GAME RESULTS: GAME ONE | GAME TWO

ST. PAUL – Looking to make a late season run at the MIAC postseason, the Royals travelled to Hamline University Sunday to play a make-up game against the hosting Pipers. However, despite its recent success, Bethel fell on the road 13-9 and 3-2. With the pair of losses, BU falls to 9-11 in conference play and will need to depend on a series of events to be welcomed to the conference playoffs.
 
The first game became a score parade early, as the two teams combined for five runs in the first inning. The Royals struck first with two in the top of the frame, however, the Pipers responded with three-run homerun that bounced out of a BU outfielder's glove and over the fence in the bottom of the frame. Hamline then made a statement with a four-run second inning to go ahead 7-2 through the third inning. Bethel clawed its way back to score two runs in the fourth and fifth frames, yet Hamline didn't go away quietly and composed three runs themselves in the two innings. HU added three more insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth, which proved to be vital as Bethel attempted to mount a late comeback in the seventh, but was limited to three runs.
 
One of the Royal's biggest weaknesses came on the field Sunday, as Bethel suffered four fielding errors. The Royals had nearly been flawless in the field the past six games, as one error had been charged to the BU softball squad, yet game one Sunday was a different story. Also, Bethel's game one starter, Genna Bock (Sr., Circle Pines, Minn.), who had been lights out in recent games, allowing just four runs in the past 28 innings, lasted just two innings, giving up seven hits and seven runs (four earned). Anja Erlandson (Sr., White Bear Lake, Minn.) finished the competition with a four-inning, six-run (five earned) performance. Erlandson struck out four and walked three.
 
Bethel tallied 17 hits in the first contest, yet left nine runners left on base. Kaylen Sorensen (Fr., Maple Grove, Minn.) went 3-for-5 at the plate with a run scored, while Logan Ahlness (So., Hanska, Minn.) went 3-for-4 with two runs and a RBI. Rachel Gilbert (Jr., Becker, Minn.), Alexandra Thunborg (Jr., Blaine, Minn.), Tara Schinke (So., Long Lake, Minn.), and Cristina Masten (So., Fergus Falls, Minn.) also recorded two hits in game one Sunday.
 
Game two was significantly different, as the two teams scored a combined five runs, opposed to 23 in the first. The Royals went error free, and welcomed newcomer Courtney Saurer (Fr., Chanhassen, Minn.) to the mound for her first complete game of her collegiate career. Saurer allowed three runs on five hits and four walks, but struck out four batters.

Bethel, again, scored first with two runs in the second inning, but let in two runs in the fourth and one more in the sixth. In the second inning, Jess Newstrom (Jr., Cambridge, Minn.) delivered an RBI-double that scored Chelsey Falzone (So., Lake Elmo, Minn.) and Newstrom later scored on a throwing error by the Pipers.
 
The Royals were limited to four hits in the second game, as Jess Newstrom led the way with two. Chelsey Falzone and Tara Schinke were the only other two to muster a hit. Angie Jackson (Fr., Oakdale, Minn.) also garnered two walks at the plate.

BU will face Carleton College in its final double-header of the regular season Monday, April 30 in Northfield, Minn. The Royals softball team, should they finish 11-11 in MIAC play, can still make the postseason. Fans are encouraged to check back to athletics.bethel.edu for all spring finishes.