PELLA, Iowa – The No. 11th-ranked Bethel University softball team earned a 2-0 opening round NCAA Regional win over Wisconsin-La Crosse Thursday afternoon in Pella, Iowa. Milestone accomplishments highlighted the day as ninth year head coach Penny Foore earned her 200th career win while the Royals captured a program-record 24th straight victory.
 
The win moves Bethel to 34-3 on the year and advances them in the winner's bracket where they play at 11 a.m. on Friday afternoon. They will take on the host Central Dutch who defeated Grinnell in game two, 3-2.
 
Izzy Wilhelm and Sidney Bartels each went 2-for-3 on the day with Bartels scoring the Royals' first run. In the circle, Kayla Simacek (32-3) struck out nine and walked one in her fifth straight shutout. Simacek's career strikeout number moves up to 906, ranking 30th all-time in Division III.
 
The defense highlighted the early parts of the game with Wilhelm making some nice plays at second base to end the second and third.
 
UWL put runners at first and second with no outs in the fourth but BU showed no panic. Great bunt coverage got the lead runner for out one before a strikeout and a grounded out ended the threat.  
 
Bartels doubled over the left fielder's head with one out in the fifth giving the Royals a late scoring opportunity. BU took advantage of that runner in scoring position as Cortney Hokanson sent a hard ground ball back to the pitcher who overthrew the first basemen allowing Bartles to score the game's first run.
 
The top of the sixth was extended by another Eagles error that Bethel capitalized on again. Autumn Earney singled to left putting runners at first and second with two out and Wilhelm at the plate.
 
Wilhelm singled to center and a hesitation by the fielder allowed pinch runner Julia Helget to score from second.
 
Simacek struck out the first two in the seventh before giving up a double. That runner moved to third after C. Hokanson's back pick throw rolled into center. But a flyout two pitches later advanced the Royals into the winner's bracket.
 
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