ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – It took a few innings, but the No. 11th-ranked Bethel University softball team's bats came alive with 13 unanswered runs in the opener against No. 13 Saint Benedict. The Royals picked up the sweep in a key MIAC series with a 2-1 victory in game two.

The Royals improved to 17-3 on the year and 6-0 in MIAC play. Saint Benedict dropped to 14-4 and 5-3 in conference play.
 
Infielder Izzy Wilhelm led BU at the dish going a combined 4-for-7 while driving in five runs with a pair of doubles. Lexi DeBace was 3-of-7 with three runs and a RBI.
 
Kayla Simacek picked up win number No. 15 and 16 tossing all 13 innings. She dropped her season ERA to 1.18 giving up two runs with 12 strikeouts and no walks.
 
Game 1: #11 Bethel 13, Saint Benedict 1 // 6 innings
• CSB scored the game's first run with a double to center that came around one batter later on a single to center.
• In an early pitcher's duel, BU tallied just one hit through four innings. Simacek had a 1-2-3 third before working out of a jam in the fourth where she stranded a pair in scoring position.
• In the top of the fifth, the Royals' bats came alive producing seven runs on five hits. RBI doubles from Sydney Bartels and Allie Fauth got the run fest started. The rest came with two outs highlighted by Autumn Earney's triple to right that scored a pair before she scored on a wild pitch.
• The Bennies went to the pen in the sixth where BU up the bases with one out before producing back-to-back-to-back runs.
• Wilhelm capped out the onslaught of runs with a three-RBI double to center.
 
Game 2: #11 Bethel 2, #13 Saint Benedict 1
• Through the first four frames, Bethel made the plays whenever CSB put a runner in scoring position. The Bennies stranded a runner at second in their first three at bats.
• In the fourth Lexi DeBace legged out and infield single before moving to third on a double off the bat of Kayla Hokanson. Wilhelm drove in the pair with a single to center
• Saint Ben's led off the home half of the fourth with a solo home run to right making it 2-1.
•  A double followed before a CSB lined into an unassisted double play by Earney.
• Wilhelm's second double of the day in the sixth put runners at second and third, but a flyout to left and a strikeout ended the BU threat.
• Simacek showed no panic in the sixth as the Bennies also put runners at second and third with one out. She produced a foul out to first before K. Hokanson made a nice play at third to get the runner in time at first for the third out.
• BU's defense commanded the infield with 10 groundouts in game two.
 
UP NEXT
The road stand continues as BU takes its seven-game winning streak to Carleton on Sunday, April 16. The MIAC doubleheader is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.

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