DAVENPORT, Fla. – The Bethel University baseball team is off to a 2-1 start to its annual spring break trip, highlighted by a 10-8 victory over No. 10th-ranked Aurora on Friday. The Spartans bested the Royals 6-1 in the back end of the doubleheader on Friday. BU bounced back Saturday morning with a 16-11 slugfest win over Southern Maine.
 
Friday Game 1: Bethel 10, #10 Aurora 8
• After scoring in the top of the first, BU surrendered six in the bottom half of the first and two in the second going down 8-1 early.
• Bethel clawed back into it as a two-RBI triple from Joe Meurer and a RBI sacrifice fly form Matt Friesen pulled them within 8-5.
• Jordan Krupke evened it up blasting a three-run shot over the left field fence.
• A pair of bases loaded walks in the sixth completed the nine unanswered by the Royals.
• Ryan Parker picked up the win tossing 2.2 innings of shutout relief where he gave up one hit.
 
Friday Game 2: #10 Aurora 6, Bethel 1
• A couple of two-run homers helped the Spartans build a 5-0 lead through six innings.
• The Royals in that stretch managed their only two hits and stranded both runners.
• Bethel scratched a run across in the bottom of the sixth as Meurer's fly to right was deep enough to score Nolan Jurgenson who started out the frame with a walk.
• A solo homer for Aurora in the seventh tacked on an insurance run.
 
Saturday: Bethel 16, Southern Maine 11
• BU found themselves down early with a two-out two-run homer for the Huskies in the home half of the first.
• It didn't take long for the bats to get going as the Royals evened it up with a RBI triple from Carson Christiansen who then scored on a single from Zach Thompson.
• USM took the lead back with a three-spot in the bottom half of the frame going up 5-2.
• Noah Wenberg's three run shot in the third gave the lead back to BU 6-5 briefly until the Huskies put up two more in the home half.
• A grand slam by Meurer over the left field fence put the Royals ahead for good at 10-7. Christiansen kept the hot sticks going homering just moments later.
• Bethel tacked on five more in the sixth that was kick started with a RBI triple down the right field line from Xavi Lortie.
• Southern Maine added one run in the sixth and three in the ninth.
• Michael Meadows picked up the win out of the pen, pitching 2.2 effective winnings of shutout baseball and not allowing a hit.
 
UP NEXT
The Royals are back on the diamond in the Sunshine State taking on Monday, March 11 taking on No. 9th-ranked Wisconsin La-Crosse at 1 p.m. central time.
 
 
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