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MINNEAPOLIS—Sporting brand new jerseys Tuesday night, the Bethel University baseball team put two ticks in the win column with a pair of nonconference victories over North Central University. The Royals (13-4, 0-0 MIAC) took down the Rams (0-9, 0-0 UMAC) 9-3 in the first tilt before unloading 19 runs in game two's 19-4 triumph.
 
Bryce Walt (Jr., Bloomington, Minn.) led the Royals in batting throughout the first game, as the Bloomington, Minn., native finished 2-for-4 at the plate with one run batted in and two runs scored. Meanwhile, Jesse Nickols (Sr., Arden Hills, Minn.) was one of two BU players to get an extra base hit that drove in two more runs.

Bethel utilized a pitch-by-committee format throughout both games Tuesday night, as four hurlers took the mound in each game. Throughout the first seven-inning contest Joe Zorn (So., Stillwater, Minn.), Chris Hall (Jr., Mesa, Ariz.), Matt Pryor (So., St. Paul, Minn.), and Matt Rowley (Sr., Minnetonka, Minn.) gave up a combined two earned runs, while striking out 10 and walking two. Chris Hall was awarded with the win—his first of the 2013 season.
 
Game two got out of hand quickly as the Royals established an 8-0 lead after the first two innings and had batted around the order twice. BU hit a combined five triples and one double in the second effort, while tallying 16 total hits, 14 RBI and 19 runs scored.
 
David Freed (Sr., North Oaks, Minn.) was one of three players to record at least two hits in the late-night affair, finishing 4-for-5 with a walk, a double, and a triple. Freed also scored three times and drove in another. Two more triples came off the bat of Matt Rowley who went 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored. Meanwhile, Mike Schultz (So., Forest Lake, Minn.) also added a nice stat line—going 2-for-3, which included a triple, with two runs batted in and three runs scored.

The four pitchers to see time in game two were Jake Hanzalik (Fr., Arden Hills, Minn.), Sean Glenn (Fr., Waukee, Iowa), Keaton Schut (Jr., Des Moines, Iowa), and David Freed. Together the four gave up three earned runs, zero walks, and struck out seven. Freed was not only successful at the plate, but on the mound as well—as his one hit performance in two innings pitched rewarded him with the win, which improved him to 1-0 on the season.
 
Now at 13-4 overall, Bethel will begin its conference schedule in the week ahead—barring weather cooperation. Saturday's scheduled game against Saint Mary's has been postponed until the field is ready to play, and by MIAC rules the two teams will go head-to-head the next day. Next Wednesday's double-header at Hamline is still tentatively scheduled to be played at 2:30 and 4:30 p.m.