WINONA, Minn.—Bethel University had already claimed the MIAC regular season championship outright after Saint John's University lost to Gustavus earlier in the day, but that wasn't enough. The Royals were hungry for more and proved so by traveling to Winona Saturday night and sweeping Saint Mary's University in their final regular season MIAC twin bill of the 2015 season.

With the pair of wins, BU improved to 29-6 overall with a 15-3 mark in conference play. Despite having a pair of games cancelled against St. Olaf, the Royals still managed to set a new program record for MIAC wins in a single season and tied a program standard for total wins in a given year.
 
Tyler Heitmann improved to 9-0 on the season when Bethel topped the Cardinals in game one 7-5. The Royals trailed 0-2 after the first inning of play, but came back with three runs in the second and one in the third, which had the game even at 4-4 before Bethel pumped out a pair of runs in the fifth and an insurance in the seventh.
 
Heitmann didn't have his best stuff, as the junior went four innings, allowing six hits, five runs, and four walks, while striking out seven. Relievers Carson Selin and Kelvin Minnig were exceptional, though, as the two of them allowed just one hit and zero walks in 3.0 innings of work. Selin and Minnig combined for five strikeouts and it was Minnig that picked up his fifth save of the season.
 
Bret Neuville was 3-for-4 with three runs, while Mike Schultz finished 2-for-3 with two runs and three RBI. Schultz's solo home run in the final frame was his seventh of the season—all since April 8. Bryce Marquardt, who went 2-for-5 with one RBI, was the third member of the Bethel squad to tally multiple hits in game one.
 
Game two featured another quality start from senior pitcher Joe Zorn, who gave up four runs (three earned) off of six hits and two walks in six innings pitched. Zorn, who struck out five, improved to 6-1 on the season.

Just like game one, Carson Selin and Kelvin Minnig were asked to come out of the bullpen and once again struck out five in three innings of work. Selin struck out three in two innings of work, which lowered his season ERA to 3.78 in 16.2 innings of relief.
 
Esteban Velasco finished Saturday's night cap 3-for-4 with a run batted in and an additional run scored, while five others posted a pair of hits, including Brandon Goodwin, who went 2-for-4 with a run. Jarad Watts also went 2-for-5 with two RBI and one run scored.
 
The Royals will closeout their regular season with a date at Northwestern Monday night. BU and UNW, who were scheduled to play a doubleheader on Tuesday, will now play the doubleheader Monday at 5 p.m. Following their nonconference test with the Eagles, Bethel will then take part in their fourth consecutive MIAC Playoffs next weekend at Veteran's Field in Minnetonka, Minn. The Royals already know they'll face St. Thomas in game one of the four-team tournament with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m.