ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The Bethel University softball team saw its 26-game conference winning streak come to an end Saturday afternoon at Ona Orth after being swept by Saint Mary's. The Cardinals jumped on the Royals early and then used a four-run fifth to take the opener 7-4. Bethel was limited to five hits in game two falling 4-1.
Mandalyn Franks had Bethel's best bat of the day going a combined 4-for-6.
Kayla Simacek picked up the loss in both games inside the circle.
Game 1: Saint Mary's 7, #10 Bethel 4
• Saint Mary's found a way to extend its first at bat with a two-out double that was over ran by the BU centerfielder. SMU capitalized on the mental mistake with a line drive two-run homer over the left field fence taking the early lead.
• Bethel got one of those runs back with an RBI double off the bat of
Olivia Weinberg to right.
• The Cardinals pushed its lead to 4-1 in the fourth with two outs on back-to-back doubles down the left field line. Peyton Berg extended the lead one batter later with her second two-run homer of the day, this time the left center.
• Bethel answered SMU's one run in the sixth with three in the bottom half of the frame. Pinch hitter
Camryn Thurow launched a double to the gap scoring a pair.
Lexi DeBace then hit a sharp grounder that took a bad bounce on the SMU shortstop scoring Thurow.
• The Royals put the tying run at the plate in their final at bat with a walk and a single, but a line out and a strikeout stranded the runners.
Game 2: Saint Mary's 4, #10 Bethel 1
• SMU struck first once again with a leadoff double that scored one batter later on a single to center. The Cardinals then made it 2-0 in the second with another RBI single to the gap.
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Lexi DeBace notched BU's first hit of the game legging out a bunt single in the top of the fourth. A catcher's interference play for
Olivia Weinberg put a pair on but a strikeout and hard groundout to short ended the threat.
• Naleya Bork's two-out solo homer in the fifth extended SMU's lead to three before it went to 4-0 in the top of the seventh.
• BU rallied again in the seventh with Franks singling down the right field line to score
Julia Helget who pinch ran for Thurow. With the tying run at the plate once again, a fly out to center ended it.
UP NEXT
Bethel looks to bounce back with a quick turnaround traveling to Gustavus Adolphus on Sunday. The doubleheader is set to begin at 1 p.m.
