MANKATO, Minn. – The No. 24th-ranked Bethel University softball team opened its 2025 season with an 8-0 loss to Northwestern before following it up with a 2-0 win over Wisconsin-La Crosse Saturday afternoon inside the Mankato Dome.
 
Game 1: Northwestern 8, Bethel 0 (5 innings)
The Royals couldn't overcome early errors in its season opener to the Eagles while also being limited to one hit.
 
The Eagles put up a four spot in the opening frame in large part to three Bethel errors. UNW added four more in the second. With four errors on the day, only four of the Eagles' scores went down as earned runs.
 
Mikaela Girard has BU's lone hit with a leadoff single in the second.
 
Abby Otterness picked up the loss in the circle, giving up all eight runs while striking out two.
 
Game 2: Bethel 2, UW-La Crosse 0
Bethel earned the bounce-back win, plating both its runs in the fifth. Getting its first two aboard, a sacrifice bunt from Mandlyn Franks put two runners in scoring position. Molly Closser's single to right scored Faith Tverberg and Autumn Earney's double to right scored Girard.
 
Dominique Walicke, a transfer from Duluth, tossed the complete game effort where she struck out eight and walked nine. She forced the Eagles to leave them loaded in the first and second while getting a strikeout to end the third that stranded two more runners.
 
UWL would only get a pair of doubles in its final four plate appearances. BU stranded a runner in scoring position in both the fifth and sixth.
 
Girard and Earney combined for four of the Royals' seven hits.
 
UP NEXT
The Royals are back in Mankato on Saturday, Feb. 22 taking on Buena Vista and Luther at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. respectively.
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