ARDEN HILLS, Minn.—The Bethel University baseball team celebrated senior day Saturday, as they hosted the University of Saint John's in their final home doubleheader of the season. The Royals (18-16, 8-8 MIAC) topped the Johnnies (25-10, 13-6 MIAC) in game one 7-4, but fell in game two 6-5.
 
BU got their offense going early in Saturday's opener, as the Royals put up a run in the first, two in the second, and four in the fourth. SJU threatened with two in the second and two in the fifth, but the Bethel defense minimized the damage and held on for the three-run margin.
 
Bryce Marquardt led off the game with a single, which was followed by a Matt Conrad double to right. A wild pitch in the next at-bat scored Marquardt from third.
 
After the Johnnies went ahead 2-1 in the top of the second, Bethel responded with a two-run home run by senior Logan Lisle in the bottom of the frame, which put BU ahead for good. The Royals added four in the fourth when Sam Horner led off the inning with a single, followed by a walk by Lisle, and a hit-by-pitch from Esteban Velasco. Bryce Marquardt hit a fielder's choice RBI with the bases loaded and Jarad Watts drove in two more with a double to right. Matt Conrad's second double of the game put Bethel ahead 7-2.
 
SJU scored two in the top of the fifth, but Tyler Heitmann, Houston Droel, and the Bethel defense held the Johnnies scoreless in the final two frames. Heitmann improve to 4-4 on the season with the win. He allowed eight hits, four runs, and one walk in 5.0 innings, while striking out three. Droel, who picked up his first career save, allowed three hits and zero walks, while striking out one in two scoreless innings.
 
Conrad was the only player to record multiple hits in game one, as he finished 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI. Marquardt, who came in with 32 hits in his last 71 at bats (and a hit in every MIAC contest), finished 1-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Logan Lisle went 1-for-2 with a walk, two runs, and two RBI, while Jarad Watts finished 1-for-4 with one runs and two RBI.
 
Bethel appeared to be in full control of game two, as the Royals led the Johnnies 5-0 after 5.0 innings completed. But two unearned runs in the sixth and three unearned runs in the seventh evened the game at 5-5 after 7.0 innings of play. SJU then recorded the go-ahead run in the eighth, which proved to be the game-winner.
 
BU scored three in the third when Logan Lisle and Esteban Velasco opened the frame with back-to-back singles. Bryce Marquardt's fly-out to right sent Lisle to third and Jarad Watt's fly-out to left brought Lisle home. Bret Neuville then hit his third home run of the season, which also scored Velasco.
 
The fifth inning was very similar to the third, as Lisle led off the inning with a single, which was followed by a Velasco double. Bryce Marquardt once again hit a fly-out to right, which moved both runners up a base. Jarad Watts then pasted an RBI-single to right field, which brought home Velasco.
 
Matt Herringshaw gave the Royals a strong performance on the mound in game two, as the senior allowed six hits and one walk in 6.0 innings of work. Herringshaw, who was charged with zero earned runs, struck out three. Carson Selin gave up three hits and one run  in 1.1 innings of relief, while Michael Bohlke surrendered just one hit in 1.2 innings of relief.
 
Four players tallied multiple hits in the second game Saturday, including Esteban Velasco, Logan Lisle, Austin Ledin, and Ryan Evenson. Velasco finished 3-for-4 with a double and two runs, while Lisle went 2-for-4 with two runs. Ledin ended the second game 2-for-4 and Ryan Evenson went 2-for-3.
 
Now 8-8 in MIAC play, Bethel knows they need to win their final four games in order to reach their fifth consecutive playoff appearance. The Royals begin their uphill journey Wednesday with a doubleheader at Gustavus Adolphus College. First pitch against the Gusties is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.