WINONA, Minn. -- Bethel University's softball team continued its incredible start to the 2015 MIAC campaign, as the Royals traveled to Winona, Minn., Thursday afternoon and came back with a sweep over the hosting Cardinals. BU's pair of wins now has them at 5-1 against league opponents with two sweeps and a split with St. Thomas.

BU trailed SMU early in game one, as the Cardinals countered the Royals run in the top of the first with two of their own in the bottom of the frame. Trailing 3-1 in the fourth, Bethel rallied for three runs in the top of the inning and never looked back after going ahead 4-3. BU scored a pair of runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to go ahead 8-3, which was just enough as Saint Mary's scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth and had the game-tying run thrown out at the plate in the bottom of the seventh.

Opposite of game one, Bethel took a 2-0 lead after the first inning and never relinquished their advantage throughout the remaining six innings. Angie Jackson hit a solo home run in her first at-bat of the game and Kelsey Anderson scored later in the inning due to a defensive error by SMU. Micayla Moore produced the Royals third and final run of the game when lacing a single to right field that scored Anderson again.

It was Karli Persson's show the rest of the way. Bethel's junior pitcher picked up her fourth win of the season by throwing a complete-game three-hitter. Persson's one run allowed  in 7.0 innings pitched was unearned. She's now allowed just eight earned runs in the last 30.2 innings pitched (2.38 ERA).

Lindsay Edeen was in the circle for game one and she, too, went the entire way, as she improved to 7-4 on the season with a complete-game victory. Edeen allowed seven earned runs on 12 hits and four walks.

At the plate it was Angie Jackson and Micayla Moore, who each led the team with three hits throughout the day. Jackson was 3-for-7 with one walk, two runs, and two RBI's, while Moore was 3-for-7 with one run and three driven in. Jackson's home run was the only for the Royals on Thursday.

Also producing on offense was Kelsey Anderson, Caroline Kivisto, and Alyssa Jones. Anderson was 2-for-5 with two walks and three runs scored, while Kivisto finished 2-for-5 with a walk and one run. Alyssa Jones, who batted leadoff in both games was 2-for-7 with a walk and two runs.

Now 14-10 on the season and 5-1 in MIAC play, Bethel takes nearly a week off before they return home next Wednesday to face the College of Saint Benedict. The Blazers are 13-9 overall and 2-2 in conference games after a doubleheader with St. Thomas and Gustavus. First pitch between the Royals and CSB is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.