ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The No. 9th-ranked Bethel University softball team picked up two MIAC conference home wins,12-1 and 10-0, in a doubleheader sweep of Macalester College Thursday evening at Ona Orth Athletic Complex.
The wins move the Royals to 25-3 on the year and 14-0 in MIAC play.
Backed by an impressive 22-run effort by Bethel's offense,
Kayla Simacek pitched a total of 6.1 innings without giving up a run and throwing 11 strikeouts on the day and earning two wins to move her to 24-3 on the season.
Game 1 | #9 Bethel 12, Macalester 1 // 5 innings
Bethel struck early and often exploding with a nine-run bottom of the first. It started with an
Autumn Earney two-RBI single to center that followed with an
Izzy Wilhelm RBI single through the left side.
Cortney Hokanson added two more with an RBI double before
Lexi DeBace made her second plate appearance of the inning notching an infield RBI single.
Mikaela Girard capped it out with a bases-clearing double to right-center to put the Royals up big at 9-0 early.
The Royals added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth when
Molly Closser tallied her first collegiate RBI on a single to,
Mandalyn Franks hit an RBI groundout, and
Sidney Bartels hit an RBI double to right center putting the Royals up 12-0.
Macalester scored a run in the top of the fifth, but it was too little too late as the game ended with a final score of 12-1 after the mercy rule was enforced.
Pitchers
Kayla Simacek and
Ella Roberts combined to hold Macalester to one run in the game with Simacek picking up six strikeouts and Roberts picking up two.
Game 2 | #9 Bethel 10, Macalester 0 // 5 innings
Bethel used the same formula in game number two, jumping out immediately with a nine-run second inning where nine different Royals picked up an RBI. BU put up the crooked number sending 14 hitters to the plate.
In the bottom of the third,
Sidney Bartels drew a bases loaded walk putting Bethel up 10-0.
The pitching trio of Simacek,
Ella Roberts, and
Kayley Frenette held Macalester scoreless through five innings and gave the Royals another mercy rule win at 10-0.
Up Next:
The Royals remain at home for another MIAC doubleheader on Saturday, April 29 against Augsburg. with game times slated for 1:00 and 3:00 P.M. at Ona Orth Athletic Complex. It is also senior day for the Royals who will have a breif ceremony following game two.
