Pella, Iowa. – After forcing a game seven winner-take-all regional final, the No. 22nd-ranked Bethel University softball team saw its season come to an end at the hands of Central falling 9-3. The Royals battled to a 9-6 win in 10 innings over the host Dutch forcing the if necessary game in the Pella Regional.
 
The Royals end the season 33-11 overall making it the third consecutive season of 30-plus wins.

Named to the All-Tournament team for standout performances were Lexi DeBace, Autumn Earney and Kayla Simacek. 
 
Game 1: #22 Bethel 9, #25 Central 6 (10 innings)
• The bats got going right away as Camryn Thurow singled through the right side scoring Lexi DeBace for the game's first run.
• Autumn Earney started a five-RBI game driving in a pair in the second on a single down the left field line before scoring on a double steal a few batters later putting BU up 4-0.
• Central plated six runs on six hits in the second going ahead 6-4.  
• Earney provided some fireworks in the fourth tying it at six with a two-run homer to center.
• Headed into extras, the Dutch had runners at second and third with one out in the bottom of the eighth. A fly ball out to left was caught by Mandalyn Franks before firing home where Cortney Hokanson applied the tag on the runner for an inning-ending double play.
• Both teams went three-up, three-down in the ninth as Simacek got her seventh strikeout in the frame.
• A triple off the bat of DeBace started the 10th before Earney scored her on a single to left. Later in the frame, Sidney Bartels scored Earney with a sacrifice fly before C. Hokanson roped one up the middle scoring Abby Otterness to make it 9-6.
• BU's 1-2-3 hitters in DeBace, Earney and Otterness went a combined 9-for-15 with seven combined runs.
 
Game 2: #25 Central 9, #22 Bethel 3
• After a scoreless three innings by both squads, the Dutch plated a five spot in the fourth. That came large in part to three BU errors. They then added a run in the fifth on a RBI double going up 6-0.
• Sidney Bartels got the Royals back in it with a two-run homer to the deepest part of the park clearing 215 feet easily.
• Central got those two runs back and another insurance run in sixth on Simacek expanding its lead to 9-2.
• In the seventh, Thurow's sacrifice fly scored DeBace before Bartels struck out looking ending the Royals' season.
• In her final start with the Royals, Kayla Simacek struck out three bringing her career total to 1,193 which puts her ninth all-time in Division III.

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