ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Bethel University baseball team held off a late comeback effort by Maclaester Tuesday evening to take game two 4-3. Bethel dropped the opener 6-5 giving up three runs in the bottom of the six.
With the split Bethel moves to 16-12 on the year and stays .500 in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Play at 7-7. The Royals step away from conference play to take on the University of Wisconsin-Superior Thursday in Superior. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 2:30 p.m.
Game 1: Macalester 6, Bethel 5
Macalester took advantage of a leadoff walk and a hit by pitch in the third producing a crooked number. The Scots middle of the order did the damage with two outs taking a 3-0 lead.
Back-to-back walks to begin the sixth forced the Scots to go back to the pen again.
Nick Kulseth singled through the left side brining in Bethel's first run of the game as well as turning the lineup over.
Sam Horner tied the game up with a single that fell into shallow center scoring a pair. After homering to tie the game at Northwestern last night
Mitch Butvilas came through once again this time giving the Royals a 4-3 lead on a single through the right side.
The Scots responded in their half of the sixth putting up three runs on Jack Marsh to take a 6-5 lead.
The Royals began a comeback in the seventh putting a pair of runners in scoring position with none away.
Thomas Friesen cut the deficit to one with an RBI ground out scoring
Caleb Brandt who pinch ran for Mitchell Jerde following a leadoff walk. A walk to
Marcus Krupke put runners at the corners but back-to-back strikeouts stranded the game tying run at third to end it.
Game 2: Bethel 4, Macalester 3
A four-run fifth inning was all the Royals needed to take game two.
Joey Fredrickson drove in his team-leading 19th RBI to tie the game at one a piece on a double to the gap in right. Fredrickson wasn't on the base paths very long as Krupke tripled to right center giving Bethel the lead. Horner capped off his 3-for-6 day driving in his third run of the day. Jerde then doubled to the right scoring Kulseth to make it 4-1.
Brady Leahy entered in the bottom of the fifth replacing starter
Connor Malcolm who went 4.2 innings allowing two runs and five hits. Leahy (5-0) was credited with the win throwing 1.1 innings of shutout ball while striking out one.
A run in the bottom of the fifth and a home run in the seventh pulled the Scots within one.
Macalester put runners at first and second in the ninth before
Michael Bohlke picked up a strikeout for the second out. A walk to the next batter forced the Royals to go to the pen where
Jake Marsh picked up his first save of the year.
It came down to the final pitch, but Marsh was able to force Macalester to strand the bases loaded on a pop out in the infield.
