NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Weather could not stop the Bethel University softball team competition as the Royals took on St. Olaf in a MIAC doubleheader Saturday evening inside the Dundas Dome. A two-run seventh gave the Oles the opener 3-1 before a game two rally by the Royals came up on the short end, 6-5.
The Royals move to 19-5 on the year and 4-4 in league play. With Sunday's postponement of the Hamline series, the Royals will see the dirt next against the College of Saint Benedict Wednesday, April 17 at Ona Orth Athletic Complex. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m.
Game 1: St. Olaf 3, Bethel 1
Starter
Hannah Schmidt worked out of her first jam of the day in the second. The Oles put a pair on with a single and a two-out walk. The junior right-hander locked in after delivering seven straight balls to comeback with a strikeout to send BU back to the plate.
St. Olaf was first to get on the scoreboard tallying a run in the fourth. The Oles moved their leadoff single into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt before bringing that run in two batters later on a double that worked its way to the right field fence.
It didn't take long for the Royals to respond back with
Allie Fauth driving in the tying run. Fauth scored
Emily Eaton who pinch ran for
Maddie Fauth after a leadoff infield single started the fifth. The Royals loaded the bases up but were unable to plate another run as
Allie Fauth was out at the plate trying to advance on a wild pitch.
Amanda Gemuenden kept the tie in tack after gunning down a St. Olaf runner at the plate attempting to tag from third on a fly out to right.
A two-run seventh by the Oles put the pressure on Bethel. The Oles used a leadoff single and a double to move runners into scoring position. An infield single scored the go ahead run before an RBI groundout pushed the lead to 3-1.
Julie Graf picked up the win in the circle for the Oles after forcing the Royals to a 1-2-3 seventh. Graf struck out 14 and allowed four hits.
Schmidt (8-2) allowed six hits and three walks while striking out four in the complete game effort.
Game 2: St. Olaf 6, Bethel 5
St. Olaf struck first blood with a three-run first inning. A throwing error by the Royal infield extended the inning to allow a double just inside the right field line make it 3-0.
The Royals chipped away at the two run deficit with Gemuenden finding the gap in center to score
Alexa Hanowski. In the fourth, Hanowski put the Royals within one when her RBI groundout to short saw Courtney Hokanson, who led off the inning with a single, score.
For the third straight inning Bethel put a tally in the run column.
Kayla Hokanson placed a double perfectly inside the left field line giving time for
Mariah Uphoff to score the tying run all the way from second.
The Oles put up a crooked number in the sixth to take a 6-3 lead. Starter
Calli Maki recorded all three outs in the sixth with strikeouts. Maki (8-2) was one strikeout shy of her career-high with 10 while giving up six runs, three of which were earned.
BU fought to the end sending all nine hitters to the plate in the seventh. Three straight walks loaded the bases before Schmidt took one of the team on a hit-by-pitch to bring in the first run. Hanowski battled a five pitch walk to make it 6-5 before a strikeout to A. Fauth ended the Royals comeback efforts.
