ARDEN HILLS, Minn.—Bethel University's baseball team suffered a rare home sweep against the University of St. Thomas Tuesday afternoon and evening, as the Tommies (15-3, 8-0 MIAC) handed the Royals (13-12, 3-5 MIAC) a pair of losses in the MIAC twin bill.
 
UST scored the game's first runs in the top of the fifth inning in game one with a pair of unearned runs off of starting pitcher Tyler Heitmann. The Tommies then added an insurance run in the sixth and despite Austin Ledin blasting a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh, BU fell short by a final score of 3-1.
 
The Royals stranded 10 runners on base, including a pair in the first, three in the second, and three in the sixth. Ledin finished 2-for-4 with the team's only run and RBI, while Lars Anderson also collected two hits in the opening contest.
 
Tyler Heitmann fell to 1-3 on the season despite allowing one earned run on 11 hits and one walk in the complete-game performance. Heitmann struck out six, including a trio of K's in the top of the seventh.
 
Game two started much differently, as Bethel jumped out to the early lead on St. Thomas with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Matt Conrad plated BU's first run with a bases-loaded fielder's choice, which was followed by Austin Ledin's RBI-single up the middle.
 
The Tommies got one back in the top of the second and then two more in the fifth to go ahead 3-2. But the Royals retook the lead when Austin Ledin again came up big with a two-run home run to right-center to give Bethel a 5-4 advantage.
 
Unfortunately for BU, St. Thomas scored a pair of unearned runs in the seventh and added a much-needed insurance run in the ninth to go ahead 6-4. But the game didn't end without a little drama. The Royals had runners on first and third with two outs, but a strikeout in the final at-bat sent Bethel home empty-handed. 
 
Game two's starter, Matt Herringshaw, gave up three runs on eight hits and zero walks, while striking out two in 5.0 innings pitched. Herringshaw was followed by Jake Hanzalik, who was credited with the loss, despite allowing zero earned runs in 1.2 innings of relief. Grant Martinson, Michael Bohlke, and Carson Selin all pitched the remaining 2.1 innings in relief.
 
Bryce Marqaurdt and Austin Ledin had multiple hits in game two, as Marquardt finished 2-for-5 with one run scored and Ledin was 2-for-4 with one run scored and three RBI. Matt Conrad went 1-for-3 at the plate with a walk, one run, and one RBI.
 
The Royals look to rebound Saturday in Northfield, where they face Carleton College for a weekend doubleheader at Mel Taube Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.