Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4

Talk about a busy day! The Bethel University Royals had eight teams in action on an overcast Saturday. Softball and men's and women's tennis both competed in their home openers at Ona Orth Athletic Complex while track and field and baseball competed on the road. Both golf programs took to the links at Emerald Greens Golf Course – the site of the MIAC Championships April 30-May 2 – playing in their respective tournaments.

We sleep in June. But before you head to bed before a busy Sunday, where there will be seven Royals teams in action, check out the Saturday recaps below.

Softball Sweeps Gustavus Adolphus, Simacek Ties Single-Game Strikeout Record [Game 1 Box Score, Game 2 Box Score]
The Royals are averaging 7.9 runs per game and they hit that mark with 10-2 and 7-0 wins over the Gusties. BU's leading run producer Amanda Gemuenden led the way going 3-for-8 with five RBIs bringing her season total to 22. Allie Fauth went a combined 6-for-8 with two runs while Calli Maki went 3-for-5 with a double, a home runs, two runs and two RBI.

Bethel put a tallying in the run column of every inning in game one, including the game's last five. Maki stared in the circle giving up one earned run and only allowing two hits through six innings.

Kayla Simacek shined in the circle with a career-high 14 strikeouts which ties the program-record with Charitey Rowden who accomplished that feat back on April 6, 2007. Gemuenden had a three-RBI game highlighted by her two-RBI single to right in the fourth giving BU a 5-0 advantage.

Women's Tennis Goes Neck-and-Neck with Tommies [Box Score]
It doesn't get any closer than 5-4 in Division III tennis. Unfortunately, the Royals were on the wrong end of a one-point outcome falling to UST. The Royals went into singles play leading 2-1 after wins at No. 1 and No. 2.

The Royals got wins from Grace Riermann at No. 1 singles in a third-set tiebreaker while Maggie Riermann picked up the with at No. 2 6-3, 7-5.

Men's Tennis Fall to Tommies [Box Score]
BU fell 6-3 to St. Thomas but the box score doesn't reflect the grit by the men's tennis squad. They went into singles play trailing 2-1 before getting wins from No. 3 singles Jason Reilly and No. 5 Jacob Lukkarila. Both winning in third-set tie breakers.

Men's Golf in Second After Opening Round of Bethel Preview [Leaderboard]
Bethel sits eight strokes off the lead shooting a 311 in the opening 18-holes of the Bethel Preview. Sitting in first is Carleton with a 303 and in third is St. Olaf at 315.

Michael Piehler matched a career-low round 71 sitting in a tie for second on the individual leaderboard after carding five birdies on the day. Noah Frombom shot a three-over 76 sitting in a tie for ninth. Zach Owen shot a 79 and is in a tie for ninth.

Bethel's B team shot a 329 and sits in sixth place.

Women's Golf in Third at Spring Preview
Five strokes separate Bethel and the clubhouse leaders St. Catherine. IN second is Gustavus Adolphus while Carleton sits fourth. Bethel shot a 321 under overcast conditions Saturday afternoon.

Anna Tollefson sits atop the leaderboard with her two-over 74 which matches a career-low round. Nicole Miller is in a tie for fourth at 78 while Justine Malenke sits 22nd with an 84.

Baseball Takes Down Macalester in Extras [Box Score]
If your bingo card had a space labeled "win a baseball game on a walk-off balk" well then put an "X" through it. Getting the 4-3 victory in 11 innings, it only seemed fitting that the win come via a pitcher's mistake after the Royals tied it in the bottom of the ninth on a wild pitch.

Nick Kulseth's sacrifice fly in the sixth broke the 1-1 tie, but Macalester took the lead back with a run in the seventh and eighth. The rest was up to the Royals base running skills.

He ended up with a no decision but Matthew Bohlke was solid through seven innings where he allowed two runs on three hits while striking out six. Out of the pen Bryce DeLay and Jordan Krupke kept the Scots off the scoreboard.

Men's and Women's Track & Field Compete at Falcon Invite [Men's Results, Women's Results]
MEN
Gabe Irons claimed the school record in the hammer throw on Saturday. Irons tossed the 16 pound implement 54.11m / 177'6" and placed 3^rd overall in the event. That mark ranks him 11^th in Division III this year. Irons didn't pack it in after the hammer. In fact, he threw a 4 meter personal best in the discus of 49.76m / 163'3" to take 2^nd place in that event. His toss in the discus is the 4th best in Division III this year.
 
Bethel showed its dominance in the 400m hurdles. Led by captain Joel Smith, the Royals took the top four places, which also stand as the top four times in the MIAC. Smith ran a blazing time of 52.93, the 2^nd best time in Division III and the 2^nd fastest time in program history. Tyler Sealock took 0.80 seconds off his previous lifetime best with his 2^nd place time of 54.09 – the 5^th fastest time in Division III. In his first 400m hurdle race of his life, Josh Sampson showed poise and determination to take 3^rd place in 54.50 – the 9th best time in Division III. Lukas Walton ran a season best time of 55.97 to take 4^th overall.
 
Jacob Parent got out strong and held on to win the 400m in 49.50. The team of Smith, Parent, Sealock, and Sampson took 1^st place in the 4x400m relay in 3:19.92. Ike Mendel took 3^rd place in the 5000m in 15:26.34 and Isaiah Carver-Bagley picked up 3^rd place in the high jump (1.65m / 5'5").
 
WOMEN
Kelsie Sealock led the Royals as they competed at UW-River Falls on Saturday. Sealock broke the school record in the 100m hurdles for the 2^nd consecutive week by racing to victory in 14.22 seconds – the 2^nd fastest time in the nation. Mikayla Turek won the 400m hurdles in 1:05.28 and holds the top spot in the MIAC in that event.
 
Annessa Ihde won the 800m in a season best 2:18.12. In the final event on the track, the quartet of Makenna Brown, Britta Nordberg, Annessa Ihde, and Mikayla Turek won the 4x400m relay in 4:03.68. Jessica Lilland won the pole vault with her clearance of 3.35m / 10'11.75", the 3^rd best jump in school history.
 
Bethel picked up 2^nd place finishes from Lauren Wagner in the javelin (30.88m / 101'4"), Anna Hage in the 5000m (18:41.36), and the 4x100m relay (50.51). Hannah Sankey took 3^rd in the 200m (26.21) and AnnaGrace added a 3^rd place finish in the triple jump (10.46m / 34'4").