ARDEN HILLS, MINN.—The Bethel University baseball team swept Carleton (DH) by scores of 9-1 and 7-6 at Hargis Park on Wednesday.
The Royals eclipse the 20-win threshold and improve to 21-6, 11-1 MIAC, while the Knights fall to 6-15, 4-5 MIAC.
Bethel 9, Carleton 1 (Game One)
Things were closer than the final score indicated as each side finished with six hits. Bethel held a slim 2-1 advantage before their seven-run sixth inning secured them a 9-1 victory.
BU's seven-run sixth inning was highlighted by a grand slam from Oran Hinkle, who finished the game 1-for-3 with five RBI and one sacrifice fly. Drew Girtz went 1-for-3 with a lead-off triple in the first inning, two runs scored, and one walk. The lone multi-hit Royal was Sam Abbas, who was 2-for-3 with one double, and one run scored. Chris Cannon turned in a 1-for-3 performance that consisted of one double, two runs scored, and one walk.Â
Starting pitcher Mark Anderson, who improved to 5-0 on the season, surrendered five hits, one run, two walks, and notched three strikeouts over 6.0 innings of work for the Royals. Tanner Nordrum threw the final inning for Bethel, who held Carleton to zero hits for extra bases.
Bethel 7, Carleton 6 (Game Two)
The Royals dug themselves out of a 6-0 hole after three innings with seven unanswered runs, which culminated in Chris Cannon's two-run double in the eighth inning that put them in the driver's seat 7-6.
Both teams combined for 22 hits, 10 belonged to the Royals.Â
Cannon finished 2-for-4 with one double, two RBI, and one walk. Also going 2-for-4 was Drew Girtz, who had a three-run home run in the fifth inning, two runs scored, and one walk. Ben Trucke's solo home run in the sixth inning made up his 1-for-4 game. Hayden Sperbeck and Tyler Allshouse each went 2-for-3 with one walk, and combined for three runs scored.Â
The Royals pitching staff held Carleton to just one hit for extra bases. Ted Hohn, Cavan Banks, Jay Krieger, Zach Johnson, and Jackson Hunter pitched for Bethel. Johnson allowed zero hits and notched four strikeouts over the seventh and eighth innings to secure the winning decision before Hunter earned the save after throwing a perfect ninth inning.
Four different Knights came through with multi-hit performances.
The Royals will host Northwestern (DH) in non-conference action at Hargis Park on Friday, April 17 at 1 p.m.
