falls, Minn.) followed suite in the next at-bat with a back-to-back jack that gave Bethel the two-run lead. Jesse Nickols (Jr., Arden Hills, Minn.) also hit a home run in the fifth inning with a man on, which was part of a four-run inning.
 
In the entire contest, Nickols led the team with two RBI's, while Slick tallied one RBI, three hits, a walk, and three runs in five plate appearances. Other players to tally a run batted in include David Freed (Jr., North Oaks, Minn.), Mike Sedjo (Sr., West Chicago, Ill.), Ryan Hangartner (So., Watertown, Minn.), and Nick Anderson (Fr., Arden Hills, Minn.).
 
Overall the Royals managed nine hits and five walks throughout the nine-inning contest, while the Rams were tallied 11 hits and zero walks.
 
Matt Pearson (So., Rochester, Minn.) received the start on the pitching mound Tuesday, giving up six earned runs and striking out five batters in 5.2 innings pitched. Keaton Schut (So., Des Moines, Iowa) came in to pitch 1.1 innings in relief, while Matt Pryor (Fr. St. Paul, Minn.) recorded his first win of his collegiate career in one inning of relief, while Buddy Flaherty (Sr., Victoria, Minn.) secured his fifth save of the season with a two-strikeout ninth-inning.
 
With the win Bethel improves to 11-6 and looks ahead to conference foe, Hamline University in what looks to be a critical early season double-header. The double-header at Hargis Park is slated to begin at 2:30 p.m.