Box Score 1 | Box Score 2



ARDEN HILLS, Minn.—The Bethel University softball team used the momentum from yesterday's sweep over St. Catherine University to top St. Olaf College twice today in their 2014 home opener at Ona Orth Complex. The Royals took out the Oles 4-2 and 8-3 in the twin bill, with exceptional pitching performances in the circle.
 
Courtney Saurer recorded a remarkable start in the opener today, allowing just one earned run on nine hits and no walks in five innings of work. Karli Persson came in for the final two innings and picked up her fourth win of the season after retiring the final six batters of the afternoon matinee.
 
Lindsay Edeen got the nod in game two and allowed just one earned run in 4.0 innings after allowing just five hits and no walks. Edeen also struck out three batters. Persson was used as a relief pitcher again in the second contest, however, this time she allowed five hits and no walks, while striking out three. The Oles did muster two runs off Persson—one in the sixth inning and one more in the seventh.
 
Bethel's trio of pitchers helped lower the Royals team ERA to 2.94 on the season with 75 strikeouts and 40 walks in 138.1 innings pitched.
 
Angie Jackson finished the day 4-for-6 at the plate with one walk and three runs. Meanwhile, Cristina Masten continues to see her batting average climb as the senior catcher completed her day at the dish 3-for-7 with two RBIs and one run scored.
 
Kelsey Anderson, Brooke Charleston, and Micayla Moore each drove in two runs in the second game. All three collected one hit in the second tilt. Abbie Bircher went 2-for-2 in the same matchup with a run scored.
 
The Royals improve to 13-8 on the season with a 4-2 mark in conference play. The busy week continues tomorrow with a road test against UW-River Falls in a pair of games against the Falcons from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). Bethel will then travel up to Moorhead, Minn., Saturday to take on Concordia College in a doubleheader slated to begin at 1 p.m.