Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ST. PAUL—For the second consecutive season, the Bethel University softball team advanced to the championship game of the MIAC Playoffs thanks to their victory over Gustavus Adolphus Saturday morning. Facing elimination for the second-straight contest, Bethel brought out the bats and hit four home runs en route to a 7-5 victory over the Golden Gusties at Macalester College. Upon their advancement to the title game against St. Thomas, the Royals fell to the Tommies 7-2.
 
Each team scored a single run in the first and second inning Saturday morning, as Kelsey Anderson drove in the day's first run with a base hit to left field and Tara Schinke recorded Bethel's second run of the day with a solo home run in the second frame.
 
Tied at 2-2 in the third inning, Caroline Kivisto and Micayla Moore helped the Royals out with the team's second and third homers of the day to put Bethel up 5-2. Kivisto then hit her second solo shot in the fourth to push BU's lead to 6-2.
 
The Gusties cut into the Royals' lead with a three-run blast of their own in the bottom of the fourth, but starting pitcher, Lindsay Edeen closed the door in the final three frames. Shelbi Swenson even gave Edeen an insurance run in the top of the seventh with an RBI-single that scored Jess Brown.
 
Edeen improved to 14-4 on the season with her complete-game effort Saturday morning. Edeen allowed two walks, eight hits, and five earned runs, but outlasted Gustavus's Heather Heacox, who pitched a no-hitter against Saint Benedict in the opening round of the MIAC Playoffs Friday.
 
Caroline Kivisto finished the contest 2-for-2 with two walks, two runs, and two RBI. Shortstop Angie Jackson collected two hits and a walk in four plate appearances with one run scored. Micayla Moore went 1-for-3 with a pair of RBI thanks to her blast in the third inning.
 
In the championship game against UST, Bethel tallied nine hits and two runs, but surrendered 11 hits and seven runs in the 7-2 decision. The Royals loss was the closest matchup they've had against the Tommies this season.

Angie Jackson had another great game for BU, finishing the postseason affair 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs and one RBI. Her solo blast in the third inning cut into St. Thomas's 4-0 lead. Cristina Masten also had a pair of base hits, while Kelsey Anderson drove in Bethel's second RBI of the day on a base hit to left field.
 
Lindsay Edeen fell to 14-5 on the season after allowing seven runs—six earned—10 hits and one walk to the Tommies in 3.1 innings. Karli Persson kept the Royals in the game with a 2.2-inning relief effort, allowing one hit and no runs, with zero walks and three strikeouts.
 
Following the loss, Bethel's season comes to an end after reaching its second consecutive MIAC Championship game. The Royals say goodbye to three seniors—Brea Vance, Cristina Masten, and Tara Schinke—but return seven starting position players and three starting pitchers.