Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ROSEMOUNT, Minn.—The Bethel University softball team improved its record with a series sweep over St. Catherine University in a late night double-header at the Rosemount Dome. The Royals (13-11, 4-4 MIAC) needed 10 innings to take down the Wildcats (9-10, 1-5 MIAC) in the first tilt, but unloaded nine runs in the second to win 9-1 in five innings.
 
Bethel trailed early in game one before Carline Kivisto (Fr., Dassel, Minn.) and Jess Newstrom (Sr., Cambridge, Minn.) tallied two-RBI hits that resulted in a five-run second inning. Meanwhile, it was Angie Jackson (So., Oakdale, Minn.), who hit a crucial home run in the fourth inning—her fourth of the year—as her two-run blast helped BU go into extra innings.

Despite BU having an 8-4 lead, SCU clawed back—hitting a two-run home run that tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Royals wouldn't be shaken though, as they ended the game with a three-run 10th inning that gave BU the eventual 11-8 victory.
 
Karli Persson (Fr., Albany, Minn.) toed the rubber in the first contest, giving up six earned runs, 13 hits, and one walk in all 10 innings pitched, while striking out nine Wildcat batters.
 
Jackson led the Royals at the plate, finishing the affair 4-for-4 with two walks, three runs scored, and two more driven in. Caroline Kivisto and Rachel Gilbert (Sr., Becker, Minn.) also had multi-hit games with Kivisto going 2-for-5 with three RBI and Gilbert finishing 2-for-4 with one run scored and one run driven in.
 
Game two was a pitchers duel until the fifth inning, when the Royals spouted off nine runs which went unanswered in the bottom of the frame and finished the game because of the eight-run rule after five innings.
 
The fifth inning consisted of four Bethel home runs—including Cristina Masten (Jr., Fergus Falls, Minn.) and Tara Schinke's (Jr., Long Lake, Minn.) back-to-back solo shot as well as Caroline Kivisto and Kalyn Sorensen's (So., Maple Grove, Minn.) three-run homers. Schinke ended the inning with a single that scored the Royals ninth run of the inning.
 
Courtney Saurer (So., Chanhassen, Minn.) delivered a one-run, four-hit performance in five innings pitched—striking out three and walking just one St. Kate's batter.
 
Cristina Masten and Tara Schinke both finished the second contest 2-for-3. Masten scored twice and drove in one, while Schinke drove in two and scored once more. Angie Jackson also had two hits, going 2-for-2 at the plate with a walk and one run scored. On the day, Jackson finished 6-for-6 with three walks, four runs scored, and two RBI.
 
With Saturday and Sunday's double-headers against Augsburg College and Gustavus Adolphus, Bethel's next game is uncertain. The next scheduled contest is set for Tuesday, April 16 at 3:30 p.m. against Macalester College at home. To stay up to date on all the latest game information visit bethelroyals.com and follow the Royals on Facebook and Twitter.