Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ARDEN HILLS, Minn.—Another beautiful afternoon allowed Bethel University softball to play its eighth game in the last four days with today's double header against Carleton College. The Royals (21-13, 12-6 MIAC) edged the Knights (12-17, 7-9 MIAC) 3-1 in game one before having its second consecutive seventh-inning comeback fall short by one run.
 
Bethel was allowed just five hits in the opening tilt, but took full advantage of them and three walks by scoring three runs—one in the second, third, and fourth. Kalyn Sorensen squeezed in the game's first run before Jess Newstrom singled in Angie Jackson in the third. Cristina Masten then drove in the Royals final run in the fourth with a two-out single to right field. 

Karli Persson toed the rubber in the opener—giving up seven hits and one walk in the complete game victory. Persson improved to 14-7 on the year with an exceptional 11-strikeout effort—lowering her season era to 2.31.
 
Her teammate Courtney Saurer was on the way to her eighth win of the season in game two before Carleton rallied four runs in the top of the seventh inning. Down 2-6, Bethel mustered three runs in the bottom of the seventh and had the game-tying run on base, but the rally fell short and resulted in a Sunday split.
 
Saurer finished the game with one strikeout and one walk, while allowing 13 hits and six earned runs. The Chanhassen, Minn., native fell to 7-5 with the loss.
 
Bethel gathered eight hits and one walk in Sunday's second matchup, with Rachel Gilbert finishing 2-for-4 with an RBI and Angie Jackson going 1-for-4 with one run driven in and one run scored. Jackson's one hit gave her three bases, while Paige Weiske and Abbie Bircher each had a double.
 
At 12-6 in conference play, the Royals are on the verge of a Top 4 seed heading into the 2013 MIAC Softball Playoffs. Bethel will play Gustavus Tuesday in its final double header of the regular season before traveling to Mankato, Minn., Friday to begin the pool play component of the postseason. Tuesday's games in St. Peter, Minn., are scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.