ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The Bethel University softball team dropped a pair of senior day contests to Saint Benedict Saturday afternoon at Ona Orth Athletic Complex. The Royals dropped game one 8-0 in five innings before a seventh-inning rally in game two came up just short as BU fell 4-3.
 
Bethel fell to 19-20 on the year and finish MIAC play 12-10 overall. The Royals enter the MIAC Playoffs as the No. 5 seed and travel to No. 4-seed Macalester on Thursday for the quarterfinals.
 
After the games, Bethel honored Autumn Earney, Mikaela Girard, Olivia Weinberg and Hayden Glander in a senior day ceremony to recognize them for their time and dedication to the program
 
Game 1: Saint Benedict 8, Bethel 0 (5 innings)
The Bennies built an early lead with a big second inning, plating four and added insurance runs in the third and fourth.
 
Bethel saw solid individual performances from Olivia Weinberg and Abby Otterness, who combined for all four of the team's hits. Weinberg recorded a double and a single, while Otterness chipped in a pair of base knocks from the leadoff spot. The Royals were unable to advance a runner past second base and stranded four runners overall.
 
Dominique Walicke took the loss in the circle, allowing six runs on seven hits through two innings. Senior Mary Hajduk came on in relief and gave up two unearned runs over the final three innings while striking out three.
 
Game 2: Saint Benedict 4, Bethel 3
In the bottom of the seventh, Bethel refused to go quietly. Otterness and Mikaela Girard singled to set the table before a Saint Benedict error loaded the bases. Kayley Frenette delivered her second RBI of the game with a single to right-center, and a wild pitch allowed another run to score, trimming the deficit to 4–3.

With the tying run on third and go-ahead run on second, Bethel still had two chances to extend or win the game. But a strikeout and pop out in foul ground ended the rally.

After falling behind 2–0 in the top of the first on a two-run single and a pair of unearned runs, Bethel answered quickly. Mikaela Girard singled and later scored on Kayley Frenette's RBI knock up the middle to cut the deficit in half.

BU loaded the bases in the second with three straight singles, but a baserunning miscue that lead to a double play on an appeal play ended the threat. A fifth-inning single by Girard gave Bethel another scoring opportunity, but the Royals couldn't push a run across.

Saint Benedict extended its lead to 3–1 in the fifth and added an unearned insurance run in the seventh to make it 4–1 in a controversial play where all players left the field thinking there were three outs but there were only two.

Otterness (2-for-4), Girard (3-for-4), and Frenette (2-for-4, 2 RBI) led the Royals offensively, while Otterness also took the loss in the circle despite allowing just one earned run in a complete game effort.

UP NEXT
Thursday's MIAC Playoff game is set for 4:30 p.m. at Macalester. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here and are available online only. No cash sales will take place on site. The MIAC Championship homepage can be found by clicking here. 


 
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