NORTHFIELD, Minn.—Bethel University's baseball team picked up a huge road sweep over St. Olaf College on Sunday by final scores of 7-0 and 13-4. The Royals (23-7, 10-4 MIAC) once again received great performances from their starting pitching as the Oles (14-14, 4-8 MIAC) were held to four unearned runs throughout the day. Moreover, BU's bats and base running produced 20 runs, which proved to be more than enough for the sweep.
 
Perhaps one of the keys to Bethel's success was getting out to a fast start. John Leach hit a one-out double in the top of the first inning of game one, which was followed by an RBI double by Austin Ledin and an RBI single by Bo Lovdahl. The Royals added three more runs in the second when John Horner hit a leadoff double to left center, followed by a single from Jake Schubert, a two-RBI triple by Sam Horner, and an RBI groundout by John Leach. Austin Ledin plated another runner in the fourth and in the sixth with RBI sac flies.
 
Sam Riola improved to 3-0 in his young career with a three-hit shutout on the mound (two of them were in the seventh inning). Riola walked three and struck out three in the complete-game performance.
 
The Royals collected 11 hits and four walks, including a pair from John Leach and John Horner. Austin Ledin led the team with three RBI, while Sam Horner went 1-for-2 with two walks, two runs, and two RBI.
 
Bethel was held scoreless in the first two innings of game two, but took the lead in the third thanks to a two-out rally that produced three runs. Austin Ledin drew a walk and Joey Fredrickson singled before Bo Lovdahl drove in two runs with a double to left center. Mitch Butvilas followed suit with a double to right center that scored Lovdahl. BU added two more in the fourth with an RBI single from John Leach and an RBI out by Joey Fredrickson.
 
The Royals then erupted for eight runs in the top of the seventh after Jake Schubert's RBI single, Esteban Velasco's two-RBI double, a St. Olaf error that scored two runs, an RBI double by Sam Riola, and another two-run error by the Oles. Leading 13-0, St. Olaf scored four unearned runs in the bottom of the seventh to make the final 13-4.
 
David Cushing gave up two unearned runs on six hits and two walks, while striking out three in 6.0 innings pitched. John Leach also gave up a pair of unearned runs in relief before Houston Droel came in and struck out the two batters he faced in the seventh frame.
 
Bethel belted 15 hits in Sunday's finale, which included a pair from Joey Fredrickson, Bo Lovdahl, Mitch Butvilas, John Horner, and Jake Schubert.
 
BU has a busy final week of the regular season ahead. The Royals will travel to Moorhead to play Concordia on Tuesday and then to St. Thomas on Thursday before hosting Augsburg on Saturday and UW-Stout on Sunday.