ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The Royals baseball team faced Augsburg College in a pair of games Sunday, in a make-up double-header that was scheduled for one day prior. Despite scoring first in the opener, Bethel fell 7-9 in game one, however, managed to come back and snag a win in game two, 3-2. Fans in attendance also particpated as Bethel took part in the MIAC campaign to strike out prostate cancer this week. The BU and Augsburg players wore blue wristbands in support of those who have dealt with prostate cancer, and Bethel welcomed two special prostate cancer survivors to the mound for the opening pitch in game one and game two. Head Baseball Coach Brian Raabe's father, Chuck Raabe, threw out the ceremonial first pitch in game one and Bill Hargis, Assistant Baseball Coach, threw out the first pitch in game two.

Game one began favorable for the Royals, as they opened the game with two runs in the first inning to take the 2-0 lead. The visiting Auggies manufactured eight runs in the fourth through sixth inning, though, to capture an 8-3 lead after six. BU surrendered one more run to Augsburg in the top of the seventh before falling short in a seventh-inning rally. Travis Piepho (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn.) homered in the final frame and Austin Hanson (Jr., Mounds View, Minn.) and Jesse Nickols (Jr., Arden Hills, Minn.) both drove in a run, but four runs was all BU could score, falling in the end 7-9.

Unfortunately for the home team, Augsburg's pitching staff stranded seven BU runners on base in the first game. Meanwhile, Matt Rowley (Jr., Minnetonka, Minn.) continued to swing a hot bat, going 3-for-4 in game one with two runs. Piepho and Nickols both ended game one with two hits in three plate appearances. Piepho scored twice and drove in two, while Nickols drove in two and scored once.

On the pitching rubber, David Freed (Jr., North Oaks, Minn.) started game one, giving up four earned runs in 4.2 innings of work. Freed struck out one and walked zero, but allowed six hits. A trio of pitchers came in after Freed and allowed five runs (four earned).

The second affair was even more dramatic as both teams scored two runs in the third inning. Augsburg posted two in the top of the inning, while the Royals struck back to even the game in the bottom half of the frame. A Nick Anderson (Fr., Arden Hills, Minn.) single, followed by a David Freed hit-by-pitch, allowed Jay Slick (Sr., River Falls, Wis.) to drive in two runs on a double to deep center field. Bethel added the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Matt Rowley came up with another big hit when golfing a one-out double down the right field line that scored Freed again to go ahead 3-2. A couple close calls in the sixth and seventh inning kept the game interesting, yet 3-2 would be recorded as the final decision.

BU managed just five hits and two walks in the second game. Jay Slick managed to go 1-for-2 at the plate with two RBI's and a walk, while David Freed finished 1-for-2 with two runs scored.

Matt Rowley started game two, and performed magnificently, striking out six in 5.2 innings of work. Rowley allowed two runs (zero earned), five hits, and zero walks. Buddy Flaherty(Sr., Victoria, Minn.) continued to showcase his prowess at the end of the game by pitching 1.1 shutout innings for his sixth save of the season.

With the win, Bethel improves to 7-5 in conference play and currently sits in third place among MIAC opponents. The Royals will be tested Tuesday, when hosting Gustavus for a pair at Hargis Park.