ALTON, Ill. – Head coach
Brian Raabe has had a saying of "don't sleep on us" and did that ever hold true Friday evening in the opening round of the Alton Regional. The Bethel University baseball team earned its first-ever NCAA Tournament victory with a 12-7 come from behind victory over Wooster thanks to a seven-run ninth. It also marks the 34th win of the year for BU which is a program record.
With the win, BU advances in the winner's bracket where they square off with the hosts Webster Saturday evening at 5 p.m. A win puts them into the regional championship while a loss comes with a quick turnaround playing in an elimination game at 8 p.m.
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The Royals went into the ninth trailing by two with their nine-one-two hitters coming up. A groundout started it before
Matthew Carlsen singled and
Tommy Friesen doubled down the right field line. An intentional walk to
Justin Winterfeldt still didn't keep the Fighting Scots from danger as
Ty Koehn's RBI fielder's choice pulled BU within one.
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Two pitches later
Keenan Hodgkin tied it up on a single to right before
Noah Wenberg singled up the middle bringing in two more.
Jordan Krupke got one through the hole scoring Hodgkin before
Marcus Krupke played small ball where a throwing error by the pitcher scored Wenberg.
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Nick Kulseth produced BU's seventh and final run of the frame with a sacrifice fly.
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Blake Williams provided the relief of start
Max Sutter for the final three innings. Williams gave up two hits, one run and struck out six while picking up his fifth win out of the pen. Sutter got the no decision tossing six innings of work giving up six runs on nine hits with two strikeouts.
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Winterfeldt provided the early run production scoring Carslen with a double top the gap in the first. Wooster took a 2-1 lead before back came the fierce bat of Winterfeldt sending his 11th long ball over the left field fence for a three-run shot and putting BU back in front 4-2.
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The Fight Scots put up a three spot of their own in the fifth and one in the sixth going up 6-4.
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Wenberg got the first of his three RBIs in the eight with a single up the middle.
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