ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Bethel University baseball team extended its program record winning streak to 15 with a doubleheader sweep of Hamline Monday afternoon. A fifth inning go-ahead RBI double from
Hayden Sperbeck proved the difference in game one as the Royals went on to win 6-3. In game two it was a two RBI single to right by
Matt Friesen that gave Bethel a 3-2 lead with the Royals tacking on five more to take game two, 8-2.
Game one:
Hamline plated the game's first run on an error, to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second.
Zach Thompson smacked a two-run double to left field to give the Royals a 2-1 lead in the top of the third.
With the game tied at two in the fifth, a
Chris Lavin double and
Oran Hinkle walk put two on with none out.
Hayden Sperbeck followed by smacking an RBI double to left to give the Royals a 3-2 lead.
Mark Anderson went five innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs while striking out four, earning the win to improve to 5-1 on the year.
Oran Hinkle hit his eighth homer of the year in the sixth a two-run shot to open up a 6-2 lead.
Cavan Banks closed it out in the ninth to earn his third save of the year as the Royals took game one 6-3.
Game two:
Zach Thompson hit a one out sacrifice fly to left to get the Royals on the board first in game two. Hamline tied it up with a sac fly in the bottom of the second, and eventually took a 2-1 lead on a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth.
A single, walk and hit by pitch loaded the bases for the Royals in the sixth and
Matt Friesen came through with a two RBI single the other way to give Bethel a 3-2 lead.
The Royals added on the seventh when
Hayden Sperbeck scored on a wild pitch and
Zach Thompson came through with an RBI triple to center field.
Jordan Axberg worked 4.1 scoreless innings of relief out of the bullpen, with two punchouts to earn his second win of the year.
The Royals tacked on two more in the eighth on a Sperbeck sac fly and
Xavier Lortie RBI single to center to take an 8-2 lead, which ended up being the final score.
Up next:
The Royals head back down Snelling Avenue to take on Northwestern Wednesday April 23. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.
