Conference pick em'
In the most recent conference release, the MIAC baseball coaches picked Bethel to finish tied for fourth place among league opponents in the preseason poll. The Royals, who have finished third and fourth the last two years, are looking to climb even higher in 2014. 
 
Reign of Raabe
Head baseball coach Brian Raabe returns for his third season as the Royals skipper. Raabe has collected a 44-35 record while coaching Bethel with a 21-19 mark in loop play. The former Minnesota Twin and All-American at the University of Minnesota has also led Bethel to two consecutive MIAC Playoff appearances in his first two seasons.

New faces in the dugout
Bethel added two new assistants to its coaching staff, including Steve Grasley and Jay Slick. Grasley, who will help with the pitching staff, was an All-American at Creighton University and was 13-0 as a pitcher for the Seattle Mariner's Single-A squad. Slick, who will work primarily with catchers, set numerous records as a catcher for the Royals and was a three-time ABCA/Rawlings All-Region player.
 
Pinpointing the postseason
After a twelve-year drought, Bethel University's baseball club has reached the MIAC Playoffs in back-to-back seasons under the direction of head coach Brian Raabe. Last year, the Royals defeated St. John's 4-2 in the quarterfinals, which was Bethel's first postseason victory in program history.
 
Back to return
The Royals return a slough of players that have a great deal of experience, including 16 letter-winners from the 2013 season. Among the returners are nine seniors, which include Ryan Hangartner, Matt Pearson, Mike Whartnaby, Keaton Schut, Chris Hall, Sean Graff, Bryce Walt, Austin Hanson, and Luke Schultz. Among the 16 total letter-winners returning are eight infielders, two outfielders, and six pitchers.
 
Big shoes to fill
Bethel lost four seniors from the 2013 squad, including Matt Rowley, David Freed, Jesse Nickols, and Esteban Abbey. Rowley and Freed were both key members of the Royals' pitching staff, while Nickols and Abbey contributed to the outfield and infield efforts. Rowley was the 2012 MIAC MVP and ABCA All-American in addition to a two-time All-MIAC pitcher and outfielder. Moreover, Freed was a career .336 leadoff-hitter for the Royals.
 
Golden after fifth
Nobody was better than the Royals a year ago when leading after the fifth inning. Bethel showed an uncanny ability to closeout games, as they completed the year 20-0 when leading after the fifth inning. This year with the MIAC going to a seven- and nine-inning double-header schedule, Bethel will be tested down the stretch after five innings.
 
Five-run rule
The magic number in 2013 was five, for when Bethel scored five or more runs in a contest they were an unbeaten 21-0. The Royals record when scoring four runs or less was 3-15, including a 1-4 mark with four runs.
 
Pitching performance
The Royals' pitching staff set new marks last year, as they collectively tallied the lowest ERA in 33 years and their strikeout-to-walk ratio as well as their walks allowed per nine innings led the league. Bethel's 3.86 ERA was the first time in 33 years BU finished the season with a sub-4.00 team ERA. Moreover, the Royals' 3.01 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 2.21 walks per nine innings pitched ranked No. 6 and No. 7 nationwide, respectively.
 
Family matters
Bethel's baseball program has become a family affair, as the Royals roster in and among itself has three sets of brothers (Anderson's, Hangartner's, Sealock's). Moreover, two players have brothers on the football team (Marquardt, Nueville) and five players on the team are cousins (Schultz and Anderson/Fredrickson). Freshman Lars Anderson is the fourth Anderson son to don a Bethel uniform on the baseball diamond, as he'll be alongside brother Nik and cousin Mitch Frederickson in 2014.