Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ARDEN HILLS, Minn.—Bethel University's softball team stamped their ticket into the postseason for the second consecutive season with a series sweep over Macalester College Tuesday night. The Royals (23-14, 14-6 MIAC) topped the Scots (20-20, 8-14 MIAC) in the first game 6-4, before out-slugging Macalester in the second contest 11-6.
 
Bethel discovered their fate for the MIAC Playoffs late Tuesday evening after hearing that competitor, Hamline University, wasn't going to complete their full set of games in loop play. The Royals—now 14-6—can finish 14-8 (.636) at worst, while the Pipers would fall short with a 12-8 (.600) record at best.
 
Lindsay Edeen got the nod in game one for the Royals and improved to 12-2 on the season thanks to a complete-game victory. Edden allowed four runs—two earned—on five hits and one walk, while striking out seven Scots at the plate.
 
Abbie Bircher and Kelsey Anderson led Bethel at the plate, tallying two hits apiece. Bircher scored twice, while Anderson scored once and drove in another. Cristina Masten had a clutch double with the bases loaded that scored two runs and put Bethel ahead 3-2 in the bottom of the third inning. Kelsey Anderson, Brooke Charleston and Shelbi Swenson each drove in a run that inning as well. In all, the Royals muscled eight hits total in Tuesday night's opener.
 
Unlike game one Bethel took the lead right away in the second tilt, as Angie Jackson led off the bottom of the first inning with a solo home run to left field. Cristina Masten and Brooke Charleston then drove in two more in the third inning to push the Royals lead to 3-0 after three.
 
Macalester tied it at three with a 3-run home run in the fourth inning, but BU responded with a seven-run rally in the bottom of the frame. Angie Jackson hit her second home run of the game, followed by back-to-back RBI doubles by Caroline Kivisto and Cristina Masten and then back-to-back singles by Brooke Charleston and Tara Schinke. Schinke's base hit came with the bases loaded and an error by the outfielder scored all three runners.
 
The Scots used three runs in the fifth inning to cut into the Royals lead, but Micayla Moore's triple in the sixth that scored Paige Weiske was more than enough to keep Bethel out front for good.
 
The Royals collected 15 hits in game two, with Cristina Masten and Angie Jackson leading the way. Masten finished 4-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI, while Jackson ended 3-for-4 with a walk, two home runs, one doubles, two RBI, and three runs scored. Brooke Charleston also completed the second contest with a pair of hits and a pair of RBI.
 
The Royals will conclude their regular season Wednesday evening by celebrating senior day against Hamline University at the Irish Dome in Rosemount, Minn.—the same venue as tonight. Now 23-14 on the season and 14-6 in league play, Bethel needs to win both games Wednesday to secure the No. 3 seed in the MIAC Playoffs. If the Royals split, they would need the Blazers of Saint Benedict to split versus Carleton to maintain their position at No. 3. First pitch tomorrow is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. with live stats and webcast both available.