Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

MANKATO, Minn.—A two-out, two-strike walk off home run helped preserve the Bethel University softball team's season, as senior Megan Matson's three-run blast gave the Royals (25-13, 14-6 MIAC) its second win of Friday's round-robin pool play.
 
Trailing the 5-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning against No. 7 Saint Benedict, Rachel Gilbert laced a double to center field with one out. Gilbert advanced to third on a groundout before Caroline Kivisto was walked and Jess Brown—who pinch ran—stole second. With a 2-2 count, Matson—who had gone 0-for-5 in her previous at bats Friday—smashed the game-winning hit over the left field fence, ending the Blazers (20-18, 8-12 MIAC) upset bid.
 
Earlier in Friday's competition, Bethel used a nine-run sixth inning to defeat No. 11 Augsburg College 11-2 (6 inn.). A pair of home runs, including one from Rachel Gilbert and the other from Jess Newstrom, contributed five RBI, while Tara Schinke's base hit in the seventh plated two runs. The Auggies (12-27, 5-15 MIAC) tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the fifth, but could not hang on—allowing eight earned runs in the bottom of the sixth.
 
Karli Persson pitched a six-hit, zero-walk performance in the opener against Augsburg, allowing two runs and striking out five. The freshman out of Albany, Minn., stayed in the pitchers circle for all of game two—giving up five runs on seven hits and three walks in seven innings of play. Persson struck out eight Blazers in the complete-game showcase and improved to 17-7 with the pair of victories.
 
Angie Jackson, Rachel Gilbert, and Tara Schinke all ended the first bout against the Auggies with multiple hits. Gilbert's 2-for-2 effort with two walks drove in three RBI and scored two more. Jackson scored twice and drove in on run, while Schinke finished with two RBI and one run scored.
 
Gilbert went 3-for-4 in game two, with two runs scored and one driven in. Cristina Masten, Jess Newstrom, and Caroline Kivisto each had two hits against the Blazers. Kivisto tallied two runs batted in, while Newstrom drove in another and scored twice.


The Royals will continue its run in the 2013 MIAC Playoffs Saturday and possibly Sunday. The four-team, double-elimination tournament will consist of two games Saturday, and if need be, three games Sunday. Bethel will go head-to-head against St. Olaf—the one team it never played in the regular season—at 3 p.m. Saturday, with the winner playing the winner of the Gustavus vs. St. Thomas matchup at 5 p.m. The loser will play the loser of the Gustie-Tommie game at 5 p.m.. Live stats and webcast will both be available the rest of the weekend.

MIAC Playoffs Tournament Website