DULUTH, Minn.—One night after dropping their first-ever NCAA Tournament game to No. 7-ranked UW-Oshkosh in extra innings, Bethel University's baseball team fell to No. 8-ranked Concordia University-Chicago in an elimination game by a final score of 7-10. Much like Bethel's opening game, Friday's second-round affair was filled with entertainment throughout the entire contest.
 
The Royals (32-11) grabbed an early 4-1 lead, but the Cougars (35-12), who were the top seed in the region and last year's region champion, jumped in front with five combined runs in the fourth and fifth frames. BU responded with a three-run seventh and led 7-6 with six outs to go. But CUC, who scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth yesterday to walk-off Bethany Lutheran 13-12, plated one run in the top of the eighth and three runs in the top of the ninth to defeat Bethel and advance to the championship game versus the winner of North Central and UW-Oshkosh. Concordia's 10 runs marked the first time Bethel allowed more than six runs in a single-game this season.


 
Concordia opened the afternoon tilt with one run of the first inning, but BU came back with two of their own in the home half. Sam Horner led off with a single and came around to score on a two-out double by Joey Fredrickson. Bo Lovdahl then walked and Mitch Butvilas plated Fredrickson with a single to left field. The Royals tacked on another in the second when Sam Horner hit a two-out single, followed by John Leach's single to short, Austin Ledin's walk, and Joey Fredrickson's hit-by-pitch. Back-to-back singles by Mitch Butvilas and John Horner to start the third and an RBI-groundout by Jake Schubert then put Bethel in front 4-1 after three frames.
 
The Cougars rallied with three runs in the fourth and two runs in the fifth to claim a 6-4 advantage. Despite losing the lead, Bethel battled back in the seventh with three runs. Bo Lovdahl, Mitch Butvilas, John Horner, and Michael Wesner then started off the seventh with back-to-back-to-back-to-back singles. After Jake Schubert's sacrifice bunt, Sam Horner ripped an RBI-single to left field, giving the Royals a 7-6 lead.
 
Concordia started the top of the eighth with a double and two singles, but BU limited the damage with an infield fly and two groundouts. The Cougars didn't stop there, though. An error to begin the top of the ninth followed by a double put CUC in front and they added two insurance runs to steal their second game of the NCAA Tournament.
 
Sam Horner, Mitch Butvilas, and John Horner all recorded three hits Friday. S. Horner and Butvilas both posted on RBI and two runs, while Joey Fredrickson and Michael Wesner finished with a team-best two RBI.
 
Bethel used five pitchers in the final game of the season. Noah Luedtke got the nod to start BU's second NCAA Tournament game and gave up six runs on seven hits and three walks, while striking out 4.0 in 4.0 innings pitched. Carson Selin pitched three scoreless frames and Connor Malcolm was credited with the loss after suffering three runs—one earned—in 1.0 innings pitched. Joel Virshek and David Cushing got the final three outs.
 
The Royals say goodbye to 12 seniors, who had the most decorated four-year career in program history. The 2018 graduates finished with 114 wins—the most by a senior class—two MIAC regular-season championships, one MIAC Playoff championship, and one NCAA Tournament appearance.