MINNEAPOLIS – The Bethel baseball team began its 2020 campaign at U.S. Bank Stadium late Sunday night with a pair of games against Wartburg College, coming up short by scores of 8-0 and 6-1. The Royals are scheduled to play four more games at the Minnesota Vikings stadium over the next week.
 
Wartburg opened up the lead in the third inning of the first game with a three-run home run and an RBI single to take a 4-0 advantage. The Knights added one run in the fourth and three in the sixth to safely put away the game 8-0.
 
Bethel's Jake Marsh threw four innings, striking out five batters and giving up five runs on seven hits. Offensively, the Royals accumulated two hits in the game and struck out 16 times at the hand of Wartburg pitcher Dylan Gotto.
 
In game two, Wartburg struck in the first inning for two unearned runs. Bethel's first score of the season cut the deficit in half in the third frame. Mitch Butvilas tripled to center field, Joey Fredrickson walked, and Parker Mullenbach singled to put the Royals on the board. Ethan Krehbiel-Valoaga was hit by a pitch to load the bases later in the inning, but Wartburg ended the threat without any more runs crossing the plate.
 
The Knights added a pair of runs in the fourth and sixth innings to again put the game out of reach at 6-1.
 
Bethel picked up six hits for the game, including two from Mullenbach. Connor Malcolm pitched three-plus innings, allowing four runs (two unearned) on six hits, striking out four batters. Matthew Bolke added two shutout innings and Brady Leahy closed out the game pitching two innings and giving up two runs.
 
The Royals will return to U.S. Bank Stadium Wednesday night for another doubleheader, taking on Simpson College, the first meeting between the programs since 2008. First pitch is scheduled for 10 p.m.