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COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – For the second time in as many seasons, the Bethel Royals are Baseball Playoff champions of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC).
A three-run home run in the first inning and another score in the second was all the offense the Royals needed to defeat top-seeded Gustavus, 4-0, in the MIAC Baseball Playoff title game Saturday afternoon in Collegeville. Bethel is the first MIAC baseball team to win back-to-back playoff championships since St. Thomas accomplished the feat in 2013 and 2014.
NO. 4 BETHEL 4, NO. 1 GUSTAVUS 0
Bethel first baseman Keenan Hodgkin blasted a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning - his second long ball of the tournament - before Matthew Carlsen drove home Marcus Krupke in the following frame to give the Royals a 4-0 advantage over Gustavus. No more scoring was necessary, as BU pitcher Max Sutter tossed seven-and-two-thirds scoreless innings with eight strikeouts to preserve the win. Gustavus outfielders Bryce Novak and Drake Siens both finished the game 2-for-4 at the plate. Lane Glaser pitched the bulk of the game in relief for Gustavus, striking out five and shutting out the Royals over the final 6.1 innings of the game.
Following the final game, Bethel was presented with the MIAC Baseball Playoff Championship plaque. The Royals also received the conference's automatic bid to the 2023 NCAA Division III Baseball Tournament. Gustavus and the rest of the MIAC squads will await to see if their seasons might continue with an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The full NCAA Tournament field will be announced Monday at 11:00 a.m. on NCAA.com. The MIAC would like to thank the Saint John's University staff and coaches along with the Novacare for their efforts to host the 2023 MIAC Baseball Playoffs at Becker Park.