ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – There is a new name atop the MIAC standings after the Bethel University baseball team swept previous MIAC leaders Gustavus Adolphus Tuesday evening at Hargis Park.
 
A big-time pitching performance from Marcus Krupke earned Bethel the game one victory, 4-1, before the Royals took a game two slugfest, 8-6, with timely hitting.
 
The Royals surpassed the 20-win mark for the fifth time in their last five full seasons, where possible, moving to 21-4. They are now 8-2 at the halfway point of MIAC play.  
 
Game 1 | Bethel 4, Gustavus Adolphus 1
Bethel took advantage of a leadoff walk in the second producing four runs following it. Keenan Hodgkin drew the five pitch walk before scoring the runs first game on a single to center by Nolan Jurgenson.
 
Matthew Carlsen continued his 2-for-3 game driving in Nick Kulseth with a double down the left field line. Justin Winterfeldt continued the rally driving in Carlsen and Jurgenson on a single that made it through the left side forcing a Gusties pitching change.
 
Krupke was dialed in giving up only two hits through four innings of work before striking out the side in the fifth. A pair of strikeouts in the sixth and Krupke matched a career-high eight Ks.
 
Gustavus denied Krupke of the shutout with a solo home run to start the seventh. A flyout followed by a pair of groundouts secured Krupke's fourth win of the year where he walked none in the complete game effort.  
 
Game 2 | Bethel 8, Gustavus 6
The visiting Gusties struck first plating a run in the second before the Royals put up a three spot in the third. Tommy Friesen kick started his multi-RBI game with a bases loaded RBI groundout. Ty Koehn thing singled through right side on an 0-2 pitch scoring a pair.
 
Gustavus tied it up in the fourth before taking a lead in the fifth with a solo homer off starter Max Sutter.
 
Friesen helped the cause belting a long ball over the right field fence pulling the Royals within one in the fifth before Carlsen tied it up with some two-out production.
 
GAC tied it up in the eighth scoring its only run off of reliver Blake Williams who entered in the six. That tie didn't last long as the Royals loaded them up in the home half of the inning.
 
Justin Winterfeldt provided the heroics sending an 0-1 pitch to left scoring not only the go-ahead run but an insurance run as well.
 
Williams shut down the Gusties 1-2-3 in the ninth earning his fourth win of the year.
 
Up Next
Due to projected rain fall in the area Wednesday, the Royals doubleheader at CHS Field against Hamline has been moved to Thursday at 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.
  Read Full Article