ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – Junior right-hander Kayla Simacek topped herself again, this time surpassing the single-season strikeout record that she held from last year with 215. With a combined 16 Ks on the day Simacek's total moves to 228 for 2022.
 
The No. 14th-ranked Bethel University softball team remains unbeaten in MIAC play improving to 14-0 with a sweep of St. Olaf who sat just below them in the standings. Bethel put crooked numbers in three of its five plate apperances taking game one 10-2 in five innings before winning the night cap 5-3.
 
Lexi DeBace had herself a day at the plate going a combined 6-for-7 with four RBI, a triple and three stolen bases.
 
Game 1 | #14 Bethel 10, St. Olaf 2 (5 innings)
Simacek worked out of her first jam of the day stranding two Oles on the base paths. BU meant business at the plate where Kayla Hokanson drove in the first run of the game while the second run of the inning came in on an error in the same play.
 
The Royals brought all nine hitters to the plate in the second where they scored three runs. DeBace drove in Izzy Wilhelm who reached on an infield single. A sacrifice bunt by Mikaela Girard scored Allie Fauth before K. Hokanson scored DeBace.
 
Simacek struck out the side in the third putting her name atop the single-season Ks list. The Royals offense helped her out as DeBace produced a run on a two-out single through the right side.
 
St. Olaf put up two runs in the fourth before BU made it a run-rule victory with four runs in the fifth. Fauth bring in Dabu who led off with a double before DeBace knocked in two runs with a triple that one hopped the center field fence.
 
A sacrifice fly from Jamie Axelberg brought in pinch runner Emma Poncin from third.
 
Game 2 | Bethel 5, St. Olaf 3
BU put up another two runs in its first at bat getting RBIs from the middle of the order in K. Hokanson and Axelberg.
 
Simacek retired eight of the first nine faced while BU added another run in the third. Fauth led off with a triple before scoring one batter later on DeBace's single down the right field line.
 
The Oles cut BU's lead to 3-2 with a pair on the fourth, both which were unearned.
 
The Royals in the fourth got their first two aboard in Axelberg and Autumn Earney. A sacrifice fly from Angela Dabu and RBI single from Izzy Wilhelm put the Royals back up 5-2.
 
St. Olaf got one run in the seventh before Simacek picked up her 23rd win of the year and Royals 23rd straight victory with a groundout.
 
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The Royals have another big task hosting current No. 18th-ranked College of Saint Benedict Tuesday in a MIAC doubleheader. First pitch at Ona Orth is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Read Full Article