MINNEAPOLIS—After scoring 25 runs in their season-opener against the University of Northwestern-St. Paul, the Bethel University baseball team came back to reality in their U.S. Bank Stadium debut Monday afternoon when splitting a nonconference series with the University of Wisconsin-Stout. The Royals (2-1, 0-0 MIAC) were shutout by the Blue Devils (1-1) in the first game, losing on a walk-off single, but battled back with an 8-0 victory in game two.
Newcomer
Michael Willman pitched a gem for BU in Monday's opener, allowing three hits and two walks, but no runs in 5.0 innings pitched.
Grant Martinson gave up a pair of free bases in the sixth, but came out of the frame unscathed before
Houston Droel suffered the only earned run of the day in the seventh.
Joey Fredrickson went 2-for-2 at the plate, while
Esteban Velasco finished 1-for-3 with a triple in the first inning. In total, Bethel finished with five hits, zero walks, and one steal, while also leaving five runners on base—twice at third.
Game two was similar to game one from a pitching perspective, as BU continued to keep the UW-Stout hitters in check.
Michael Bohlke was lights out, recording three strikeouts and zero walks, while allowing just one hit during 6.0 innings pitched.
Jake Marsh saw his first action, as he pitched a 1-2-3 seventh, which included a swinging strikeout.
What wasn't similar to game one was Bethel's bats. The Royals finished the second contest with seven hits, four walks, one stolen base and five runners left on.
Bryce Marquardt was an impressive 3-for-4 with a double, one run, and one RBI. Marquardt finished the day with two steals.
Catcher
Mitch Butvilas went 1-for-2 in his season debut with a triple, two runs scored, and two RBI.
John Horner also made noise by blasting a three-run home run in the bottom of the second, which put Bethel ahead 5-0 at the time.
Now 2-1 on the season, Bethel will close out their U.S. Bank Stadium schedule Sunday evening, when they take on Buena Vista University for a doubleheader at 7 p.m. Following their date with the Beavers, BU will travel to Fort Myers, Fla., for 11 games over an eight-day period.
