MINNEAPOLIS – The Bethel University baseball team split a weeknight doubleheader with Wisconsin-Platteville Wednesday evening inside U.S. Bank Stadium. A strong outing from
Max Sutter in his collegiate debut backed by a three-run first gave BU the opener 5-2.
Wisconsin-Platteville took the night cap with a six-run fourth, 8-3.
Game 1 | Bethel 5, UW-Platteville, 2
The Royals wasted no time getting on the board with some two-out production. Kennan Hodgkin doubled to center scoring Bethel's first two batters in
Matthew Carlsen and
Noah Wenberg who reached to start the game.
Hodgkin crossed the plate a batter later with
Jordan Krupke roping a single to center.
The Pioneers produced a run in the bottom of the second taking advantage of a Bethel error.
In the fourth, Wenberg quickly worked himself around the diamond reaching a walk, stealing second and then advancing to third on a wild pitch. Following a UWP pitching change,
James Woelfel was able to drive in Wenberg making it 4-1.
Each team put up a tally in the fifth, BU producing their run via an RBI single from Carlsen.
Sutter shut 'em down 1-2-3 in the sixth and seventh picking up his first collegiate win with a complete game effort where he struck out six.
Game 2 | UW-Platteville 8, Bethel 3
The Pioneers put up a crooked number in the second going up 2-0. The Royals produced all three of their runs in the third.
Carlsen led off the home half with a double to right before scoring on Hodgkin's double to left. A batter later
Ty Koehn singled to center scoring a pair that put the Royals ahead 3-2.
The Pioneers took advantage of back-to-back walks and a hit-by-pitch to lead off the fourth. Two more walks issued by the Royals pitching staff put UWP ahead before they added four more runs on a pair of hits and a sacrifice fly.
Bethel had a chance in the sixth to do some damage loading them up with nobody out. A pair of strikeouts and a flyout ended the Royals threat.
In his collegiate debut
Aidan Nelson received the loss.
Up next
Bethel is headed to the Sunshine State for its annual spring break trip. The Royals kick off the eight-game stretch Saturday against Pittsburg at Bradford. First pitch is scheduled for 8 a.m. CDT. All games can be viewed on the
BU Royals Sports Network.
