The Bethel University softball team experienced a number of devastating road losses over the last two days, which led to a pair of setbacks at Augsburg College on Saturday afternoon followed by two more at Carleton on Sunday. The Royals (9-20, 5-12) fell to the Auggies (21-13, 9-7 MIAC) by final scores of 0-1 (10 inn.) and 10-11 before losing to the Knights (15-15, 8-10 MIAC) 0-5 and 3-5.
 
Saturday's opener against the Auggies had fans sitting on the edge of their seat throughout the entire game. The 0-1 result in 10 innings of play was heartbreaking as Bethel had runners on second and third with one out in both the first and seventh inning, but failed to drive in the winning run.  Augsburg then scored the game-winner on an error, which was BU's only of the game.
 
Heartbreak hotel continued in the second game, as the Royals appeared to put Saturday's opener in the rear view mirror until the very end. Bethel scored two runs in the top of the first inning, six runs in the third, one in the fourth, and one in the fifth to go up 10-4, but Augsburg got one back in the fifth and six runs in the seventh to steal game two by a final score of 10-11.
 
Sunday's games were unfortunately similar to Saturday's for BU, as the Royals and Knights were knotted at 0-0 through three innings of play in game one. But Carleton scored five unearned runs in the fourth and fifth frames and went on to win 5-0, despite Bethel out-hitting the Knights 10-6 throughout the contest.
 
Like Saturday, Bethel turned right around and scored two runs immediately in the top of the first inning of game two. But the Knights responded with a five-run second and that was enough for Carleton to secure the sweep thanks to a 5-3 finish in Sunday's second tilt.
 
Mariah Uphoff finished the weekend 6-for-12 with five walks, two runs, and two RBI, while Wendy Roberts went 7-for-17 at the plate with one double, four runs, and one run batted in.
 
Anna Nichols saw her nine-game hitting streak come to an end, as she was held hitless in the final game against Carleton. Prior to that, Nichols was 4-for-11 with one double and one RBI against Augsburg twice and Carleton once. Nichols gave up zero earned runs inside the circle over the course of 15 and 1/3 innings pitched this weekend.
 
The Royals look to right the ship on Monday, when they make up a series with Concordia College at Ona Orth Complex. BU and the Cobbers are scheduled to throw the first pitch at 3:30 p.m.