ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – 22 days later the No. 11th-ranked Bethel University softball team returned to the dirt with the sun shining and barely a cloud in the sky. They opened up the home portion of their schedule with a 1-0 extra inning victory over Gustavus Adolphus before taking the night cap 4-2.
Kayla Simacek picked up both wins in the circle with 23 combined strikeouts with one walk, two runs and six hits allowed.
Autumn Earney was 3-for-7 at the dish with a pair of doubles and one RBI.
Game 1: #11 Bethel 1, Gustavus Adolphus 0 // 9 innings
In the bottom of the ninth, Earney notched a one-out double to the gap in right center before scoring as the game-winning run on a single from
Izzy Wilhelm.
Simacek retired the first 10 she faced before giving up a walk. The no-hitter was broken up in the top of the ninth as the Gusties got a bloop single to fall right in front of a diving
Lexi DeBace in center.
Simacek ended the threat in the ninth with her 15th strikeout of the game.
Bethel put its leadoff hitter in scoring position in the third, fourth and fifth but couldn't push the run across. They had a chance in the eighth to end it as
Jordyn Rudolph led off with a single to center. She moved over to third before a flyout to right ended the threat.
Game 2: #11 Bethel 4, Gustavus Adolphus 2
Runs came early for the Royals as
Kayla Hokanson drove in a pair in her first plate appearance of game two. She sent a 1-2 pitch down the line scoring
Lexi DeBace from third and
Mikaela Girard from second.
GAC put up a pair of two-out runs in the top of the third, but Bethel got them right back in the home half. Allie Fauth led off the frame with a double down the left field line before scoring on a misplay by the Gusties during DeBace's at bat.
Autumn Earney made it 4-2 with a double to the gap in left scoring DeBace.
Simacek worked out of a jam in the fifth with two Gusties in scoring position. She was able to get a pop up in foul ground.
UP NEXT
The Royals are back at Ona Orth Athletic Complex on Tuesday, April 11 hosting Concordia at 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
