ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – For the second time in program history, and first since 2015, the Bethel University softball team are MIAC regular season champions following a sweep of Augsburg Friday afternoon at Ona Orth Athletic Complex. BU locks in the No. 1 seed in the MIAC Playoffs putting them in position to host the semifinals and championship game next Saturday, May 7 under the new six-team single elimination format.
Junior ace
Kayla Simacek tossed her third career perfect game giving the Royals an 8-0 victory in game one before capturing the regular season title with a 4-1 victory in game two.
Bethel hits the 30-win mark for the first time in program history moving to 30-3 and 19-1 in MIAC play. The Royals are scheudled to close out the regular season on Sunday hosting St. Catherine for senior day. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Game 1 | #11 Bethel 8, Augsburg 0 (5 innings)
Playing as the visitors on the scoreboard, Bethel wasted no time putting up a three spot in the its first at bat.
Lexi DeBace scored BU's first run scoring on a wild pitch. Two batters later
Jamie Axelberg kicked off a five-RBI game driving in a pair on a single to center.
Simacek struck out six of the first nine she faced while BU put up another three spot this time in the third. Axelberg got things rolling with a RBI single to center before
Angela Dabu followed up with an infield RBI single.
Izzy Wilhelm made it 6-0 with a single to left scoring Axelberg.
Axelberg added a two-RBI double to left in the fourth before Simacek struck out the side in the fifth for the perfect game.
Game 2 | No. 11 Bethel 4, Augsburg 1
Bethel got on the board first again as
Allie Fauth led off with a single before stealing second and third. A bunt single by DeBace allowed Fauth to break the early scoreless tie.
The Royals made it 2-0 as
Mikaela Girard scored on a throwing error by Augsburg catcher during a BU double steal attempt.
Cortney Hokanson made it 3-0 brining in
Autumn Earney, who led off the fourth with a double, on a double to the gap in left. Hokanson scored three batters later as
Sadie Hanzalik single through the right side.
In the meantime, Simacek had given up two hits through five innings of work. The Auggies got one in the seventh with a leadoff home run before Simacek struck out a pair and recorded a ground out.
Behind 13 strikeouts, Simacek picked up conference win No. 18 which ties the MIAC record which was recorded by Collen Sich in 1994 and Kendra Bowe in 2012, both of which were from St. Thomas.
