ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – Graduate student Allie Fauth surpassed her own name on the Bethel University softball team's single-season steals list brining her total to 32 with a three-swipe performance in game one. Fauth and the No. 11th-ranked Royals earned a sweep of Carleton by scores of 7-0 and 7-1.
 
Bethel improves to 28-3 on the year and stays atop the MIAC with a 17-1 record. The Royals have secured a spot in the six-team MIAC playoff and keep vying for a chance at their first regular season title since 2015. That quest continues Saturday at Augsburg with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
 
Game 1 | No. 11 Bethel 7, Carleton 0
The Royals did most of their damage in the bottom of the first where they put up a five spot all with two outs. Cortney Hokanson singled up the middle with the bases loaded allowing a pair to come in. An error by the Knights extended the inning allowing Angela Dabu to also gain a two-RBI single up the middle.
 
With three strikeouts already, Kayla Simacek forced the Knights to strand a pair in the third. In the home half of the inning Autumn Earney singled before moving into scoring position on a hit-by-pitch drawn by Jamie Axelberg.
 
Dabu came up clutch again with two outs driving in another two runs this time on a double down the left field line.
 
Simacek would only give up one hit the rest of the way before Ella Roberts came in for a scoreless seventh. Simacek struck out nine on the day improving to 26-2 in the circle.
 
Game 2 |Carleton 7, Bethel 1
Carleton scratched across the game's first run in the top of the first. But the Royals responded with a crooked number in the bottom half of the frame. BU's first three hitters reached where Mikaela Girard brought in the Royals first run. A sacrifice fly from Kayla Hokanson made it 2-1.
 
BU's lone run in the second was thanks to a wild pitch putting them ahead 3-1.
 
Carleton threatened in the third with a pair in scoring position before Ella Roberts got a popup ending the threat.
 
In the fourth, Fauth scored Axelberg who reached via a double before Dabu was thrown out at the plate on the same play.
 
Roberts got a one-two-three fifth allowing BU's offense to go back to work. An error by Carleton loaded the bases before Axelberg cleared them with a double down the left field line.
 
The Knights had two in scoring position in the seventh before Roberts got the final out picking up a complete game win where she struck out four.
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